IDPH Adopts Eased COVID-19 Safety Recommendations for Schools
Masks will not be necessary for fully vaccinated students and faculty at Illinois schools after the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Friday updated its guidance to match that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Local superintendents and boards around the state had been urging IDPH to allow local control of COVID-19 safety procedures ahead of the new CDC guidelines released Friday. The CDC and IDPH recommend that all unvaccinated individuals, including those under the age of 12 who are not old enough yet to receive a vaccine, to continue wearing masks and using other prevention strategies like social distancing.
“Our goal is to protect the health of students, teachers, and staff so that in-person learning can resume as safely as possible,” IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a statement. “The CDC is right: vaccination is the best preventive strategy. As school board members, parents, teachers, and superintendents plan for a return to in-person learning in the fall, we strongly encourage those who are not vaccinated to continue to mask. IDPH is proud to fully adopt school guidance issued by CDC, which is based on the latest scientific information about COVID-19.”
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen Ayala has issued a declaration that all schools must resume in-person instruction this coming school year, with remote learning options available to those who have not or cannot yet receive a vaccine, or who are being quarantined.
The CDC and IDPH further recommend that schools continue screening for COVID-19, improving ventilation, practicing proper handwashing and respiratory etiquette, and using quarantining and contact tracing methods.
State Sues Chemtool Over Rockton Fire that Prompted Local Evacuation
Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley Friday filed a lawsuit against Chemtool Inc., alleging that the June 14 fire at the company’s facility released dangerous contaminants into the air and water that threatened local residents.
The fire burnt for several days at the facility where grease, lubricating oil and other fluids are manufactured. Local residents were evacuated, and the lawsuit alleges that Chemtool is liable for any damages caused by the fire and the costs the state and county incurred while responding to it.
“The Chemtool fire rattled the community, displaced residents, and took the combined resources and efforts of several fire departments to get under control. Although the flames have been extinguished, the hazard posed to the public and the environment continues, and Chemtool owes the community more information,” Raoul said in a statement. “My office, in collaboration with the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s office will ensure that Chemtool is held responsible for evaluating the extent of the contamination and thoroughly remediating the damage.”
Separately Friday, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois National Guard found that air and water quality remain safe in almost all the area. Only one wipe sample taken near the Chemtool property tested below safe levels for contaminants.
“After learning about the Chemtool fire in Rockton, I activated the Illinois National Guard and multiple other state agencies mobilized to provide resources and support to local authorities, working together with the shared goal of preserving the health and safety of community residents,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. “As we have in the days following the emergency, my administration will continue to work closely with local stakeholders as the community recovers.”
The Illinois EPA continues investigate in the area, and the Illinois Department of Public Health is coordination with the CDC and local health departments to monitor and identify any potential health effects.
Allison Richard
Legislative Consultant
