A Special E-News Message from Village President Catherine M. Adduci

October, 29, 2020

A Special E-News Message from the Village President, Catherine M. Adduci

October 29, 2020

Dear River Forest Residents,

COVID-19 Update - Please Read

Earlier this week, I wrote to you sharing that Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that COVID-19 resurgence mitigations would take effect in Region 10 (Suburban Cook County, including River Forest) beginning on Wednesday, October 28, 2020. Please click here for more information. This order will affect several restaurants in River Forest that offer indoor dining (Noodles, Panera, Boston Market, Grandma Sally’s, Whole Foods, GoodEarth). All of our restaurants will continue to offer take out food.

22 new positive cases were reported in River Forest last week, from Sunday, October 18 through Saturday, October 24 compared to 13 cases that were reported the previous week. Click here and select “Case Data by Town” to see an update on the cases in River Forest.

Many cases of COVID-19 are spread through contact with people who are in close proximity for more than 15 minutes. The most important thing that we can do is to adhere to the CDC guidelines by wearing face masks, practicing social distancing and washing hands. These practices remain the most effective ways of slowing the spread of COVID-19.

In July, from July 9-16, we had a spike of 24 positive cases. During that time we learned about one series of positive cases in River Forest wherein a son who had COVID-19 but did not know it interacted with his father. The father subsequently spread it to his daughter and her husband all within a matter of days. These residents share their story as a caution to others. You may be asymptomatic so it is critical to social distance and wear a face covering when gathering with people outside your immediate household, even if you are family!

Testing Locations

Residents are encouraged to contact their primary physicians to coordinate testing needs. Click here for a list of COVID-19 testing locations in the State. The nearest State location to River Forest is in Harwood Heights at 6959 W. Forest Preserve Rd. This facility is open from 7:00AM - 3:00PM, while testing supplies last. Please note that some facilities may close due to inclement weather conditions. State testing sites are open to all regardless of symptoms and are free of charge.

Other private medical care facilities offer testing, including:

CVS on the corner of North and Thatcher - Testing at CVS is by appointment only and is free to those who qualify after completing a COVID assessment. Appointments can be made online at www.CVS.com/coronavirus.
Midwest Express Clinic at 7343 Lake Street (in Town Center next to Panera). Midwest Express Clinic is testing all patients regardless of symptoms but the cost may vary depending on insurance; out-of-pocket, same-day pricing is $200. Individuals looking to schedule testing at Midwest Express Clinic must complete the online form here: www.clockwisemd.com/hospitals/4100/visits/new.

Contact Tracing

Contact tracing is a multi-step process used to identify, assess and manage people exposed to a positive COVID-19 case and connect exposed people to resources to assist them during quarantine. To learn more about contact tracing, please refer to the Cook County Department of Public Health or CDC.

The Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) is reaching out to individuals who test positive for COVID-19 ("cases") and those who have been exposed to, or in close contact with, individuals who test positive ("contacts"). However, they are still ramping up their staff and may not be able to contact every case. If you receive a call from 312-777-1999, please answer the call. If you need support or assistance in order to effectively self-isolate or quarantine, please call the CCDPH COVID-19 Hotline at 708-836-4755, Monday through Friday 9:00AM – 4:00PM.

If you have tested positive, please consider notifying those who have been exposed to you so that they can consult with their primary physician or local health department to determine if they need to be tested and/or quarantined. COVID-19 can be spread 48 hours before an infected individual develops symptoms or tests positive. Accordingly, those who test positive or are experiencing symptoms would want to contact people they have been in close contact with during that window. Close contact is considered being within six feet for 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period, even if wearing face coverings.

Please be safe and stay healthy.

Sincerely,