COVID-19

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is having a permanent effect on education and school districts, according to Peoria County Regional Superintendent of Schools Beth Crider.

Figures provided by the Peoria City/County, Tazewell County, and Woodford County health departments indicate a total of 7,992 area residents are now isolating at home with coronavirus infections.

Regional Superintendent of Schools Beth Crider said school districts are going to adhere to the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reducing the number of days in isolation from 10 to five.

Two years into the pandemic, it’s safe to say that COVID-19 has become part of everyone’s daily lives. It’s second nature to look around and see co-workers, family members, and people in public wearing masks.

The Tri-County's COVID-19 caseload is higher than it has been in more than a year.

Tri-County public health officials on Wednesday announced 11 more fatalities linked to COVID-19, marking the largest single-day increase in nearly a year.

UnityPoint Health is temporarily suspending elective procedures as COVID patients tax hospital capacity to its limits.

The Tazewell County Health Department has been unable to provide hospitalization and home isolation figures since last Thursday. The department is only offering limited COVID data “until further notice” due to high volume.

Although 2021 is over and a new year has begun, the COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading throughout the Tri-County. Many people are still in need of additional assistance to secure housing, food, and other necessities that the pandemic has taken a toll on these past two years.

The active COVID-19 caseload in Peoria County has tripled over the past three weeks, and the entire Tri-County has added more than 10,000 new cases during that span.