In light of the continued COVID-19 surge, Homewood officials announced on Thursday that village hall and the Public Works Municipal Center on Ashland Avenue will close to the public for the rest of the year. Officials said the pandemic situation would be reviewed in December and the decision would be re-evaluated.
Flossmoor has not closed village hall, but a village spokesperson said residents are encouraged to conduct business with the village by remote means when possible.
Homewood officials noted that police, fire and public works services will remain unaffected by the closure of facilities to the public.
Residents can find the latest information about pandemic policies and other operational matters by visiting www.homesweethomewood.com.
To speak with village officials:
- General correspondence: 708-798-3000 or [email protected].
- Building department: 708-206-3865 or [email protected].
- Water billing: 708-798-3365 or [email protected].
- Public Works: 708-206-3470 or [email protected].
On Friday, Nov. 13, suburban Cook County surpassed 100,000 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and the Cook County Department of Public Health issued a stay-at-home advisory that will go into effect at 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in an effort to slow the rapid spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Cook County health officials recommended residents should:
- Refrain from any non-essential activities and stay home.
- When going out for essential activities, such as work, to attend school, get tested for COVID-19, get a flu shot, or to shop for groceries, wear a mask consistently and correctly. Avoid close contact with others and maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others who do not live with you.
- Wash hands often with soap and warm water.
- Limit gatherings with people who do not live in your household. This includes recommendations to postpone holiday gatherings or host virtual celebrations to limit the spread of COVID-19.
- Do not engage in any non-essential travel, including vacations or trips to visit relatives or friends.
CCDPH officials are calling on employers in suburban Cook County to re-establish telework protocols for staff who are able to work from home.
“Now more than ever, we must come together to stay apart,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin, CCDPH senior medical officer. “We know limiting gatherings with friends and family can be hard, but we also know that virtual celebrations will save lives.”
For more information, please visit www.cookcountypublichealth.org, call the CCDPH COVID-19 Hotline at 708-836-4755, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or email [email protected]
Illinois set another record on Friday for cases in a single day, 15,415, and the positivity rate has increased for 38 consecutive days. It was 3.4% on Oct. 4. It was 13.2% on Friday.