* Background is here if you need it. WAND TV…
The annual Chilifest in Taylorville, which led to a positive COVID-19 case, was held against the wishes of local officials, an [Emergency Management Agency] press release said.
An employee of a company involved in the annual Taylorville Greater Chamber of Commerce Chilifest tested positive for COVID-19, health officials said. The positive test result came Tuesday, when the person completed a rapid test. […]
According to an update WAND-TV received from health officials, organizers ignored the wishes of the city of Taylorville, Christian County, the EMA and Christian County Health Department in holding Chilifest. The health department would not approve food vendors, and the EMA said Chilifest officials got around this by having a licensed kitchen make the chili, with food served individually from a refrigerated truck.
The EMA said they told organizers to enforce social distancing and masks if they were going against the wishes of local leaders, but did not see those things happening in pictures of the event.
The EMA is now calling the Chilifest positive case a “super spreader event.” Chilifest attendees are asked to monitor their health. A release from the EMA included the following statement:
I’m not sure that this yet qualifies as a super spreader event because the locals haven’t yet said if the infected person is a super spreader or someone who may not be highly contagious.
However, ignoring official public health warnings can have really lousy consequences. And even if nobody else gets sick, the negative publicity this incident has spawned ought to be a lesson for everyone involved. Also, too, victim-blaming is not a good look, cornhole company…
In America, a supposedly modern industrialized nation, people have naturally come to expect that the folks in charge are following the rules.
Christian County’s average positivity rate is 10.4 percent.
* Last word…
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:09 am:
If I think of something to say that will not get me banned from this site, I’ll come back to this thread with another comment.
- MidState Anon - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:10 am:
And, they moved the beauty pageant to a fairgrounds building due to rain (and large crowd size)…this event was definitely not encouraging social distancing or enforcing any guidelines the state set forth. As for “unapproved food vendors”, there were several (food trucks and such) in operation…
- Free Market - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:16 am:
Depends on if you’re in county lock up or not
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:17 am:
===In America, a supposedly modern industrialized nation, people have naturally come to expect that the folks in charge are following the rules.===
This, all day. I’m sick of hearing the ‘at your own risk’ argument. If that were truly the case there would be no need for anyone to carry liability insurance.
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:26 am:
Until there are serious consequences this will continue to happen
Either enforce executive orders or do not issue them
- Joan F - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:27 am:
We attended an outdoor festival in a different county with that many people. It seems the outdoor events don’t pose a huge risk but indoor ones do. Part of that event was indoor. It does seem like some people are salivating at the prospect of a large number of cases & will be disappointed if there are not.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:28 am:
===Either enforce executive orders or do not issue them ===
lol
What state do you live in? We have local law enforcement here.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:34 am:
Maybe we can start telling them that Chicago wants their rural towns to shrink in population, and the people in these towns who are spreading this disease are helping Chicago get what it wants.
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 11:38 am:
Those who misuse loopholes to play cornhole may end up in a hole…in the ground.
- Champaign - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 12:01 pm:
Is it disingenuous to express outrage at this, while expressing support for the Chicago protests?
- Phenomynous - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 12:04 pm:
@Champaign
Yes
- Bowwow - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 12:09 pm:
Since the death rate for covid is less than flu per the CDC, all you are doing is essentially reporting flu cases. The press has created all the fear. It now has start lessening the fear
- Drake Mallard - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 12:17 pm:
Bowwow- Stellar logic. But only if you’re an Irish Setter.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 12:42 pm:
=Since the death rate for covid is less than flu per the CDC, all you are doing is essentially reporting flu cases. The press has created all the fear. It now has start lessening the fear=
Yeah, but…..
- WTH - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 12:44 pm:
The only thing that doesn’t track for me is how the streets were blocked off without Taylorville government’s involvement. What does the mayor or police department have to say?
- Chatham Resident - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 1:11 pm:
Since Congressman Davis is from Taylorville, could Londrigan make this festival and the COVID cases resulting from it an issue in the rest of the campaign in the 13th?
- Almost the weekend - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:19 pm:
Last time TheInvisibleMan was south of -I-80 was probably on his 5th grade field trip to Springfield. There are parts of downstate that are playing by and following the rules. You live in Cook County you don’t see us on here bashing you for the rouge mayor in Orland Park.
We know you are from Chicago and not Illinois. Carry on.
- Rubber Band Man - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 3:15 pm:
=== What state do you live in? We have local law enforcement here.===
There were 20 unmarked State Police vehicles between Joliet and Springfield on Tuesday looking for speeders.
We could have sent the state police to Taylorville, couldn’t we?
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 4:20 pm:
Rich I live in Illinois. You think Jim Thompson would let it go. Send in State cops. If you have to keep local cut off all funding that you have discretion on. Primary everyone even if you have to support a Republican against a Republican send in A G to look around. Do a mandamus to make officials do there job. If a governor is this lame he must be Quinn and even he knew how to mess with people