ISBE’s Student Advisory Council

 The 2020-2021 Student Advisory Council application is now available on ISBE’s website at https://www.isbe.net/studentvoices. We hope that you will share this opportunity widely with your communities and encourage students with a range of educational backgrounds, including alternative programs, special education, Career and Technical Education, and multilingual education, to apply. The deadline for students to submit applications is May 29, 2020 at 5 p.m.

Lightford distributes masks and disinfectant to local entities

• COVID-19

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) distributed 41 5-gallon containers of disinfectant, 59 1-gallon containers of disinfectant, 100 spray bottles and 1,000 masks to local entities across the 4th Senate District on Monday.

Recipients of the supplies included: the 15th District of the Chicago Police Department, Austin Peoples Action Center, West Side Preventative Partners, PCC Community Wellness Center, Tabitha House, Habilitative Systems Inc., Aspire Residential Care, Loretto Hospital, Bellwood Police Department, Village of Bellwood, Bellwood Fire Department, Bellwood Streets and Water, Bellwood Developmental Center, Presence Behavioral Health, Prairieview Senior Apartments, Independent Living Senior Suites of Bellwood, Broadview Police Department, Village of Broadview, Broadview Fire Department, Hillside Police Department, Hillside Fire Department, Village of Hillside, Symphony at Aria, Oakridge Nursing and Rehab Center, Forest Park Police Department, Constance Morris House, Housing Forward, Village of Maywood, Garden House of Maywood Apartments, Maywood Phoenix Homes, New Moms, Sarah’s Inn, Village of North Riverside, North Riverside Public Works, North Riverside Police Department, North Riverside Fire Department, Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care, UCP Seguin and Beyond Hunger.

A special thanks goes out to PathoSans, Star Buds and NRG for donating the disinfectant, masks and hand sanitizer.

Face masks now required in all public indoor spaces

• COVID-19

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cloth face coverings can help prevent transmission of COVID-19. Like staying home and washing hands thoroughly, face masks are one more tool that can help us slow the spread of the virus.

Beginning May 1, individuals over the age of two will be required to wear a face covering or mask when in a public place where they can't maintain six feet of social distance. This requirement will apply in all public indoor spaces, like grocery stores and other essential businesses. But you don’t have to go out and buy a mask—the CDC issued this tutorial to help you make one from materials you may have at home.

If you’re an essential worker, businesses and manufacturers will be required to provide face coverings to all employees who are unable to maintain six feet of social distance.

New testing sites and expanded capacity across the state

• COVID-19

In Illinois, anyone with COVID-19 symptoms (cough, shortness of breath and fever) can be tested for the virus without a doctor’s order. You can also get a test if you’ve been in contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19 or if you have a compromised immune system or other chronic medical condition, even if you aren’t showing symptoms.

To protect the health and safety of those on the front lines and the people they serve, any essential worker—including health care workers, correctional facility staff, first responders, grocery store employees, gas station attendants, child care providers and more—can get a test whether or not they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

Loretto Hospital is also now offering testing to patients, health care workers and first responders on the West Side. Drive-up and walk-in testing options are available at no cost to anyone who has symptoms or believes they were exposed to someone who tested positive. The site is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until testing runs out.

For more information on who can get a test, see this guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Find testing locations, hours and other information here.