The Cook County Department of Public Health urges residents to take precautions when gathering with their families and friends for the holidays.

Officials said that although COVID‐19 hospital admissions in suburban Cook County continue to be low, they have almost doubled since the beginning of November, and emergency room visits associated with COVID have been trending upward since early October.

"We want to encourage Cook County residents to remain vigilant during this holiday season," said Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, chief operating officer of Cook County Department of Public Health. "The most important way to protect yourself and your families from COVID, flu, and RSV is to stay updated with recommended vaccinations. It's science at work. It's safe. It's proven. And it works."

According to Cook County Department of Public Health data for the week ending Nov. 25, there are seven COVID‐19 hospital admissions for every 100,000 residents of suburban Cook County. Most entries are among those age 65 and older.

The Village of Park Forest offers free walk-up COVID testing at Village Hall monthly on the third Tuesday. Assistant Director of Recreation, Parks, and Community Health Margret Lewis said it's better to be proactive than reactive.

"It's that time of year when most people gather around their loved ones," Lewis said. "Though COVID may not dominate the news like it once did, it is still a virus people can get and become very ill. So that's why the Village offers these tests for free."

Lewis said the next walk-up testing event will occur on Tuesday, Dec 19., at Village Hall from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.