DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - On Tuesday night, the Macon County Board of Health voted to reverse course on its COVID-19 data release policy. Members voted unanimously to begin releasing COVID-19 numbers daily once again.
Board of Health President Vivian Goodman read 13 letters from the public, concerned about the December 2021 vote to only release virus data weekly.
"This board needs to put people first. Not casinos or bars or their personal politics," one person wrote.
"Brushing it under the rug doesn't make it go away," another added.
"I depend on that information to make informed decisions and choice about how to keep myself, my family and my patients safe," a citizen wrote in an email.
"Limiting disclosure to once a week is absolutely irresponsible," a resident said.
These emails, along with hundreds of Facebook comments, calls and conversations with the public, had the board rethinking its decision to only release coronavirus data weekly.
"People make mistakes. I think there are times when you have to look backwards and say 'Let's make it right,'" Board member Jeff Entler said during the Tuesday night board meeting.
The board then unanimously voted to authorize the Health Department to again release covid data daily, Monday through Friday.
"It shouldn't have been done, but now its fixed. So please accept my sincere apologies," Goodman said after the vote.
Health Department Administrator Brandi Binkley is now asking the board to allow her to make future decisions about changing the release of COVID-19 data to the public.
"I would kindly request to the board to trust me to make this decision moving forward based on everything that I have used up to this point," Binkley said to the board Tuesday night.
The board said they will revisit the discussion next month.
Board of health members will begin using a board email account by the end of the week to interact with members of the public. Those email address will be posted here in the coming days.
