Four Peoria-area nursing homes and assisted living facilities are now considered COVID-19 outbreak sites.Generations at Riverview in East Peoria has four reported cases and two deaths. Bickford of Peoria has 13 reported cases, and two deaths.
Peoria City/County Administrator Monica Hendrickson said Sharon Willows and Generations at Peoria will soon be added to the list. The reported cases include both confirmed COVID-19 cases and presumptive positives.
To be considered an outbreak, a nursing home must have one confirmed case and a second suspected case within 14 days of each other.
Hendrickson said outbreaks in congregate living facilities like nursing homes that took early precautions are another reason why it's important to continue following social distancing guidelines.
"The fact that this virus can be mild and can be transferred by asymptomatic individuals, just highlights the importance of the behavior that everyone is positive, everyone has the virus, and why those non-pharmaceutical interventions are important," Hendrickson said.
She said these long-term care facilities are able to bring back confirmed or suspected COVID patients after their hospitalization with appropriate droplet precautions and isolation periods originally developed as influenza protocols.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration released statewide nursing home infection data over the weekend after receiving pressure for increased transparency on nursing home data. COVID-19 has affected at least 186 nursing homes statewide.
Graduation in July?
What does graduation look like for high school seniors this year? As of right now, largely like any other ceremony...except for the month.
Peoria County Regional Superintendent of Schools Beth Crider said graduation is a special milestone, and districts still want to acknowledge it.
"Not too much discussion right now about virtual graduation. More about a postponement. Maybe doing something in June or July," she said Monday.
Crider said one district is planning a prom one Friday night in July, a graduation on Saturday, and a graduation party that evening.
Another has a contingency plan for a potential graduation ceremony around Thanksgiving, when the class of 2020 and their families will be home for the holiday.
Tennis courts taken offline
The Peoria Park District is again asking visitors to follow proper social distancing guidelines while enjoying the warm weather on the park system's properties.
Executive Director Emily Cahill says the park district already took down basketball rims and swings. Tennis courts are now off-limits, too, due to large crowds gathering there and the possibility of transmitting the virus through tennis balls.
Parks and trails are still open.
The governor's stay-at-home order is currently slated to last until April 30.
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