Illinois covid numbers for cases, infection rates, deaths and hospitalizations hit their lowest numbers in six months this week, as the statewide mask mandate is set to end Feb. 28, prompting parents and students to question why the statewide mask restriction for schools is not also being lifted. On Monday, the state of Illinois, Cook County and Chicago will lift mask mandates and, for the county and city, vaccine mandates, however, Chicago Public Schools says that it will keep its requirements in place for at least the time-being, “to preserve in-person teaching and keep students and educators... Read More

Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) joined her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Defense urging Secretary Lloyd Austin to make at-home COVID-19 tests available to service members and their families at no cost and without unnecessary medical requirements. In the letter, the Members encourage the Department of Defense to provide the more than 9.6 million TRICARE beneficiaries with the same access to at-home tests afforded to other Americans. “At this time, at-home COVID-19 tests are not a TRICARE-covered benefit and are not reimbursable unless it is ordered by a TRICARE-authorized... Read More

The McDonough County Health Department, in cooperation with Western Illinois University, will host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic (including boosters) for WIU faculty, staff and students, as well as members of the general public Tuesday, Feb. 22 on the WIU-Macomb campus. Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be available at no cost, and an appointment is not needed. Booster recommendations are in place for the COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States. Individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. First and second shots, as well as boosters, will be... Read More

Starting, Monday, Feb. 21, RIMSD#41 will transition to “mask recommended” in all of our school buildings. February 18, 2022 Dear Rock Island-Milan School District Families, Late last night, an Illinois appellate court dismissed the school mask mandate appeal which now will allow for flexibility for masking in schools. Therefore, after further review of this development, the Rock Island-Milan School District has made the decision to move forward by transitioning from being “mask required” to “mask recommended” in all of our school buildings beginning Monday, February... Read More

In the wake of dwindling covid numbers, and growing unrest from parents and students, Quad-Cities area school districts and others around Illinois are going to “mask optional” policies starting next week. The Moline-Coal Valley, East Moline and Rock Island-Milan school districts all announced today they will be transitioning to a “mask recommended” policy. Due to the federal transportation mandate masks will still be required on school buses and other transportation for all three school districts. Moline-Coal Valley School District said its’ policy will go into effect on Tuesday... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Mandatory weekly testing remains in place for Western Illinois University faculty, staff and students* who are unvaccinated and who are physically on WIU’s campuses. Testing is held on the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses. Surveillance testing has been discontinued at this time. Protocols, including testing, face coverings and other measures, could change depending on circumstances and health guidance. Weekly Testing Clinics Testing continues to be required each week for those individuals (WIU faculty, staff and students) who do not want to, or cannot, receive the vaccination.... Read More

The masks could soon be coming off in Illinois schools, finally, officially. While many schools have already begun removing mask regulations, and many students and staff have been refusing to wear them since covid numbers have plummeted in recent weeks, technically the mask mandate put in place by Gov. JB Pritzker has remained the rule statewide. However, that mandate took a huge hit yesterday when a bipartisan legislative committee rejected Illinois Department of Public Health’s attempt to reintroduce the governor’s emergency COVID-19 protocols for classrooms across the state. The department’s... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois will drop its indoor mask requirement starting Feb. 28, but the mandate will remain in place for all Illinois schools, Gov. JB Pritzker announced in a press conference today. “We’re seeing the fastest rate of decline in our COVID-19 hospitalization metrics since the pandemic began,” Pritzker said, “Our daily total of patients has fallen…66 percent. Our ICU bed care has seen a 63 percent drop… as a result of that, if these trends continue, as we expect them to, then on Monday, Feb. 28, we will lift the indoor mask requirement for the State... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois will drop its indoor mask requirement starting Feb. 28, but the mandate will remain in place for all Illinois schools, Gov. JB Pritzker announced in a press conference today. “We’re seeing the fastest rate of decline in our COVID-19 hospitalization metrics since the pandemic began,” Pritzker said, “Our daily total of patients has fallen…66 percent. Our ICU bed care has seen a 63 percent drop… as a result of that, if these trends continue, as we expect them to, then on Monday, Feb. 28, we will lift the indoor mask requirement for the State... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced today that he will be ending the state’s indoor mask mandate — but Illinois schools may still have a mask restriction in place. During a press conference, Gov. Pritzker said he will lift the mandate for the state, with certain exceptions, by Feb. 28. “My intention is as we’ve seen these numbers peak at about 7,400 hospitalizations, and heading downward significantly – we’re now I think under 2,500 hospitalizations, so that’s almost a third of where we were at the peak and heading even further downward –... Read More