North Cook News

Elk Grove Park District issued the following announcement on Nov. 9.

This is clearly an unprecedented situation and updated safety recommendations/requirements issued by federal, state or local authorities are necessitating frequent changes. Thank you for your patience as we devise ways to offer recreational opportunities safely.

As you know by the procedures we’ve implemented, The Elk Grove Park District is trying to assist the global efforts in responding to the COVID-19 situation. This situation is rapidly evolving, and we continue to monitor guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Governor Pritzker, as well as our applicable local health agency. 

Help us minimize everyone’s exposure to COVID-19 with these protection strategies:

1. Practice social distancing by keeping more than 6 feet of distance between yourself and other
2. people at all times possible.
3. Cough or sneeze into your elbow or tissue, not your hands. If you used a tissue, use it only
4. once and throw it away in a lined trash can, then wash your hands (below).
5. Do not touch your face with your hands, especially your eyes, nose and mouth.
6. Cover your nose and mouth with a cloth face covering when in public when required, unless you have a medical condition that prevents you from doing so safely. (If that is the case, contact the facility supervisor to discuss potential accommodations.)
7. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing
8. your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60-percent alcohol may be used but washing with soap and water is more effective.
9. Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces, especially high-touch surfaces (such as cell phones,
10. purses, computer keyboards, backpacks, etc.).
11. Stay updated on preventative steps, such as by visiting the CDC’s website page regarding
12. Prevention.

Regarding your health, please follow these guidelines:

1. Monitor yourself daily for symptoms of COVID-19, which can include: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat,congestion or runny nose and/or new loss of taste or smell, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. For a current list of symptoms, please visit the CDC’s website on Symptoms of Coronavirus.
2. Do not come to the Park District when you are sick. Wait to visit until you are free of fever for at least 24-hours without the use of fever-reducing medications AND all symptoms have improved (or do not exist) AND at least 10 days have passed since the symptoms first appeared or (if asymptomatic) 10 days have passed since the date your positive test was taken.
3. If you, or family member who has participated in our programs or visited our facilities is diagnosed with COVID-19, please contact the program supervisor or our Safety Coordinator (847-228-3499)  

Your health information (i.e., your name and details of your medical situation) will continue to be treated as confidential by The Elk Grove Park District, as required by applicable laws, though your name may be provided to a local public health agency if requested to assist in contact tracing individuals with whom you may have had close contact, as defined by the CDC. However, we do want to provide timely notification (which will not use your name or personally identifying or confidential information) to potentially impacted individuals as necessary should they need to self-isolate, self-quarantine and/or self-monitor for symptoms, as recommended by the CDC or other applicable public health agencies.

Patrons diagnosed as having COVID-19 (whether through a positive test or symptom-based diagnosis) or who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID19 may be required to provide a letter from their healthcare provider indicating the patron can visit the facilities/participate in programs. 

Please contact Anita Healy, 847-228-3499 / ahealy@elkgroveparks.org if you have any specific questions or concerns.

Original source can be found here.