* Tina Sfondeles and Carlos Ballesteros at the Sun-Times…
The Illinois National Guard is sending 30 service members to help with medical care at Stateville Correctional Center, where one inmate has died from the coronavirus and at least 32 more have tested positive.
The service members are medics from the Illinois Army National Guard’s 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team based in Urbana and will be setting up medical tents, triaging and providing medical care for inmates at the Crest Hill-based correctional center, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
Lt. Col. Brad Leighton, a spokesman for the Illinois National Guard, said the medics should arrive by the end of the week. […]
The medical help is intended to assist inmates who need care but not hospitalization. The medical tents will be “fully operational there before the end of the week,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said.
* Speaking of which, the ING’s Twitter account remains on point. More agencies need to be doing rumor patrol…
* From the other day…
The Illinois National Guard announced Monday that Governor JB Pritzker had activated about 115 additional Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen in support of COVID-19 response operations.
About 80 of these additional Illinois National Guard members will help with communications and reporting between county health departments throughout the state and the State Emergency Operations Center. Another 30 Illinois National Guard Airmen will assist in the establishment of a medical facility at McCormick Place.
- DuPage Dave - Wednesday, Apr 1, 20 @ 1:36 pm:
This seems like an appropriate use of the National Guard. Keeping people safe and saving lives.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 1, 20 @ 1:38 pm:
Bless the national guard. They are also heroes during this crisis, doing heavy lifts, I’m very grateful.
- camper - Wednesday, Apr 1, 20 @ 1:42 pm:
Are the grounds big enough to set up tents? Separate alpha-types, maybe?
I’m serious.
- Give Us Barabbas - Wednesday, Apr 1, 20 @ 2:18 pm:
I’d like to see folks go after the social media posters of mis-information with great vigor. Some of this stuff is deliberate attack by Russian troll farms, so where you see this in your social media, report it and give ‘em what-for; don’t let false information stand unopposed.
- Alex Ander - Wednesday, Apr 1, 20 @ 2:19 pm:
And bless the many correctional officers who are working up close with these inmates knowing full well they’re going to contract it real soon.
- Alex Ander - Wednesday, Apr 1, 20 @ 2:20 pm:
== I’d like to see folks go after the social media posters of mis-information with great vigor. Some of this stuff is deliberate attack by Russian troll farms, so where you see this in your social media, report it and give ‘em what-for; don’t let false information stand unopposed.==
Many are also Americans who assume any movement by our military is an oppression against them.
- Alex Ander - Wednesday, Apr 1, 20 @ 2:22 pm:
God be with the CO’s who are working in these sardine containers who will also get Covid 19 in the coming weeks.