Executive Director: Face Coverings Required Starting August 2

Dear Friends & Supporters,

The COVID-19 situation is rapidly evolving, with the spread of the Delta variant resulting in higher positivity rates. The CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health have revised guidance recommending that fully vaccinated people wear face coverings indoors in areas where the threat of virus transmission is "substantial" and "high." Unfortunately, Cook County's status changed to "substantial" on July 29.

NSSC continues to follow CDC guidelines, and beginning Monday, August 2, will require all visitors and staff—even those fully vaccinated—to wear face coverings inside its buildings. We are doing so out of an abundance of caution and for the health and well-being of participants, members, volunteers and employees.

In addition, NSSC will continue to follow guidance for quarantine periods when traveling to suburban Cook County from areas with high transmission rates. These details are changing rapidly and will be updated as needed on the website and signage at the Center.

Please know we continue to maintain careful sanitization standards in our buildings with frequent cleaning of restrooms, commonly touched surfaces and high-traffic areas. We have also invested in a new air filtration system that uses ultraviolet lights and transitioned to higher efficiency filters to ensure delivery of cleaner air.

I'm choosing to remain hopeful that we will get through this setback quickly. Robert Brault describes an optimist as "Someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it's more like a cha-cha." And, the dance goes on...

Tish Rudnicki, MSW
Executive Director