August 20, 2021
Dear editor;
An open letter to the Community:
The physicians of the Kane County Medical Society call on each and every citizen in Kane County to do all things possible to decrease the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Along with the Kane County Health Department, we urge everyone who is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and encourage everyone over the age of two, regardless of vaccine status, to wear a mask when in public, indoor spaces.
Over the past month, Kane County has experienced an increase in COVID-19 positive cases and hospitalizations, elevating our community level of transmission to high. As a community, this alarming rate of transmission is a warning to the citizens of Kane County that we must do more. We must rally together to stop further illness and death from COVID-19 in our County.
We know that getting vaccinated is the most important action we can take to end the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines save lives, prevent illness, and reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you are 12 years or older, please get vaccinated to protect yourself and to slow the spread of COVID-19. If you have concerns about the vaccines, please discuss them with your primary care provider.
In addition to vaccination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends layered mitigation strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19. At this time, thousands of Kane County citizens are too young to be vaccinated and only about 50% of the total population of Kane County is fully vaccinated. Until we achieve herd immunity by vaccinating a much greater percentage of our community, we can protect the vulnerable unvaccinated by wearing a mask, avoiding crowds and staying home when sick. In May, the CDC announced that vaccinated individuals could safely remove their masks indoors, but our local situation has now changed. Wearing Masks in indoor public spaces is recommended once again and should be continued until we see several weeks of continuous improvement in our County area.
Kane County is a wonderful place to live, in large part due to the strong sense of community togetherness.
Wearing a mask and getting vaccinated are the best ways to show support for your community right now.
Through vaccination, we can stop the spread of new COVID-19 variants, which could save the life of your neighbor. By wearing a mask at the grocery store, we can decrease the spread of COVID-19 and keep our children healthy and in school. The physicians of Kane County encourage you to strengthen our community and keep everyone healthy and safe.
Yours in health,
The Kane County Medical Society.
Susan Stack, Kane County Health Department