Winnetka Suspends Public Meetings To Limit Coronavirus Exposure

WINNETKA, IL — All public meetings in Winnetka have been canceled until further notice due to the new coronavirus, village staff announced. Wednesday's decision to suspend all Village Council, board and commission meetings is aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 and protecting residents, staff and elected officials, according to a release.

"Given recommendations for social distancing by the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Heath, the Village is setting an example by suspending public meetings," it said. Non-essential public meetings have also been canceled in Kenilworth and Highland Park. The release said Winnetka village staff plan to "continually reassess prevailing conditions" and alert the public whenever regularly scheduled meetings resume.

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As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 25 cases of coronavirus in Illinois as of Wednesday, according to Gov. JB Pritzker, who recommended residents "think critically" before attending large events and consider requesting a mail-in ballot for Tuesday's primary.

Thursday afternoon is the deadline to request a ballot to vote by mail. The number of voters to request mail-in ballots in suburban Cook County surpassed 2016 totals earlier this week.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the virus "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2" or SARS-CoV-2, which was first identified last year in the city of Wuhan, China. The virus is related to others that have led to outbreaks in recent years, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and Middle East respiratory syndrome, MERS, and its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath and appear anywhere from two days to two weeks after exposure.

There is no vaccine against the novel coronavirus, which was officially declared a "pandemic" by the World Health Organization Wednesday, and no antiviral treatment is available. Unlike influenza, no one's immune system has antibodies against it. And infectious disease experts say its mortality rate is "much higher" than the seasonal flu, although how much higher in the United States remains to be determined.

The disease apparently originated in animals and has been transferring from person to person in the United States, although its transmission mechanism is not yet fully understood.

Senior citizens, along with people with pre-existing health conditions and weakened immune systems, are most at risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19. Public health officials hope to reduce the risk of overloading the health care system and endangering more lives by keeping the rate of new infections as low as possible.

To limit the community spread of the virus, the CDC recommends frequent handwashing, regularly disinfecting commonly used spaces, avoiding touching the eyes, nose, and mouth, and staying home when sick. A hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol is recommended if hand-washing with soap and water is not available.

Related:
Pritzker Advocates Voting By Mail To Avoid Coronavirus Spread
Coronavirus In Illinois: Here Are All The Cancellations, Closures
State Capitol Closed, Illinois General Assembly Session Postponed

More information is available online from the Cook County Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Illinois Novel Coronavirus Hotline is 800-889-3931, and can be called at any time. Emails can be sent to: dph.sick@illinois.gov.