“It’s very important that everybody, this includes all age groups from infants to youngsters to teenagers to our college students to our middle ages to our elderly, that we maintain the social distancing. Limit it to families sheltering in their homes.” Kankakee County Health Department Administrator John Bevis said this morning during a local radio show interview.
Bevis update joined for an update earlier today to discuss where the County sits currently in its battle against COVID-19. “Currently in Kankakee County, as of yesterday, and we have not had any new positives overnight,” he announced.
With local labs now running tests for the virus, those numbers are soon expected to climb. “They’re trying to play catch-up. So some of these positives (test results) we get might be three and four days old. But they’re trying to turn those things around as fast as they can.” said Bevis.
The virus has a fourteen-day incubation window. So today’s results are cases which could have been contracted up to two weeks prior. “Kankakee County is sitting at four positive cases. We’ve had zero deaths, which is very fortunate for us.” Bevis said.
During the interview exactly how tests were being conducted and why it’s important that only high-risk priority individuals be tested as of right now.
“We’re still asking everyone who may be experiencing the symptoms of what could be COVID-19 or what could be seasonal allergies or what could be a cold or what could be the flu, to try to stay home. Do this social distancing that’s being asked of us. Then if you have the fever, the cough, the shortness of breath, then you contact by phone, your provider and they will ask you questions and determine if you’re a high-risk individual that needs to have the testing.”
The Health Department is advising patients without primary care physicians to contact local hospitals by phone directly in emergencies.
“You might be able to call just a doctor’s office to explain to them. But the Hospitals have to work with the Health Department. Ultimately if someone is approved for a test, to get an approval number that then authorizes that test. This isn’t as simple as me just walking down the streets, ‘You know what? I wanna get tested today, I don’t feel very good.’ That’s not how it’s working. At least, not yet.” Bevis explained today.
Gatherings of groups of 10 are currently suggested, however in Germany, this week announced it’s ban of groups of two or more. Chancellor Angela Merkel herself went into isolation after learning her doctor had tested positive for COVID-19.
You can find more information online at KankakeeHealth.org.
