* I’ve seen this sort of reporting a lot this morning…
Following announcement of Chicago Auto Show return, Pritzker cautious Illinois can fully reopen July 4
But the state’s full reopening might actually take place well before then.
* Pritzker has told reporters that if current trends hold up, then the “bridge” phase could begin as early as next week. Full reopening would happen four weeks from that date as long as certain metrics are met…
Illinois will move to … Phase 5 when 50% of the population 16 years and older has received at least one dose of vaccine. In addition, when moving to both the bridge phase and Phase 5, hospital ICU bed availability needs to be higher than 20%, and new COVID-19 hospital admissions, total COVID-19 patients in the hospital, and death rates are not increasing significantly statewide over the most recent 28 days.
Currently, 55 percent of Illinois’ population 16+ has received a first dose, so that target has already been achieved. But if the unvaccinated folks go wild and act like they’re vaxed, then they could imperil reopening when they get sick.
* Meanwhile…
Congressman Rodney Davis has a new reason why he thinks you should be vaccinated against COVID-19… so that you don’t give Governor JB Pritzker an excuse to keep things shut down.
Davis… who has been discussed as a possible challenger to Pritzker next year… says it’s time for everything to fully reopen.
Get your shots.
* Related…
* State officials urge downstate Illinoisans to get vaccinated: “If you come and get vaccinated at the World Shooting Recreational Complex vax site, which is already completely free, you will get 100 free targets of traps, skeet, or sporting clays anytime before the end of October,” Pritzker said.
- Dysfunction Junction - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:10 am:
That’s right folks. Go get your shots so JB can’t deny you your hard-fought liberties. Roll up your sleeves to own the libs (banned punctuation).
- wildcat12 - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:14 am:
Honestly, I’m totally on board with Rodney’s approach. Whatever works at this point. If the only thing that gets some folks to get the shot is to give JB the middle finger (somehow?), then so be it.
- 61820 - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:21 am:
Whatever reason Rodney comes up with, if it gets people vaccinated it will be among the most useful things he could be doing. If this motivates a sizeable chunk of ‘own the libs’ people to get vaccinated, that’s a good thing.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:23 am:
I don’t follow the logic in which getting your shots is supposed to make JB angry or look stupid or whatever, but fine. Whatever. Get your shots.
- illini - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:28 am:
We have learned to always trust Rodney to have a meaningless statement that is made to appear thoughtful and constructive. Keep up trying to be relevant Rodney.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:29 am:
Somebody raised a good point that hourly workers may be afraid to get the shot because they might get too sick to work for a day or two. Let’s start offering cash to the hesitant.
- Random Chicago Person - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:35 am:
To date nobody has been able to explain to me why the Covid restrictions are something that politicians want to do for any reason other than stopping the spread of the pandemic. Granted one can make an argument that they are too restrictive, or not restrictive enough, but arguing for them being place because of some nefarious purpose outside of keeping the pandemic in check just has always just struck me as someone who has bought a one-way ticket to bonkerstown. No politician is looking to slow down economic activity and place onerous restrictions on people because they woke up that morning and thought that would be a fun way to spend their day. Seriously people.
- Sox Fan - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:35 am:
==Somebody raised a good point that hourly workers may be afraid to get the shot because they might get too sick to work for a day or two. Let’s start offering cash to the hesitant.==
I’m fine with whatever will get more people shots, so if paying people helps, go for it. But we also need to stress that the vaccine side effects have been greatly exaggerated.
- Yep - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:36 am:
Maybe the unvaxed can give blood through the Red Cross who tests for Covid antibodies. That might jump the numbers. From the Red Cross website;
“Donors who test positive for COVID-19 antibodies may have the unique opportunity to help patients fighting the disease.”
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:39 am:
==Let’s start offering cash to the hesitant.==
West Virginia is giving everyone 16-35 $100 savings bonds if they get vaccinated.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:41 am:
Yep: I don’t think the anti-vaxers are motivated by helping others. If they were, they would get vaccinated.
- Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:44 am:
—as long as the unvaxed don’t double down on the crazy—
What’s the over-under on that? S/
- DuPage Dad - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:44 am:
The mental gymnastics people are doing to find some reason to resist vaccines is a weird mix of something to behold/not completely surprised/laughable.
- Hot Taeks - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:48 am:
Remember that 12-15 year olds will start getting the jab soon once the FDA approves Pfizer by no later than next week. That will help quite a bit on reopening conditions.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:50 am:
Time for the self professed “patriots” to do something that is actually patriotic. Get the vaccine.
- Pundent - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 10:59 am:
Maybe we could encourage professional athletes to take a knee during the national anthem for the unvaccinated. That seems to get people worked up.
- theatre - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 11:07 am:
cant wait for BROADWAY to come back, like in New York
- Downstate - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 11:18 am:
I agree that we should be using any and all messaging to get folks to take the vaccine, but it’s never not funny to see Rodney “end vitriolic rhetoric” Davis using abrasive, partisan arguments.
- Dysfunction Junction - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 11:31 am:
@Yep: That’s definitely the positive spin on things. I actually did donate convalescent plasma for that reason, albeit before the vaccines were widely available. Only two problems with that altruistic take: first, the donor’s antibodies eventually decrease to the point that the blood centers no longer want them. And two: recent research shows that convalescent plasma treatment may not have been very effective anyway. It may even have been counterproductive for society in general.
- Enviro - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 11:49 am:
The states reopening could be this summer if it becomes more convenient and less difficult to get a Covid-19 vaccination.
I spent hours on my computer each day for many weeks to get an appointment at a local Walgreens in Suburban Cook County.
Many people do not have the ability, time, or patience to do this.
- Sickntired - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 11:53 am:
Dysfunction Junction. I heard 1st they’re gonna make you get vaccinated and then they’re going to come after your guns
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 12:11 pm:
===I spent hours on my computer each day for many weeks===
Those days are long over.
- Huh? - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
“I heard …”
Go back to facebook.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 12:19 pm:
==Let’s start offering cash to the hesitant.==
Because staying healthy and keeping your friends and relatives healthy isn’t enough. They should start cutting some ads where folks who had COVID talk about their medical bills and lost wages.
Also, if a free Crispy Creme isn’t enough…
- filmmaker prof - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 12:49 pm:
Davis’ do-nothing act ain’t gonna play North of I-80, which incidentally, is where the majority of the population lives.
- Perrid - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 1:10 pm:
If people get vaccinated to “stick it” to JB, that’s fine with me, Representative Davis.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
=Davis’ do-nothing act ain’t gonna play North of I-80, which incidentally, is where the majority of the population lives.=
Small edit…
which incidentally, is where the *VAST* majority of the population lives.
- OneMan - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 1:23 pm:
Always bet on crazy.
- Jibba - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 1:29 pm:
Davis’ act doesn’t play well with almost 50% of his constituents. He’ll do a little better with those who know him less well.
- Dysfunction Junction - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 1:35 pm:
Sickntired, looks like I forgot to add that pesky /s sarcasm flag again. I’m hoping we both did. If not, then I’m not sure what to say to your reply.
- BluegrassBoy - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 1:42 pm:
Tribal rhetoric is so fun. It makes me sick to think we cant come together as a society to help end the pandemic.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 1:52 pm:
==It makes me sick to think we cant come together as a society to help end the pandemic.==
I learned a lot about the character of some people in our country during this pandemic and it wasn’t good. Never would I have thought that a pandemic would be turned into a political football. I’m ashamed at how some people in this country dealt with this pandemic. It’s absolutely disgusting that this became a partisan issue. And those that made it so should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 2:37 pm:
Enviro’s right in a way though. I too spent hours trying to get an appt. That was back then but some people may have been demoralized and not now know that it’s easier. Maybe someone can cut a commercial of a person going grocery shopping and oh, yea, while we’re here, we’ll get our shot. Just to indicate to people who don’t watch a lot of news that it has all become so much easier.
- Enviro - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 2:44 pm:
===I spent hours on my computer each day for many weeks===
Those days are long over.
It was only one month ago.
- Citizen Kane - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 3:28 pm:
“If you come and get vaccinated at the World Shooting Recreational Complex vax site, which is already completely free, you will get 100 free targets of traps, skeet, or sporting clays anytime before the end of October,” (Disclaimer: we still won’t process your FOID Card in time to do so)
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 3:35 pm:
Citizen Kane:
I’ve now heard from two different friends that they got their FOID card 2 weeks from time of application. Not sure how but I thought it was interesting given everything I’ve heard.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 3:39 pm:
I think one of the reasons there is hesitancy is that people aren’t seeing much of a difference after they have been vaccinated. And one of the biggest issues they have is masks. Everyone was promised things would get back to normal after vaccinations became available but to many masks are an indication of normal versus not normal. Until some people see a real change I can imagine they aren’t going to be in a hurry to get vaccinated because there’s no reward for them in their eyes.
- The Drummer - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 3:40 pm:
“The state’s reopening could happen in about five weeks, as long as the unvaxed don’t double down on the crazy”…given how the pandemic has played out so far, you’ll excuse me if I don’t take that bet.
- Gippy - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 3:58 pm:
Can someone tell me why polio isn’t as big a problem as it once was? Same thing with measles, chicken pox, etc. Science, science not politics.
- Just a guy - Wednesday, May 5, 21 @ 5:01 pm:
===I spent hours on my computer each day for many weeks===
Those days are long over.
It was only one month ago.
Exactly Enviro. We ended up booking appointments in Gary and driving to the FEMA site because of the issues trying to get on in Chicago. And we were far from the only ones. Thankfully it’s easier now - and that needs to be marketed. Aggressively (p.s. I do marketing for a living, so I actually know a thing or two about it).