COVID-19 News Update
May 4th, 2022
Keep COVID-19 Away!
The number of COVID-19 cases throughout the nation, our state and in Will County have been increasing
The current Will County COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 is 178.21, up from 65.15 per 100,000 just 4 weeks ago. Across the nation, the 7-day rolling average of new cases has increased approximately 50% over the past month.
Consider wearing your mask when in public places and be conscientious of physical distancing. Both practices have been proven to be effective in preventing transmission of COVID-19.
If you need any of your COVID-19 vaccination doses, contact us at 815-774-7386 to schedule an appointment at the Will County Health Department in Joliet or help you find a vaccine provider convenient to you.
Schedule Your Child’s Routine Vaccinations Now
COVID-19 has caused disruption among many of our normal routines; one of which is medical care, more specifically, childhood immunizations. UNICEF and the World Health Organization have reported that worldwide in 2020 over 23 million children did not receive their routine childhood immunizations. A potential sign of missed immunizations may be reflected in a reported 79% increase in measles cases during the first two months of this year compared to January and February of 2021. Missed childhood vaccinations can negatively impact general health among the population and disease outbreaks for years to come.
If you or your child(ren) need to get up to date with childhood vaccinations or if you are uncertain of your vaccination status, schedule an appointment with your physician or contact the Will County Health Department at 815-740-8143. We can check your records and schedule a vaccination appointment for you.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. The impact of COVID-19 affected the mental health of many.
If you are struggling with or have noticed an undesirable change in your mental state, our behavioral health specialists can provide guidance, direction, and counseling.
Call us at 815-727-8480, ext. 4 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
COVID-19 DATA BRIEFS
CDC Study Reveals Omicron as a Very Transmissible Variant
Results from a 6-month, CDC study estimates that 58% of the U.S. population, including 75% of children, have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. The study measured seroprevalence, a measure of people in a population who have proteins, called antibodies, in their blood. The presence of the proteins identify that they have been exposed to a virus; in this study, the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The study sample size averaged approximately 74k for the first 5 months and approximately 46k in the sixth month.
The study revealed a slight but steady increase in cases between September 2021 and December 2021 and a sharp increase between December and February. The table below shows the increase in the rate of seroprevalence identified in individuals during the first and second half of the study.
| Age Group | September – December | December - February |
|---|---|---|
| 0-11 | 44.2% | 75.2% |
| 12-17 | 45.6% | 74.2% |
| 19-49 | 36.5% | 63.7% |
| 50-64 | 28.8% | 49.8% |
| 65 | 19.1% | 33.2% |
| Overall | 33.5% | 57.7% |
The study results illustrate a high infection rate from the Omicron variant, especially among children. This sort of testing is significant to define the scope of infections throughout the country and to provide a secondary method of case identification as SARS-CoV-2 testing effectively identifies only a fraction of all positive cases.
If you need any of your COVID-19 vaccination doses, contact us at 815-774-7386 to schedule an appointment at the Will County Health Department in Joliet or help you find a vaccine provider convenient to you.
Captivating Data as Reported from Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security:
World-wide data from the World Health Organization as of April 18, 2022
- Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered world-wide: 11.4 billion
- Number of COVID-19 cases world-wide: 509 million
- Number of COVID-19 deaths world-wide: 6.2 million
U.S. Data from the Centers for Disease Control
- Number of vaccine doses administered in the United States: 574 million
- Numbers of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.: 80.9 million
- Number of COVID-19 related deaths: 989,408
- Number of individuals fully vaccinated: 219 million
(66.1% of the entire U.S. population) - Percent of eligible population who have not received a first booster dose: 50.5%
Sources:
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security centerhealthsecurity@mail301.jh.edu, April 28, 2022
WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard | WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard With Vaccination Data
CDC COVID Data Tracker: Daily and Total Trends
CDC COVID Data Tracker: Vaccinations in the US
More Will County Data can be found here on our website.
More COVID-19 information including scheduling vaccinations can be found on our WEBSITE.
OUR HOURS HAVE CHANGED BUT WE ARE STILL HERE FOR YOUR COVID-19 VACCINE
Schedule an Appointment Online or Call to Schedule your Vaccination at a Will County Health Department Vaccination Clinic.
815-774-7386
MISSION OF THE WILL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
To prevent disease and promote a healthier environment for all residents, business operators, and visitors. Our agency of professionally trained staff work cohesively to assure public health and safety measures are maintained through services and programs the department provides based on the needs of the community.
ROLES WITHIN THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Source: National Association of County and City Health Officials
Secure Your Vaccination Card
How important is your vaccination card? It is part of your medical record. It may be needed to travel and to gain entry into businesses or social venues. It may be required for your employment record. Keep it in a secure and accessible place as you would your state ID. Bring it with you when getting any additional COVID-19 vaccinations so it can be updated.
Vax Verify
Want your vaccination record on your smartphone? The Vax Verify immunization portal now offers the SMART™ Health Card. The SMART™ Health Card allows users to download a QR code and access your vaccination record from your Smartphone.
Our Progress
Over 65% of the population in Will County Are Fully Vaccinated!
County Level COVID-19 Risk Metrics
Hospital Resource and COVID Patient Data
Vaccinations By Zip Code
County Level COVID-19 Community Transmission Data
Cases: 7 Day Total
1,343
Cases: Total Per 100K
178.21
COVID Community Level
LOW
COVID Transmission Level
HIGH
Total number of vaccines administered
1,182,350
4/30/22
Total complete doses
458,605
4/30/22
66.24%
of population fully vaccinated
Demographic Breakdown
Fully Vaccinated by Race/Ethnicity, Age and Gender
%
WHITE
%
HISPANIC
%
BLACK
%
ASIAN
Age
Ages 5-17
- 64,998 51.6%
Ages 18-64
- 310,011 71.6%
Ages 65+
- 82,417 88.2%
Gender
Female
- 241,377 69.2%
Male
- 215,438 62.7%
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR DAILY VACCINE CLINIC UPDATES
An easy way to stay updated on vaccine clinic hours and availability of appointments is to follow the Will County Health Department on Facebook. We post each morning the locations that are open that day for appointments and walk-ins.
Click here to visit our page and then follow/like us!
