Wednesday the DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department announced the second case of coronavirus, the second straight day of a new case locally.

As the debates of ideas and opinions rages, local health officials, say we're still doing a good job, but there is still a ways to go. Paul Skowron last week told Regional Radio News he felt the battle with the coronavirus in Illinois was only halfway there and says you can start to see the peak but feels it was for the best the Governor extended the stay at home order through May.

Executive Director of the DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department, Dave Remmert continues to see positive signs. He believes things are also peaking, especially as testing becomes more prominent in Illinois. 

In recent statements, Skowron expressed his desire for a regional reopening of Illinois but has since backed off that stance. He believes a regional reopening might leave downstate vulnerable to a migration of Chicago residents to bring the coronavirus to central Illinois. He points out though, the state of the local economy needs to be considered.

While Remmert would like to have seen a more regional approach to reopening Illinois, he says anyone that put themselves in the Governor's shoes likely would have had a hard time taking a regional approach to reopening Illinois.

Skowron is still hopeful Warner Hospital can be back up to full capacity by mid-to-late summer. He says their operations will continue to look very different going forward but feels it is for the best for their staff and their patients.

Remmert says it is still best to continue to follow the guidelines set by state and federal health officials.