COVID-19 Delta Variant in Champaign County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2021
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
COVID-19 Delta Variant in Champaign County
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Aligns with CDC Mask Guidance
CHAMPAIGN, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) announces their alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation that everyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, wear a mask in public indoor setting in areas with substantial and high transmission. The CDC is also recommending universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.
The Delta variant is present in Champaign County and continues to increase locally and across the country. This particular variant appears to be much more transmissible and is impacting younger patients in a way previous variants have not. According to the CDC, a small percentage of vaccine breakthrough cases are expected as with any vaccine; however, fully vaccinated people are much less likely to be hospitalized or die than people with similar risk factors who are not vaccinated.
“While the COVID-19 vaccinations are highly effective, the Delta variant is very contagious so CUPHD is also aligning with the CDC recommendation of wearing a mask when in public indoor settings. Champaign County has seen a rise in cases and now has a positivity rate of 5 percent which puts us in an area of substantial transmission,” said Awais Vaid, Deputy Administrator and Epidemiologist at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.
For additional CDC guidance, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.