MCHD: Delta variant is present in Central Illinois

Posted on July 23, 2021
McLean County health officials want more people to get vaccinated to offer additional protections against the delta variant. (Facebook/McLean County Health Department)

 

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – Local health officials are reminding people, especially those who are unvaccinated, that the COVID delta variant is present in Central Illinois.

“We know it to be more infectious than previously detected variants, so that is one of the reasons why we are seeing an increase in cases,” said McLean County Health Department Administrator Jessica McKnight. “We are cautioning everyone to remember those layered mitigation strategies, social distancing and masking, especially if you are unvaccinated.”

McKnight was asked about the delta variant after Reditus Labs found 18 cases of the variant in the Bloomington-Normal and Peoria areas during its latest sequencing. Over 400 cases of the variant have been reported across Illinois.

The health department wants more people to get the shot to offer additional protections.

As of Thursday, 48% of McLean County’s population have been fully vaccinated.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

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