With cases increasing in Illinois as weather gets colder and residents return from holiday gatherings, 12 of the state's 102 counties have now reached a "high" community level, according to the CDC.
The data, which monitors the community COVID level in Illinois counties each week, showed 63 counties in Illinois at an elevated COVID community level.
51 counties, including Cook, Lake, DuPage and McHenry, were at a "medium" COVID community level. Will, Kane, Grundy and Kendall counties are reporting "low" community levels.
The data release also comes days after Illinois saw its largest single-day number of COVID-19 cases since August.
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Masks are now recommended in the following 12 counties, as they were listed at a high community level of COVID-19:
- Adams County
- Brown County
- Christian County
- Johnson County
- Knox County
- Logan County
- Massac County
- Pike County
- Randolph County
- Wabash County
- Warren County
- Williamson County
The following 51 counties were at a medium community level of COVID-19:
- Boone County
- Cass County
- Champaign County
- Clark County
- Clay County
- Clinton County
- Coles County
- Cook County
- Cumberland County
- DeWitt County
- Douglas County
- DuPage County
- Edgar County
- Effingham County
- Fayette County
- Ford County
- Franklin County
- Fulton County
- Hardin County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
- Jo Daviess County
- Lake County
- Lee County
- Macon County
- Marion County
- Marshall County
- Mason County
- McDonough County
- McHenry County
- McLean County
- Menard County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Ogle County
- Peoria County
- Perry County
- Pope County
- Richland County
- Saline County
- Sangamon County
- Schuyler County
- Stark County
- St. Clair County
- Stephenson County
- Tazewell County
- Vermilion County
- Washington County
- Wayne County
- Winnebago County
- Woodford County
At medium status, anyone at high risk of getting seriously ill should wear a high-quality mask or respirator, such as an N95, when in public indoors. Additionally, if you have contact with someone else at high risk, consider self-testing to detect infection before contact, according to the CDC.
Local
At a high community level, the CDC recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in public settings.
The following precautions are recommended at all three community levels - "low," "medium" and "high" - staying up to date on vaccines, including boosters, avoiding contact with those who have a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case, following recommendations for isolation if you have COVID or suspect you've gotten it and following recommendations for what steps to take if you are exposed.
