Mayor Declares Public Health Emergency In Response To Coronavirus

SKOKIE, IL — Mayor George Van Dusen declared a public health emergency Monday in response to the new coronavirus outbreak. The move allows the village manager to sign contracts and pay bills to keep local government operational. The mayor said the village was preparing for an uncertain future.

"These are extraordinary times. We have all come to understand that, day by day, health events are impacting our lives, and that these events are not predictable," Van Dusen said. "This morning when I woke up, it was one thing. This afternoon it was a whole other thing. Therefore, the village is responding and planning for events as we know them today, and events that may evolve in the days ahead."

Village Hall has been closed to the public to limit in-person interactions. Non-essential services will be accessible only online or over the phone. Village staff have also temporarily suspended booting vehicles, water shutoffs, late payment penalties and hearings for parking and red light camera citations through the end of April.

Skokie Health Director Dr. Catherine Counard said she has been meeting with local community groups, government partners and businesses to provide guidance on best health practices to slow the spread of the virus.

"The rapid, global spread of this disease is unprecedented and is cause for grave concern, but I want to mention how impressed I've been with our willingness to pull together, to respond to the pandemic and limit its spread — here in Skokie, in Illinois and nationally," Counard said.

Counard, a former lieutenant commander in the US Navy who later headed up emergency preparedness for the Cook County Health Department, emphasized that residents can take tangible steps to slow the rate of new infections to prevent health care infrastructure from being overloaded.

"We can make a difference in the next 15 days if we just follow these guidelines, which are very basic," Counard said. They include: staying home when sick, keeping the entire household at home if anyone tests positive for the virus and regularly washing your hands and frequently touched surfaces and objects.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends avoiding all gatherings of 10 or more people to mitigate transmission of the virus in the community. Those at higher risk — older adults, those with compromised immune systems and people with medical conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, should take extra precautions.

"These are important steps to take which we can all take together and that will limit the spread of COVID-19 and its negative impact in Skokie and beyond," Counard said. "This is a really big deal but the steps we take now can make a huge difference."

Illinois Coronavirus Update: March 18
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An undisclosed number of Skokie residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Village spokesperson Ann Tennes said the village would not be releasing the number of cases or any information about them.

"There are cases in Skokie and more are expected," Tennes said. "Individuals who might have been exposed have been contacted by the Skokie Health Department. The entire community should continue to practice good hygiene and social distancing as is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control."

Skokie is one of seven municipalities in Illinois with a state-certified health department. Neighboring Evanston, which also has a certified health department, reported four confirmed cases among residents as of Tuesday, according to the city's health and human services department. Countywide, the Cook County Department of Public Health reported 107 cases as of Tuesday.

Counard said a Skokie man in his 80s was hospitalized after testing positive for the novel coronavirus. She also said Oakton Community College had some students who became ill, though it was not immediately clear if they had been tested for COVID-19.

Although reports of asymptomatic transmission have raised concerns and prompted many questions from the public, Counard said it was unlikely to be a significant concern.

"We really don't believe there's a lot of spread of disease from people who aren't having symptoms," she said at the March 16 board meeting. "Because, you can imagine, when you're coughing and sneezing, that's when you're having droplets and potentially spreading the illness. So that's not something that we would test people for, or that we would be extremely concerned about are people who might be without symptoms around in the community."

More information is available from the Skokie Health Department, the Cook County Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Skokie's state of emergency lasts until April 7 or the next board meeting with a quorum of village trustees, according to the authorizing resolution. The village manager may also extend it by a week at a time.

Adhering to strict social distancing measures will reduce the amount of time they are needed, according to Counard.

"We're not thinking this is going to be for a very extended period of time," she said. "If we look at other counties, after two months, in China, when they implemented these measures, the number of cases have dropped off dramatically."