The Illinois Department of Public Health Tuesday announced it was fully adopting the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC) guidance recommending that everyone, including those vaccinated against COVID-19, wear masks in public indoor settings in areas of “substantial or high transmission.”

The new CDC guidance also recommends that all teachers, staff, students, and visitors at all schools use masks, regardless of vaccination status. 

“While data continues to show the effectiveness of the three COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the U.S., including against the Delta variant, we are still seeing the virus rapidly spread among the unvaccinated,” IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a statement.  “Cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 both continue to increase, overwhelmingly among the unvaccinated, but the risk is greater for everyone if we do not stop the ongoing spread of the virus and the Delta variant.  We know masking can help prevent transmission of COVID-19 and its variants.  Until more people are vaccinated, we join CDC in recommending everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors in areas of substantial and high transmissions, and in K-12 schools.”

The CDC defines “substantial or high transmission” as those with more than 50 cases per 100,000 people over a 7-day period. That currently includes most of downstate and central Illinois, including the greater St. Louis area and Sangamon County, where Springfield is located. Cook County is currently seeing “moderate” transmission levels. 

A map of community transmission rates by county can be found HERE. 

Allison Richard

Legislative Consultant