CITY’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19

March 22, 2020 – State of Illinois – FAQs about Essential Businesses and Operations

March 21, 2020 – Champaign-Urbana Public Health District – COVID-19 Press Release – Champaign County Has Confirmed Two Additional Coronavirus Cases

March 20, 2020 – Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Flier on State’s Stay-At-Home-Order

March 20, 2020 – State of Illinois – Stay at Home FAQs

March 20, 2020 – Executive Order from Governor Pritzker – Stay At Home, Social Distancing Requirements, Essential Businesses and Operations

March 16, 2020 – Executive Order from Governor Pritzker in Response to COVID-19 – Restaurants and Public Gatherings

March 15, 2020 – Champaign-Urbana Public Health District – COVID-19 Press Release – Champaign County Has First Confirmed Coronavirus Case

To learn more about this disease, such as concerns regarding travel, what to do if you suspect you’ve been infected, as well as ways to keep your family safe, always turn to a reputable source of information. Locally a trusted resource is Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. A statewide resource is the Illinois Department of Public Health. A nationwide resource is Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

— CU Public Health
— IL Dept. Of Public Health
— Center for Disease Control and Prevention

On March 15th CU Public Health confirmed one local case of COVID-19.

The CDC maintains a website dedicated to the spread of the COVID-19 disease in the United States.

IL Department of Public Health provides regular updates on the spread of COVID-19 in Illinois.

The CDC maintains a website dedicated to the testing of the COVID-19 disease in the United States. 

Follow C U Public Health for updates regarding testing in Champaign County.

District Administrator Julie Pryde said public health is waiting on results for more than 50 possible pending Champaign County cases as of March 15.

The City is unaware of any drive through testing locations at this point in time. Please refer to the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District for up to date information regarding testing in the CU area.

The process for reporting test results to IDPH can be found on their website.

Social distancing is a public health practice that aims to prevent sick people from coming in close contact with healthy people in order to reduce opportunities for disease transmission. Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.

Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.

Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.

You can find resources from the Champaign Public library at champaign.org.

Chambana moms provided a list of at home activities to do with families.

You can find more information and resources for children at the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development website.

Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen issued an Executive Order declaring the existence of a local emergency in the City of Champaign related to the COVID-19 virus, which is causing or is anticipated to cause widespread impacts on the health of members of the community. Provisions in Chapter 12 of the Champaign Municipal Code provide the Mayor authorization to declare an emergency for a limited period of time. This allows the Mayor to exercise significant emergency powers at the inception of the emergency, and then to provide an opportunity for the City Council, as a whole, to deal with an emergency. Council approved this executive order on March 13, 2020. 

The City of Champaign is working to ensure that the delivery of essential public services continues. We are taking all necessary steps to make sure we continue to deliver critical police, fire, and emergency dispatch services and maintain public infrastructure. Our agencies have taken measures to appropriately equip our first responders to protect themselves and those they serve. You can watch Champaign PD Chief Anthony Cobb’s update online.

Our facilities are closed to the public to protect health and safety of our staff, but we are still providing regular service. Please contact us during regular business hours via phone (217-403-8700) or online at champaignil.gov.

Payments for parking citations, ordinance violations, fines, permits, licenses, fees, invoices or to provide a tax remittance may be submitted online, via mail or utilizing yellow courtesy drop boxes located throughout Champaign. Please visit the City’s finance website or call 217-403-8940 for more information.

More information on the temporary changes to Champaign Ordinance Violations, Notices to Appear, and City Court can be found here.

The City will provide updates as we receive new information. The City has assembled a robust team of people to monitor events as they unfold in real time to ensure information is available to the public in a timely manner. You can find updates on our website, champaignil.gov.

In order to comply with the Open Meetings Act, all public meetings will be posted for the public’s information online at https://champaignil.gov/council/.

The City Council accepts correspondence via email (council@champaignil.gov) and phone calls at 217-403-8700.

To get the latest information on Champaign libraries, visit https://champaign.org/.

To get the latest information on Champaign parks, please visit https://champaignparks.com/.

Our community engagement team which includes City personnel and community partners are working to address this issue.

Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) is the local public transportation provider and has their current service information posted on their website.

There’s a public feedback form on the City’s website. You can submit your input online here.

The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is working to secure access to helpful resources for small businesses throughout the State of Illinois. As part of this process, DCEO needs to collect information from small businesses that are negatively impacted. This information will assist them in requesting an economic injury disaster declaration from the Small Business Association.

Staff at the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation and Champaign-Urbana Small Business Development Center have pulled together information for CU-area businesses.  Please look at the information posted online and check back periodically as the website will be updated as more information becomes available.

The State of Illinois is asking that impacted businesses please take a moment to complete this online form. Accurate responses to the survey will assist in evaluating a request for an economic injury disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Construction is listed as an essential service under the Governor’s Executive Order and private and public construction projects continue in Champaign.  To better protect on-site construction workers and City inspectors, large development projects must submit a COVID-19 Jobsite Safety Plan to the City.  Learn more here.

The US Census Bureau released this information regarding Census modifications due to COVID-19.

On March 20, 2020, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-10 requiring all Illinoisans to stay in their homes to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.  The order prohibits things like visiting the homes of friends and holding gatherings of any size and closes all nonessential establishments, including most retail, recreation and entertainment businesses. It does NOT prohibit essential activities like going to the grocery store, receiving medical care, or taking your pet for a walk. Click here to review the Stay at Home FAQs

The Illinois Liquor Control Commission has released a list of Frequently Asked Questions for Liquor Licensees to provide clarification on the March 15, 2020 executive order requiring the closure of establishments for dine-in service.

C-U Public Health has reported there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Champaign County. Please follow the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District for up to date information regarding local positive COVID-19 cases.

You can find up to date information on Champaign Schools at https://www.champaignschools.org/

Listings of event cancellations can be found on the following websites: https://dailyillini.com/news/2020/03/13/several-events-postponed-canceled-due-to-coronavirus/
https://champaignil.gov/calendar/

The City of Champaign will update their website calendar with cancellations as they become available.

WCIA has provided this list of canceled events on their website.

Beginning March 16, 2020, all businesses in the State of Illinois must suspend their dine-in options for both food and drink. These businesses may still serve the public through delivery, drive through, or curbside pickup. Customers may also enter businesses to purchase food and beverages for carry-out, provided the business environment allows for adequate social distancing. (The CDC recommends a 6 foot distance between patrons.) Businesses located in airports, hospitals, and dining halls in colleges and universities are exempt. Hotel restaurants may continue to provide room service and carryout. Catering services may continue.

Local law enforcement and the City will enforce the state laws.

Beginning March 18, 2020, all public and private gatherings of 50 people or more are prohibited due to JB Pritzker’s Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation. This includes community events, faith based events, sporting events, or any event or activity that brings 50 or more people together in a single space at a single time. This also includes fitness centers/health clubs, bowling alleys, private clubs, and theaters. This does not include venues that provide essential services like grocery stores, hospitals, pharmacies, gas stations, banks/credit unions, and shelters.

Grocery stores will remain open under the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation.

You can find the most up to date information regarding postal service on their website.

Comcast
Ameren
Champaign County Sheriff’s Office
Illinois Department of Employment Security
Champaign MTD Free Rides
211 Help Line

Eastern Illinois Food Bank

Unemployment benefits may be available to some individuals whose unemployment is attributable to COVID-19. IDES recently adopted emergency rules to try to make the unemployment insurance system as responsive to the current situation as possible. Learn more at the Illinois Department of Employment Security website.

Unit 4 Food Distribution Information

The following local businesses are offering free lunches for school age children at varying times and locations:

Maize (100 N. Chestnut St., Champaign) – Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m., Maize at the Station will be providing free lunch meals to all kids through school closings. Kids will be given the option of our Mexican sandwich (torta) or Quesadilla along with a serving a rice, beans and juice. Just ask for our Kids Special and we will know. No purchase is required by a parent.

MacAlister’s Deli (421 W. Town Center Blvd, Champaign ) – Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be free snack lunches for the kids. Pick or dine in only.

El Toro Bravo (2561 W. Springfield Ave, Champaign), El Toro II (723 S. Neil St., Champaign), and El Toro Mexican Restaurant (3401 Fields Dr., Champaign) – Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., children will receive a free meal from the kid’s menu.

Wingstop (512 S. Neil St., Champaign) – Monday – Friday 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Children will receive a Kids meal consisting of a 5 piece boneless meal with fries, dipping sauce, and drink. Pick up or dine in only