Southern Illinois counties remain steady, northern counties move into “Warning Level” for COVID-19

(WSIL) -- Southern Seven Health Department (S7HD) reports the Illinois Department of Public Health announced on April 23rd that while Southern Seven counties continue to have stabilized COVID-19 risks, increasingly more counties to our north are moving to Orange Warning Levels on the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) risk metrics.

“It really is frightening that the state’s county by county risk level metric map is beginning to mimic the COVID-19 infection map that we saw at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020,�� said Nathan Ryder, Outreach Coordinator for Southern Seven Health Department. “We saw a few counties in the northern end of the state go to Orange Warning Levels because of their increasing COVID-19 case counts and we’re beginning to see a wave of higher infection rates move further and further down the state.��

Eight different indicators are used to determine a county’s designation. A county is considered at the orange ‘Warning�� level when at least two of the main indicators are going in the wrong direction.

to see county's risk level assessment and what causes a county to move into "Warning Level."

Individuals, families, and community groups can use this information to help inform their choices about personal and family gatherings, as well as what activities they choose to do.

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Despite the falling infection numbers, S7HD urges southern Illinoisans to continue following the COVID-19 mitigation procedures and help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The only way we can stop this troubling trend is for everyone in the S7 region to pitch in and stay vigilant,�� Ryder said. “Follow our three basic procedures: mask up in public, keep your distance, and wash your hands frequently. Most of all, S7HD has plenty of free COVID-19 vaccines available so come to one of our many clinics and get yourself protected today.��