WINNEBAGO COUNTY, Ill. – Dr. Sandra Martell began preparing for COVID-19 three months before it reached the state. She had already navigated the H1N1 pandemic and was mindful of the challenges that lay ahead.
"What would it look like if a pandemic hit and 60% of your workforce was sidelined?" she pondered. Come March 15, 2020, her concerns were all too real.
"Stay away. It might sound harsh, but we needed to practice social distancing," she emphasized during a press conference that day.
Fast forward to March 2025, it will mark five years since Winnebago County’s first COVID-19 case was reported. Two weeks later, the first death due to complications from the virus was announced. By July 7, 2023, over 2,000 deaths had been recorded in the Rockford area, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The pandemic often felt chaotic, especially at the outset when wearing a used face mask seemed preferable to going without. In a recent interview, Martell reflected on those tumultuous days, describing the period as both daunting and empowering.
“It wasn’t just about me; it was about all of us coming together to help our community,” she shared. Throughout the crisis, Martell remained a steady presence at regular press briefings, often joined by Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara and health leaders from the area.
Martell noted how hospitals, usually competitors, had to unite. “They realized they were stronger together,” she said. Before vaccines became available, she recognized the "collective power" of collaboration among health systems. They devised plans to take turns admitting patients, ensuring no one was overwhelmed.
Doctors experienced their own forms of panic during this time. Dr. Joyce Johnson, a family physician at OSF Saint Katharine Hospital, recalled the toll it took on her staff. “We were taking care of patients and losing patients. We didn’t even have time to grieve,” she explained.
For both Martell and Johnson, community support provided crucial stability. “Clear communication allowed us to respond effectively, even when information was limited,” Johnson added.
Adaptability became another key lesson for Martell. “We had to learn on the fly and be honest with the public about our evolving understanding,” she stated. “We aimed to provide the most accurate information for families and the community.”
Footage from March 2020 shows Rockford’s once-busy streets sidelined and storefronts shuttered. Now, five years later, the sidewalks are bustling again. While the community has recovered, some repercussions of the pandemic remain, particularly vaccine hesitancy.
“We’re still battling misinformation about vaccines,” Martell pointed out. Johnson noted that she witnessed a dip in childhood vaccinations during the peak of COVID-19, though numbers have since returned to normal levels.
“People are entitled to their opinions,” she commented. “My role is to provide information rather than change minds.”
Despite years of isolation, both Martell and Johnson believe the pandemic ultimately brought the community closer. “COVID revealed our resilience, courage, and compassion,” Johnson said.
“We need to remember that we are in this together,” Martell concluded. “By working collectively, we can protect the health of our community with the best information available.”
The challenges of COVID-19 have left a mark, but they also showed what is possible when a community comes together.
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