Kendall County Worried About COVID-19 'Warning Level' Status
OSWEGO, Ill. (CBS) -- We're seeing the lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in Illinois in almost a week
There were nearly 1,300 new cases in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the state positivity rate is on the rise, now up to 4%. But the positivity rate is so high in 11 counties, they're at "warning level." That means new restrictions could soon kick in, if the trend continues.
Ten of the "warning level" counties -- Cass, Gallatin, Jackson, Johnson, Perry, Randolph, Saline, Sangamon, St. Clair, and White -- are downstate. The 11th, Jo Daviess County, is in the state's northwest corner.
But as CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reported Monday night, Kendall County much closer to the Chicago area is also sounding alarms.
Some private schools that were planning on a mix of in person and remote learning have decided to go remote-only. District 308 will vote Monday night on whether to make the same decision. Positivity rates factor into those decisions. In Kendall County, the positivity rate is rising close to levels where additional action could be taken.
In a barely suburban Kendall County, there's room to breath and life's not as cramped, but families have felt the claustrophobic impact of avoiding COVID-19.
Megan Capulong is still hesitant to venture out with her three young sons.
"This is the first we have come down to this park, and we live five minutes away," Capulong said. "Just not being able to go out and do things or take them to a restaurant."
As the state has opened up over the past month, the numbers are showing up more often in Kendall County now. The positivity rate there is 6.8%. That's the highest in the metropolitan Chicago area.
"You just don't know, from day to day, what to do," lamented Capulong.
There have been 1,329 COVID-19 cases in Kendall County. Oswego, where the Capulongs live, has 27% of them. That's the most in the county.
"You want to make the right decisions, but you are not sure how to make the right decisions," Capulong said.
The latest health indicators show many areas outside the city have higher positivity rates. Chicago's most recent rate is 4.8%, suburban McHenry county reports a 5.4% positivity rate.
Kane County stands at 5.8% and so does Cook County. Will County at 5.9% and again at the top is Kendall at 6.8%. Lake County is about even with Chicago at 5% with DuPage County with the lowest in the region at 4%.
"It's going to be very challenging for this school year," Capulong said.
Stricter measures are triggered if positivity rates reach 8% in a particular region, as families like the Capulongs do their best to cope.
"I don't want to be uber strict. I want them to still be kids, but you got to be careful," she said.
