The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced it is shifting its COVID-19 contact tracing efforts and individual case investigation telephone calls to focus on a more strategic approach of automated case notifications. Starting June 1, 2022, IDPH no longer will make individual case investigation calls to persons positive[Read More…]
Tag: COVID-19
Health & Wellness 2022: Back to the Doctor
We’ve probably all heard the old adage: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But, even if you ate a whole tree of the fruit, it shouldn’t keep you away from annual wellness checks. You have reached content available exclusively to Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle digital subscribers. Receive a 3-day free[Read More…]
Health & Wellness 2022: ‘My heart was broken by COVID’
As she continued working as an MRI technologist during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rose Wiley said the job became lonely and politically fraught, with patients refusing to wear masks and even spitting at her. (Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle) You have reached content available exclusively to Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle digital subscribers. Receive a 3-day[Read More…]
State to close COVID-19 testing, vaccination sites March 31
In response to what it said is a sharp drop in demand, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced on Friday, March 25, that it will discontinue COVID-19 testing services at the 10 community-based testing sites, including the one at South Suburban College in South Holland, effective March 31.[Read More…]
District 161 discussing mask flexibility in light of court ruling (free)
Students in Flossmoor District 161 may see a big change in COVID-19 safety protocols soon. The district’s board met on Feb. 14 to begin talks on dropping mask requirements after a circuit court judge in Sangamon County ruled neither Gov. J.B. Pritzker nor the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)[Read More…]
Governor announces likely Feb. 28 end to indoor mask mandate
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Wednesday, Feb. 9, that COVID-19 infection and hospitalization numbers are falling rapidly enough that the indoor mask mandate will probably be lifted on Feb. 28, if the trend continues. The mask mandate for K-12 schools, however, will remain in effect for a few weeks after[Read More…]
District 153 continues its mask mandate
Gabriel Cohn, a fifth grader at Churchill School, urged the District 153 school board to continue its mask mandate. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle) The District 153 school board voted at a special board meeting Sunday, Feb. 6, to continue its mask mandate and other COVID-19 protocols for students, staff and visitors[Read More…]
District 153 hold special meeting on COVID-19 mask, vaccine mandates
The District 153 school board will meet in special session at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 6, to discuss the Sangamon County judge’s decision to drop mandated vaccines and mask-wearing in schools. The meeting is open to the public. The session will be conducted at the Dale Mitchell Administrative center conference[Read More…]
IDPH marks 2-year anniversary of COVID-19 in state
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced on Monday the second anniversary of the first COVID-19 case reported in the state. Two years later, IDPH is reporting more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths during the pandemic. “On Jan. 24, 2020, when we announced the first case of COVID-19 in Illinois, we[Read More…]
During COVID shutdown, H-F devised plans to help struggling students complete credits
When schools across Illinois shut down because of COVID-19, some students at Homewood-Flossmoor High School had a difficult time learning from home and staying on track with coursework. The number of incomplete courses or failures had faculty and staff devise creative approaches to help dozens of students catch up with[Read More…]