Burr Ridge Counts 94 Cases Of Coronavirus, Mayor Says

Press release from the Burr Ridge Police Department:

Tuesday June 16, 2020

The Village’s COVID-19 case count inched up to 94. Fourteen days ago there were 85 cases in the Village, meaning we have seen just 9 reported cases since June 2. In the Northeast Region that includes Chicago with us, the positivity rate remains at about 8% while the statewide rate is below 3% (remember – part of moving to Phase 3 and 4 is to be below 20%). Under the pertinent health benchmarks (hospital beds and ICU beds and ventilators), the IDPH and Governor has set for us to attain, we remain well within what was required to enter Phase 3 and remain on track to enter Phase 4 on Friday, June 26. Phase 4 allows for gatherings up to 50 and 50% capacity of restaurants and bars. I still have hope there will be an announcement allowing bars and restaurants to open indoor dining at some capacity for Father’s Day weekend.

I was on the weekly call of the DuPage County Board of Health yesterday. The Board of Health agrees that all health metrics remain strong around DuPage, Cook and the rest of the state. Illinois seems solidly within Phase 4 metrics. As a result, there were questions to the BOH about moving from Phase 4 to 5 – fully open. Originally, Phase 5 required finding a successful drug treatment to fight Covid-19, or a vaccine. Neither seems likely to be developed in the near future and even then, neither would likely be widely available to patients or the general population. It certainly seems the state will have to make a decision on what will be the criteria for opening completely.

A DuPage County-operated free testing center is open at Anne M. Jeans Elementary School on 91st Street west of Rt. 83. If you want a test, you can get it. There will be no charge for testing. To control scheduling, the facility is asking those seeking a test to call (708) 745-5277.

The Village Hall, with safety precautions, opened as scheduled yesterday. We also are planning to have the Village Board meet together for the first time at the July 13 Board meeting. There will be
glass barriers and we will be restricting seating for attendees and the public.

Our tent program for outdoor dining continues to be a success. The weather has been beautiful so, if you want to patronize our restaurants, and our shops and stores in the Village Center and County Line Square, come on out and enjoy Burr Ridge. We will be watching for spikes in COVID-19 cases, but we should stay confident and vigilant that we have done all that has been asked of us as a community to the novel coronavirus.

I could not get Monday’s Mayor Message out to you due to other commitments; the day just got away from me! In that regard, there was some sense of normalcy returning.

“There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up.” - Booker T. Washington

SOCIAL DISTANCING- ELBOW BUMPS (If YOU MUST)-WEAR FACE COVERINGS

This press release was produced by the Burr Ridge Police Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.