How many cases of COVID-19 are there in Lake County?

Please visit our website, www.lakecountyil.gov/coronavirus, for the number of cases in Lake County. This website is updated daily. 

Where can I find a breakdown of COVID-19 cases by community?

The Lake County Health Department has developed a Coronavirus Data Hub that includes COVID-19 cases and deaths, a map that shows the distribution of cases by zip code, and demographic information of cases.  The dashboard is updated daily: www.lakecountyil.gov/COVID19data

Why is Lake County not releasing the exact number of cases by community?

The main reason we use ranges in our Cases of COVID-19 by Municipality map is to protect privacy. Following Illinois state code, when we share health data, we make every effort to make sure an individual can’t be identified through the data we share. 

If we shared that one person in a certain town has a rare disease, the chances of someone identifying that their friend or co-worker who live there are high. So when we are sharing the municipality, like we’ve done in our map, one way to protect individuals in that community is by sharing a range of numbers. In general, the smaller the number, the more easily a person can be identified. 

We also believe that the case numbers do not represent everyone who is infected in Lake County. Many people have not been tested. Many people may have only mild symptoms and can recover at home, and many people have no symptoms at all.

What are the capacities of Lake County hospitals?

Can you elaborate on the underlying conditions of those who have died?

Health-related data, including which health conditions a person has, is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). We can’t share that information. However, you can find more information about what underlying health conditions makes a person more vulnerable here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/index.html

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. Learn more.

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed COVID-19 cases.

These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure:

Coronavirus Self-Checker: A tool to help you make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care.  Use the COVID-19 Screening Tool Recommendations provided by this tool do not constitute medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat medical conditions.

What should I do if I am sick?

If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19, follow these steps to help protect yourself and other people in your home and community.

General information on what you should do if you are sick can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

What can I do if I don’t have health insurance?

Please contact the Lake County Health Department at 847-377-8800.

How do I protect myself and others from COVID-19?

You can find detailed information on the CDC's website.

How do I register for the COVID-19 vaccine?

To schedule your COVID-19 vaccine, visit AllVax.lakecohealth.org.

Should I wear a mask?

The CDC recently updated guidance around mask wearing to help people make decisions about when to wear a mask. The CDC recommends masking based on the new COVID-19 Community Level framework. This framework factors in COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital capacity, and cases within a community. 

The CDC’s masking recommendations are based on COVID-19 community levels. The three community levels are low, medium, and high. Lake County is currently in the low level. Visit the CDC page COVID-19 Community Levels to read more about the new guidance. 

How do we protect vulnerable populations?

A list of individuals who are at a higher risk for severe illness can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/index.html

Long-term care facilities in Lake County should follow Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Long-Term Care Facilities Guidance to protect their residents and staff.

What are nursing home facilities doing to protect the vulnerable population?

Information on Nursing Home Facilities response can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/long-term-care.html

Additional guidance for long-term care facilities is on the Illinois Department of Public Health website: https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/preventing-spread-communities/long-term-care-guidance.html