Coronavirus: Mokena Gives Village Facility Update

MOKENA, IL — The village of Mokena has given an update on closures and adjustments for several of its village facilities due to the coronavirus. The village said all facilities remain open for business at this time, but common sense adjustments have been made.

At village hall, the March 23 village board and the March 26 plan commission meetings have been canceled. Regular operating hours at village hall are still the same, but the village is encouraging residents to conduct business over the phone or online.

In addition, water-shut offs for non-payment of village utility bills are being temporarily halted.

At the police department, the village said shift strength has been increased during certain times each day to offer greater service to residents and businesses. Public contact for non-emergency call is also being limited. A police officer may respond to you over the phone. Emergency calls are still answered promptly; just dial 911.

"Finally, be assured that Mayor Fleischer, Clerk Martini, and your Board of Trustees, along with
Village staff, are working closely with our partners at the federal, state, and county levels
regarding developments and additional resources that may become available to combat this
public health issue," the village said in a release.

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Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called SARS-Cov-2, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19, the illness caused by SARS-Cov-2, struck the U.S. on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now being spread from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Read more:

Coronavirus In Illinois: March 20 Update