When Coronavirus hit the U.S., the mantra was “flatten the curve.”

The reason was to spread out the need for hospital beds.

The State of Illinois recommends that 20% of medical-surgical beds be available.

McHenry County hospitals have twice that many empty, as reported Monday.

The latest three-day rolling average is even higher than it was two days ago:

The same goes for ICU bed availability.

Here is the metric being used to close down McHenry County:

But, it seems to me that deaths are the most important indicator, There have been only six since the end of July.

Here is the McHenry County Health Department’s press release, the enforcement of which will undoubtedly lead to the death of still more businesses:

North Suburban Region 9 Enters Mitigation for COVID-19

Today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in the North Suburban Region 9, which includes Lake and McHenry Counties, beginning 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2020. 

As of October 25, the region’s COVID-19 testing positivity rate is 8.4%, marking three days above the 8.0% testing positivity threshold set in the state’s Restore Illinois Mitigation Plan. Region 9’s testing positivity rate exceeded the 8.0% threshold on Friday, October 23, 2020.

Mitigation measures are strategies, such as restrictions on certain activities, put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Region 9 restrictions will remain in effect until the region’s positivity rate averages less than or equal to 6.5% over a 3-day period.

Once mitigations take effect, the State will continue to monitor the region’s transmission of COVID-19 for 14 days to determine if restrictions can be relaxed or if additional mitigations are needed.

Region 9 mitigation measures taking effect at 12:01 a.m. on October 31, 2020, include:

Bars

●                    All bars close at 11 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6 a.m. the following day

●                    No indoor service

●                    All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside

●                    No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)

●                    Tables should be 6 feet apart

●                    No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting

●                    No dancing or standing indoors

●                    Reservations required for each party

●                    No seating of multiple parties at one table

Restaurants

●                    All restaurants close at 11 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6 a.m. the following day   

●                    No indoor dining or bar service

●                    Tables should be 6 feet apart

●                    No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting

●                    Reservations required for each party

●                    No seating of multiple parties at one table

Meetings, social events and gatherings (including weddings, funerals, potlucks, etc.)

●                    Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity both indoors and outdoors

●                    No party buses

●                    Gaming and Casinos close at 11 p.m., are limited to 25% capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if     applicable

Organized group recreational activities (fitness centers, sports, etc.)

●                    Recreational Sports Guidance effective August 15  remains in effect

●                    Outdoor activities (not included in the above exposure settings) continue per  current Department of Commerce and  Economic Opportunity (DCEO) guidance

The State’s mitigation measures do not apply to polling places, but residents are encouraged to limit their exposure by voting early, wearing masks, using hand sanitizer, and watching their distance from others while voting.

“The rate of new infections is surging in our region – a steeper curve than we saw in the spring,” said Mark Pfister, Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department.

“We successfully flattened the curve then, and we can do it again.

“Our success depends on all businesses and residents doing their part, participating with contact tracers if you are called, and being extremely cautious to eliminate chances for this virus to spread.

“Please do not let your guard down in social settings, even around close friends and family who don’t live in your home.”

IDPH will continue to track the positivity rate in Region 9 in the coming days to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigations should remain in place.

“We will continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and keep the region informed about community transmission,” said Melissa Adamson, Public Health Administrator for the McHenry County Department of Health.

“If we work together, we could avoid further mitigations and potentially see a return to Phase 4 restrictions in the next two weeks

“But that’s a goal that can only be achieved by following those preventative measures we’ve stressed for the past several months and working with your local health department to complete their case investigations.”

Additional Information

Everyone should continue to follow the 3 Ws to slow the spread of COVID-19:

●                    Wear a mask

●                    Wash your hands

●                    Watch your distance

To view the North Suburban Region metrics on the Illinois Department of Public Health website, visit http://www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics and select Region 9. Metrics are updated daily, including testing positivity rates, hospital admissions, and hospital capacity.

For trusted information on the COVID-19 pandemic from reputable state and federal sources, visit the State of Illinois, Illinois Department of Public Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites.