* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 955 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 23 additional confirmed deaths.
Cook County – 1 female 50s, 6 males 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
DuPage County – 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
Kane County – 1 male 40s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
Lake County – 1 male 60s
McHenry County – 2 males 70s
St. Clair County – 1 female 80s
Winnebago County – 1 male 50s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 163,703 cases, including 7,324 deaths, in 102 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 29,745 specimens for a total of 2,308,854. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from July 14 - July 20 is 3.1%. As of last night, 1,466 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 320 patients were in the ICU and 142 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice’s (IDJJ) IYC St. Charles facility is reporting 16 new cases of COVID-19 in staff and 3 new cases among the youth prompting increased mitigation and infection control measures. All youth and staff have been tested for COVID-19 and the facility is implementing programming changes to reduce further spread.
This week Chester Mental Health Center in Randolph County reported 27 staff and 5 residents with newly confirmed cases of COVID-19. Shapiro Developmental in Kankakee County reported 1 resident and 6 staff of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19. Full infection control measures are in operation at these facilities for both residents and staff.
* If the bloviators in DC want the nation’s education system to get moving again, they’d better pony up…
Illinois State University President Larry Dietz has joined with the state’s other eight public university presidents in seeking more federal assistance to help meet the costs of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic as fall semester approaches.
In the letter to the Illinois congressional delegation, the presidents note that as of July 3, the combined impact of pandemic on the universities is estimated at $393.5 million. The figure includes tuition and housing refunds plus extra support for students and purchases of hardware and software for online classes and cleaning and medical supplies.
* Sun-Times…
Slightly more than half of Chicago Public Schools parents want some type of in-person instruction in the fall, and the top concern for most parents in the coming months is keeping their children’s learning on track, according to a new poll released Tuesday by an education advocacy group.
But in a sign of the sharp divide of opinions on the critically important issue of health and learning, two out of every five parents said schools should remain fully closed, with nearly all parents surveyed saying they wanted schools to be better cleaned and disinfected.
The poll, which has a 3.8% margin of error, was commissioned by Stand for Children Illinois, an education advocacy group, and conducted by Tulchin Research from July 8 to July 14, in the week leading up to CPS’ fall reopening guidance released last Friday.
The poll is here.
* Sun-Times live blog…
Kansas added to Chicago’s COVID-19 travel quarantine list
US accuses Chinese hackers in targeting of COVID-19 research
Advocates for live music work to #SaveOurStages in Chicago and across the country
COVID-19 concerns: Pritzker worries ‘our numbers should be going down,’ and warns downstate Metro East could see limits return
Guthrie’s Tavern in Wrigleyville to close, another casualty of COVID-19 restrictions
Republicans mandate at-home COVID-19 pre-convention test for attendees as cases spike in Florida
CPS could lose $10M to private schools, district says in lawsuit against Betsy DeVos over coronavirus funding
* Tribune live blog…
DuPage County health department’s COVID-19 test site closes early Tuesday as cases rise
IHSA to meet with state officials Friday for ‘guidance’ on proceeding with fall sports
Lightfoot joins Chicago sports teams to encourage young people to wear masks
Taste of Orland Park, summer concerts to move forward despite financial questions over attendance limits
Kansas added to Chicago’s travel quarantine list
Trump’s team works Capitol Hill as coronavirus aid talks deepen
Guthrie’s Tavern, a Lakeview mainstay for 34 years, closing permanently due to new coronavirus bar restrictions
Hundreds of food service workers at Northwestern University lose their jobs; company cites ongoing coronavirus impact on campus
Gary, Merrillville, Lake County mandate masks to reduce spread of COVID-19
Hurricane Harbor opens in Gurnee with coronavirus measures in place
Arlington Heights-based District 214 to start new academic year with option of in-person classes or remote learning
Metra extends free rides for medical workers
- don the legend - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 2:55 pm:
Trump’s refusal to act with any semblance of intelligence to the Covid-19 outbreak has cost trillions in unnecessary expense to the U.S. taxpayers. Just one small case in point:
==In the letter to the Illinois congressional delegation, the presidents note that as of July 3, the combined impact of pandemic on the universities is estimated at $393.5 million. The figure includes tuition and housing refunds plus extra support for students and purchases of hardware and software for online classes and cleaning and medical supplies.==
- essentially working - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 3:02 pm:
Sounds to me like some belt tightening is in order across the board when it comes to education spending…. ISU etc. may need to look at how and why they make and spend money.
- Stuff Happens - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
Here in Champaign test results have slowed to a crawl. Today is day seven of waiting to find out.
- Jibba - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 3:21 pm:
My local school district did a poll, and 85% of the replies agreed that they wanted schools to open with appropriate safety precautions. The district didn’t tell people that following safety protocols (masking, 6 ft distancing) was not possible.
- Former ILSIP - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 3:24 pm:
If memory serves, the CARES act or one of the other federal COVID-19 acts allocated quite a bit of money for state governors specifically to distribute to schools and universities for COVID-related expenses and budgetary shortfalls.
- Almost retired - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 3:39 pm:
-stuff happens-my daughter-in-law came down with sinus and chest congestion and a fever early Monday morning. My son drove her to the drive through testing on Mattis in Champaign yesterday around 12;30pm. She got the results back at 1pm today. Fortunately, her test was negative. Wonder where you had the test done.
- Because I said so.... - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 3:43 pm:
=- Former ILSIP= In the first round of CARES funding, 50% of the money had to go directly to students and universities couldn’t inform the students it can be used for tuition. The other 50 went directly to the universities for expenses they incurred due to COVID, housing refunds, dining plan refunds, and all the necessary tools/software needed for remote learning which is different than on-line instruction.
The GEERS funds that went through the governor to universities was a formula based on the percentage of PELL eligible students each campus had. That money didn’t go very far.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 3:48 pm:
I will say that the turnaround time for results in Lake County (Waukegan drive up) was pretty good. Took 2 days. I’m not sure where the lab work is ultimately done and if it varies from county to county.
- yinn - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 3:49 pm:
This is no time to be deploying resources to protect intellectual property. There should be no patent monopoly on COVID-19 research or any vaccine or treatment developed for it. Gov should pay for research up front and ensure it’s open-sourced all the way through manufacturing so the medicines are priced as cheaply as other generics.
- Vaungh Leland - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 4:16 pm:
Sangamon County has halting covid-19 testing. The says they’re lobbying the IDPH to get it to stay.
It’s seems now would be the time to be increasing testing.
- Nearly Normal - Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 5:21 pm:
McLean County had 17 new positive cases reported by the county health department. That’s 32 cases so far this week and 137 since July 3. The majority of these cases come from the 20-29 age bracket. Students have been taking possession of their apartments for this school year since July 1. Parties have been going on in apartment complexes in BloNo. Think this is going to stop when school starts? Not likely. I doubt that the university is going to be able to control these off campus events.
Many of us are going to be around these probably asymptomatic students in stores and other places. Our only defense is if we all use a mask, maintain distance, and wash hands.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 7:43 am:
So I get that the schools offered refunds on room and board, have any of them offered refunds of part of tuition?