DeKalb County's health region still on pace Wednesday for phase 3 reopening

The positivity rate of COVID-19 testing in the North Central health region has continued its decline from 10.16% on May 2 to 7.7% on May 10.

The North Central health region — which includes La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, Marshall, DeKalb, Ogle, Lee, Whiteside, Carroll and Livingston counties, among others — remains on pace to move to the next phase of the governor’s Restore Illinois plan, which would allow manufacturing, offices, retail, barbershops and salons to reopen to the public with capacity limits and safety precautions

The positivity rate must remain at or below 20% and not increase more than 10% over a 14-day period.

Additionally, the available medical and surgical beds and ICU beds have remained stagnant at 41% surge capacity while the ventilator availability has decreased 2% to 60%. Each of those figures meet the criteria of being above 14%. The ventilator availability has risen and fallen 2% over the past few days.

Hospital admissions have dropped 44.6% since May 1. In addition to keeping positive rates down and maintiang hospital capacity, the region must have no overall increase in hospital admission for COVID-19-like illnesses for 28 days.

In order to move to Phase 4, the region will have to stay at or under a 20% positivity rate and increase no more than 10% over a 14-day period; have no overall increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days; maintain an available surge capacity of at least 14% of ICU beds, medical and surgical beds, and ventilators; have testing available in the region regardless of symptoms or risk factors; and be able to trace and monitor within 24 hours of diagnosis for more than 90% of cases in the region.

Phase 4 would allow for gatherings of up to 50 people, for restaurants and bars to reopen, for schools and child care facilities to reopen, and for travel to resume.

Once a region moves forward, it still can move back a phase if there is a sustained rise in positivity rate, a sustained increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness, a reduction in hospital capacity threatening surge capabilities, or a significant outbreak in the region that threatens the health of the region.

Source: The Daily Chronicle