Parker Junior High School shifted to remote learning starting Thursday, Dec. 16, after Flossmoor School District 161 said a “large number” of students and staff tested positive for COVID-19 in results from this week’s SHIELD testing. Superintendent Dana Smith notified parents on Wednesday, Dec. 15, in a letter that noted[Read More…]
Tag: COVID-19
Cook County death toll from COVID-19 reaches 12,000
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office (MEO) marked another grim pandemic milestone this week. The MEO confirmed the county’s 12,000th death due to COVID-19 infection 20 months after the first fatal case of the virus was confirmed here. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 5,818 COVID-19 deaths have occurred in[Read More…]
State health officials recommend COVID-19 booster for everyone who is eligible (free content)
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), following the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to open COVID-19 booster shots to all, is recommending anyone 18 years and older get a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose six months after receiving their second Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, or two months after receiving the[Read More…]
Park employees at 97% vaccination rate
The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District has a 97% compliance to its new COVID-19 employee vaccine mandate. When the board unanimously approved the new personnel policy Oct. 19, it was estimated between 80-90% of staff already were vaccinated. The policy went into effect Nov. 3 by which time employees had to report[Read More…]
Governor announces statewide campaign to increase COVID-19 booster rates among older residents
Millions of Illinoisans soon will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination booster shot and in the coming weeks, Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike today announced a statewide effort to increase uptake rates. IDPH is partnering with the Illinois Emergency Management[Read More…]
Health officials issue updated guidance on staying safe while celebrating fall holidays
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is issuing updated guidance on Friday to help people celebrate fall more safely as we continue to battle COVID-19. “Although we’re still in the pandemic, this Halloween and fall festivities season will look a little different than last year thanks to the safe[Read More…]
Illinois Department of Public Health adds partnership to expand K-12 school COVID-19 testing
To help increase capacity and facilitate faster access to COVID-19 testing in schools across the state, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has partnered with the U.S. Health and Human Services’ Midwest COVID-19 Testing Coordination Center (MCC) to provide testing to all public and private schools that are now[Read More…]
Homewood loses 2 more residents to COVID-19 but Delta surge reaches plateau
The surge of COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly transmissable Delta variant may have reached a plateau, locally and statewide, although Homewood lost two more residents to the disease since Sept. 3. One, Cherie Garza, a former Homewood District 153 teacher, died on Sept. 13, four days after her 40th[Read More…]
Local COVID-19 cases jump, state numbers decrease for the first time this summer
Statewide, there was some good news last week as the number of new COVID-19 cases was less than the previous week for the first time since mid-June. Locally, parents remain concerned about infections among school children. Most elementary school students do not qualify to receive vaccines. Local schools have different[Read More…]
