MCHD Administrator: ‘We will not be going back to normal anytime soon’

Posted on April 15, 2020
McLean County Health officials say of the 82 cases, 59 have fully recovered. (Photo courtesy: McLean County Health Department)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – Although McLean County Health officials announced one new case of COVID-19, McLean County Health Administrator Jessica McKnight said the county ‘will not be going back to normal anytime soon.’

“We have seen kind of consistent numbers over the last couple of days, you know, one, two, two new cases. Even if they are leveling off, we don’t want to be too complacent with that; we don’t think we will be going back to normal anytime soon.”

Of the 82 total cases, four remain hospitalized, 17 remain in home isolation, and 59 have recovered. Health officials say around 1,300 McLean County residents have been tested for COVID-19 at various testing sites.

“Even though we may be at or past our peak, we know that if we relax too much and don’t practice social distancing that we could see our case numbers go back up again,” McKnight added.

During his daily press briefing heard on AM 1230 WJBC, Gov. Pritzker announced 1,346 new cases of COVID-19, including 80 deaths, moving the state total to 24,593 cases and 984 deaths.

Additionally, Pritzker announced 116,929 Illinoisans had been tested for COVID-19.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…