From the Cook County Emergency Operations Center - October 22, 2020

Cook County reports its 12th case of COVID-19, a female in her 50s.  “With our last handful of cases, there have been signs of increasing community spread of COVID-19 here in Cook County,” said Co-Incident Commander and Public Health Supervisor Grace Grinager.  “With our cases surging across the upper Midwest, Duluth hospitals often at or above capacity and more local cases that have no known exposure to the virus, now is the time for all of us to re-commit ourselves to acting safely during the pandemic.  Small personal acts of responsibility, performed consistently over time, have a big effect on protecting our health and the health of our loved ones and neighbors.”

Key ways you can make a difference in the trajectory of the pandemic include:

• Wear a mask when gathering with those outside of your household
• Keep gatherings small and physically distanced, even with friends and family
• Seek a COVID-19 test if you feel even mildly sick and stay home from work, school, and other activities
• Answer contact tracing calls and give accurate information to the best of your ability
• Complete the full 14-day quarantine if you have been a contact of someone who tests positive for COVID

Grinager added, “In the past month, we’ve seen a worrisome combination of community members not taking the pandemic seriously and behaving in ways that put themselves at greater risk for exposing both themselves and those around them to COVID-19.  With community spread, even people who are taking this seriously and being careful are sometimes exposed to the virus and test positive.  With case counts rising locally and regionally, now is the time for us to come together as a community and re-commit ourselves to each individually acting in ways that promote health and safety.  If we all play our part, we have a better chance of having local businesses and schools open throughout the coming winter months.  Let’s all act with kindness and respect to one another as we work to get through this difficult time.”

For questions on COVID-19 symptoms or accessing testing locally, call Sawtooth Mountain Clinic at 218-387-2330.

If you are struggling with the emotional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic or need to connect with local resources to help your household through the pandemic, call the Cook County Community Support Line at 218-877-7071.

Contact: Grace Grinager, (218) 387-3605 or [email protected]