Cook County closes its COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center

The Cook County Incident Command Team plans to close the County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which has dedicated itself to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response since March of 2020. Core response activities such as case investigation and contact tracing, helping with safety planning, testing for COVID-19, and vaccinations will continue with local healthcare and public health partners.

“While the pandemic certainly is not over, we have worked hard to put ourselves in a good position, locally — with over 80 percent of those eligible having received at least one dose of a COVID- 19 vaccine and just one case in the past three weeks,” said Grace Grinager, Public Health Supervisor and Co-Incident Commander for the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). “Even as we formally close the EOC, health care and public health staff will ensure that community members continue to have access to accurate information about the local COVID-19 landscape, as well as powerful tools such as testing and vaccination.”

Members of the public are encouraged to continue to follow public health advice as the pandemic evolves — wash your hands, stay home when you are sick and seek a COVID- 19 test, follow guidance for staying home if you are exposed or test positive for COVID-19, and seek out a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you become eligible.

The Emergency Operations Center team provided leadership in coordinating the local response to the COVID- 19 pandemic, including a core Incident Command Team that came together regularly to advise and make decisions on a variety of topics relevant to our local community.

“As we shut down the EOC we’ve had a chance to reflect on all the good work that has happened through this group since we opened our doors back in 2020,” said Emergency Manager and Co-Incident Commander Mike Keyport. “It truly has taken our whole community to respond, and we are very proud of the response efforts.”

The Cook County COVID-19 Hub continues to serve as an important resource for vaccination opportunities and local updates about the pandemic: https:// cookcountycovid19.org.