The Illinois Department of Public Health has introduced ‘Healthy Holidays to You’ to provide Illinoisans safety guidelines for conducting holiday gatherings.
Unique Holiday Season
With the COVID-19 pandemic surging across the state of Illinois and around the country, state officials are urging people to follow their newly released guidelines and recommendations.
“Ahead of the holiday season, IDPH has provided recommendations for keeping you and your family safe from the virus,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are making every effort to remind people what epidemiologists and other infectious disease specialists say are the best ways to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19. Traditions are so important to all of us – but this year we all need to celebrate a bit differently.”
IDPH Recommendation
The primary recommendation is staying at home and conducting family gatherings virtually over services like Zoom. If you do opt to celebrate the holidays in person, IDPH calls for mask wearing and social distancing of 6 feet or more, in addition to keeping windows open to allow for increased ventilation. The ‘Healthy Holidays to You’ guidelines also recommend shopping from home instead of in-person.
“This year’s holiday season is going to be difficult and challenging for many of us,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “This campaign was designed to emphasize the importance of making safer decisions and checking in on loved ones during this time in order to stay safe and strong for each other.”
Temperature Falling, Cases Rising
With the weather making outdoor gathering difficult and impractical, cases have risen, resulting in the City of Chicago to call for a 3-week stay-at-home order. Additionally, Governor J.B. Pritzker acknowledged in his daily COVID-19 press briefing that the state is trending towards a possible state-wide mandate.
The Governor also recommended that those meeting in person for Thanksgiving should quarantine two weeks in advance (which would start today) and to ensure all participants have tested negative.
Kevin Jackman reports for Naperville News 17
