New COVID cases in Knox County spike again in the last week

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After seeing numbers flatten last week, this week the Knox County Unified Command announced another spike in the weekly number of new cases of COVID-19.

According to a release from Tuesday, there have been 193 new cases of Coronavirus Disease reported between Tuesday, September 14, and Monday, September 20. That brings the total number of positive cases in Knox County to 6,608, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s COVID dashboard.

Vaccination rates have been slow and new cases have steadily increased. The IDPH says that only 49.52 percent of Knox County residents have been fully vaccinated. The Jurisdiction-Specific Age Demographics of those 12-17 that are fully vaccinated is only 30.73 percent.

One alarming statistic about the new cases is that the number of youths made up 44 percent of new COVID cases in the last week. No details on age ranges were released by the Knox County Health Department.

“This absolutely concerns us,” states Michele Gabriel, Public Health Administrator. “We monitor cases in all age groups, and any increase in any age group is something we are concerned about and follow closely.”

The health department is reminding all residents to self-monitor daily for any symptoms, including fever, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, loss of taste or smell, extreme fatigue, abdominal discomfort, headaches, and muscle aches. The list is not all-inclusive.

Curbside testing is available for anyone, regardless of symptoms. Contact the Knox County Health Center at 309-344-2225 to schedule an appointment. Additionally, the Health Department urges all residents to continue wearing face coverings and practice social distancing when in public.

Vaccine clinics are being held through the next week all around Galesburg and Knoxville. The Health Department offers the two-dose Moderna and the one-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) to those 18 years of age and up and the two-dose Pfizer vaccine to those 12 and up. Individuals under the age of 18 are required to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Parental consent must be signed before the vaccine can be administered.

  • Wednesday, September 22nd at the Galesburg City Hall 10:00 am-12:00 pm for the Moderna, Pfizer, & Janssen.
  • Thursday, September 23rd at the Unified Command Vaccine Center 8:30 am – 10:30 am for the Moderna & Janssen
  • Thursday, September 23rd at the Knox County Nursing Home, Knoxville 10:00 am – 12:00 pm for the Moderna, Pfizer, & Janssen
  • Friday, September 24th at the First Christian Church, Galesburg 9:00 am – 11:00 am for the Moderna, Pfizer & Janssen
  •  Monday, September 27th at the Galesburg Public Library 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm for the Moderna, Pfizer & Janssen.

Curbside COVID-19 testing is available at the Health Department on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm by appointment.

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