Masks Recommended in Over 40 Illinois Counties With ‘High' COVID Community Alert Level

Masks are encouraged in 43 out of Illinois’ 102 counties that have been raised to “high” COVID-19 community level status as a result of an uptick in weekly metrics, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The latest CDC data showed a total of 86 counties are at an elevated status of either “medium” or “high.” In all, 43 counties are listed at “high” status compared to 29 from the week prior, metrics showed. An additional 43 are deemed in the “medium” category, marking a slight decline from 45 counties a week earlier. Two Chicago-area counties — DeKalb and Kankakee — reached the “high” designation these week. It follows what officials were expecting would be a post-Thanksgiving rise in transmission for the virus. Much of the rest of the Chicago area, including Cook County, is under a “medium” status. At “medium” status, anyone at high risk of getting seriously ill should wear a high-quality mask or respirator, such as an N95, when in public indoors. Additionally, if you have contact with someone else at high risk, consider self-testing to detect infection before contact, according to the CDC. At a “high” community level, the CDC recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in public settings. The following 43 counties are now at a “high” COVID-19 community level: Adams CountyBrown CountyCalhoun CountyCass CountyChampaign CountyChristian CountyClay CountyColes CountyDeKalb CountyDouglas CountyEdgar CountyEdwards CountyFord CountyFulton CountyGallatin County Hardin CountyJasper CountyJohnson CountyKankakee CountyKnox CountyLee CountyLogan CountyMacon CountyMarshall CountyMason CountyMassac CountyMenard CountyPeoria CountyPiatt CountyPike CountyRandolph CountyRichland CountySaline CountySangamon CountyScott CountyShelby CountyTazewell CountyVermilion CountyWabash CountyWarren CountyWhiteside CountyWilliamson CountyWinnebago County

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