* Press release…

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 724 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 23 additional confirmed deaths.

Bureau County: 1 male 60s
Cass County: 1 female 90s
Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 2 females 70s, 2 males 70s, 2 females 90s
Kane County: 1 female 60s, 2 males 70s
Lake County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
Rock Island County: 1 male 90s
St. Clair County: 1 male 80s
Tazewell County: 1 female 90s
Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 143,185 cases, including 6,923 deaths, in 101 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 31,069 specimens for a total of 1,602,965. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from June 23 –June 29 is 2.6%.

* Meanwhile, the COVID Exit Strategy website now rates Illinois as “Trending Poorly,” mainly because, as of yesterday, cases had risen by 16 percent in the previous 14 days. The positivity rate had also increased by a fraction of a percent, but that factor contributed as well.

The Test And Trace website says Illinois has 611 contact tracers and needs 3,113, which means we’re 2,502. The state says it plans to hire about 3,800 tracers, but the program has had a very slow start. More on that from the COVID Act Now website…

Per best available data, Illinois has 611 contact tracers. With an average of 716 new daily cases, we estimate Illinois needs 3,580 contact tracing staff to trace all new cases in 48 hours, before too many other people are infected. This means that Illinois is likely able to trace only 17% of new COVID infections in 48 hours. These low levels of tracing suggest there may be an active outbreak underway in Illinois, or that little tracing capacity exists. Strong caution warranted.

* Frank Main at the Sun-Times…

A west suburban nursing home where 12 residents have died of the coronavirus plotted to kick out an elderly woman because her daughter criticized the troubled facility, according to a lawsuit the daughter has filed in Cook County circuit court.

* Tribune live blog headlines…

D.C. dispatch: Fauci says U.S. could reach 100,000 new coronavirus cases a day

‘What if I don’t get better?’ Some COVID-19 survivors struggle with symptoms for weeks, even months, mystifying doctors.

Hyde Park Jazz Festival re-imagines itself amid pandemic

U-46 likely to require face mask usage, hand-washing stations, office shields when school resumes

Noise from al fresco dining irritates some neighbors of downtown Arlington Heights restaurants

Aon to restore most salaries cut by COVID-19 pandemic — and pay employees back what they gave up

Cubs’ Jason Heyward donates $100,000 to aid COVID-19 workers and increase contract tracing efforts on the South Side

Cook County property tax bills begin arriving Tuesday, but late fees waived until Oct. 1

Beaches and pools begin to reopen throughout the suburbs. But in Chicago, at least officially, the wait continues.

Bud Billiken Parade, a longtime Chicago tradition, cancelled

* From the Illinois State Board of Education…

June 30, 2020

Dear Colleagues:

Following the release of our Transition Joint Guidance for Starting the 2020-21 School Year, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has engaged in fruitful dialogue with educators and stakeholders concerning the use of face shields in lieu of face coverings (e.g. masks). Since that time, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has communicated that face coverings and social distancing are the goal whenever and wherever possible. Face shields have not been deemed effective for source control and are only to be used when other methods of protection are not available or appropriate. IDPH arrived at this determination after lengthy additional collaboration with the communicable disease team, infection preventionists, and infectious disease specialists and after reviewing available Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

In cases where individuals need facial visualization for instruction and communication, IDPH recommends video instruction to promote social distancing. If video is instruction is not available or appropriate, face shields may be used with the understanding that they have not been deemed effective for source control. As such, heightened attention and adherence to 6-foot social distancing is critical for individuals using face shields. Examples of limited situations when face shields may be necessary, if video instruction is not possible, include for teachers of English Learners or world languages, whose students may need to see their mouths form words to facilitate language acquisition.

Emphasis in original.