42 Comments - Bruce( no not him) - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 2:34 pm: Probably a 2.5 or so. Interesting article in the NYT earlier this week about the US media (Left and Right) being overly negative as opposed to actual data. - tomhail - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 2:41 pm: #3. I am hopeful but realistic. - RegularJoe - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 2:45 pm: Illinois gonna Illinois… - Perrid - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 2:47 pm: I went with 3, because I think it’s unlikely with the vaccination rollout, and even if we have more cases it’s less likely large numbers of people will die, since older folks are more likely to be vaccinated. But, not everyone’s vaccinated, so it is a risk, which is why I put it at 3 - Incandenza - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 2:49 pm: Voted 5 … we’re no where near full vaccination and the uptick especially is concerning because it’s probably mostly B1.1.7 and restaurants and bars are open. Once again, we’re on an exponential curve. It looks like a small increase now, but in 3 weeks, this will be out of control again. - Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 2:55 pm: 4. It would’ve been a 5 - I think a serious resurgence is likely - but tempered it to 4 based on my personal vaccination status easing just a hint of my worries personally. - Wensicia - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 2:57 pm: #3. Schools are reopening and a spike after spring break isn’t surprising, but the group of people most likely to spread the virus haven’t been vaccinated yet. Not good. - Huh? - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 2:59 pm: 5. The complacency of the public, resistance to the vaccine, and more virulent mutations of the virus will cause a resurgence. - Honeybear - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:02 pm: 5 too many are choosing not to get the vaccine and it’s gonna spread again. - park - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:04 pm: 3. Worried about the uptick in Michigan. They were ahead of us on vaccinations. - Bored Chairman - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:04 pm: 1. It’s effectively over in less than thirty days. Media fear porn will continue. - bhartbanjo - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:05 pm: I’m sure there will be another surge, although hopefully not as high. There are just too many people choosing the wrong choice. - Collinsville Kevin - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:05 pm: Voted 2. I already had it, so in the immortal words of Alfred E. Neumann, “What, me worry?” - Zim - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:07 pm: 3. While I’m hopeful that vaccinations will eventually blunt the spike, I’m concerned that complacency and a false sense that the virus is behind us have set in. - Responsa - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:09 pm: Not too concerned: a 2 I guess. -More people continue to be vaccinated. -Weather allows for more outside activities -Better understanding of the virus is occurring every week in labs and by doctors in treatment centers -More effective treatments are being used at earlier stages of infection to prevent hospitilizations and deaths -Over this past year more people have already developed natural immunity from exposure or from having had the virus - Pundent - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:10 pm: Landed on 3. For me personally it’s a 2 since I’ve got a vaccine. But the anti-vaxxers are still too numerous and the outbreak among that group rates a 4. What the last year has shown us is that we’re only as strong as the weakest among us. - Jibba - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:11 pm: 4. We certainly will have a resurgence given attitudes and current behaviors. Maybe not as bad as recently, but it will happen. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:12 pm: ===It’s effectively over=== Effectively is doing a lot of work as the global outlook is more lockdowns and restrictions as we in Illinois cautiously see things in a very fragile state. That’s why I voted “3” It’s a tipping point, the foolish are now more brazen with no masks and large groups are more in vogue. I can’t tell yet if the corner is here to be turned or we’re hoping too much to turn it and it’s just a big ole circle until vaccines catch up. Voted “3” - cermak_rd - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:14 pm: For my personal case I’m not worried about it at all. Ive had my first shot, have my 2nd one scheduled and I can control whether or if (mostly not) I go out anywhere . I’m still angry about the anti-mitigations restaurant owners that I think I will cook for myself for the time being and only eat at restaurants that were not outspoken against the mitigations. For the state? The big concern is that people who have been sheltering for a year will get out and about since that would provide fresh tinder to the virus.Hopefully they’ll wait till they are vacced to get out and about. For the anti-vaxxers/anti-virus etc.? If they don’t care about their health why should I? - zatoichi - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:15 pm: 4. Vaxs are moving along but local restaurant parking lots are filling while masks seem to be fewer. Schools reopening. Granddaughter’s day care had to quarantine for 2 weeks due to positive kid. Serious positive was local hospital covid stats are down. - thunderspirit - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:16 pm: I picked 4. It’s a race right now between the multitudes of people who are over the pandemic and have thrown caution to the wind and the vaccination availability, and history suggests that the former will spread faster than the latter. I, too, have seen some optimistic projections and I am hopeful they’re right and that I’m worrying without reason. - Former Downstater - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:22 pm: 4. We’ve seen this before in the past year. Loosening of restrictions leads to higher infection rates, even with the vaccines happening. Iowa’s rate doubled last week to 9% after all restrictions were removed. - Julian Perez - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:33 pm: Voted 1. I can’t understand why anyone would vote otherwise. Unless you doubt the efficacy of the vaccine. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:36 pm: === I can’t understand why anyone would vote otherwise. Unless you doubt the efficacy of the vaccine.=== Explain herd immunity. - Pundent - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:37 pm: =Unless you doubt the efficacy of the vaccine.=. Doesn’t work if you don’t get it and there’s large numbers who won’t. - In 630 - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:40 pm: 3. Medium worried. I’m encouraged by so many of the most vulnerable having already gotten their vaccines. So hopefully even cases climb the worst outcomes can be contained. The acceleration of vaccination can’t be coming at a better time unless time travel were possible. - Frank talks - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:41 pm: Folks just pretending it’s over is ridiculous - City Guy - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:45 pm: I put a 3 because there are new variants emerging. If people wore masks and behave safely, the new variants won’t be able to make in roads. - Manchester - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:47 pm: I voted a 3. I personally think we will have a resurgence because I see people being more lax in precautions, less masking, lines at restaurants. When coupled with the people who are antivax, it makes me concerned. - lake county democrat - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:49 pm: 3. New strains worrisome but vaxes appear to minimize deaths and hospitalizations so dont want to overreact either. - Jibba - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:55 pm: ==Unless you doubt the efficacy of the vaccine.== I doubt that enough people have taken the vaccine yet. Give it a few weeks before any serious reopening. - Grandson of Man - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 3:59 pm: #4 When I go to big outdoor spaces to enjoy a beautiful day, maskless people inevitably come near me, it seems. Yes it’s outdoors and safer, but I’m thinking, “Why you walking up on my a**?” There is plenty of space to avoid people, in a big grassy place. We’re not talking about a path, where we can’t avoid walking past each other, but a big open field. It shows glimpses of the challenges we face in controlling the virus. - Titan - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 4:32 pm: I went with 3. My fear is that we’ll see a succession of variants (like with the flu). - Amalia - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 4:44 pm: A #4. this virus which seems to be coming back, and other viruses. otohand, masking up lowers colds and flu and those numbers are down so that’s good. but if we don’t get jabs in arms fast enough, the morphing of the virus will just mean we keep the brakes on. I think we’ve all accepted that this is another annual jab, but then we do that for the flu. keep up your vaccinations. - Bob Meter - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 5:08 pm: I’m very concerned because so many people remain unvaccinated. Plus there is still a large group of people who just refuse to believe the settled science. - Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 5:10 pm: 3. I am hoping it is like the mini surge I think happened last summer after things opened up some. Imprudent people are going crazy, but overall it is nothing like the surge during the fall/winter/spring months. - Nilwood - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 5:22 pm: Voted 1. Wasn’t worried about COVID a year ago. Had COVID in November, have had worse colds and I’ve already had my 1st vaccination shot, after the Doctor convinced me I probably might not be so lucky next time. - jimbo - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 5:30 pm: 5. Not in a fearful way, but in an inevitable way. I don’t see how some are labeling it ‘media porn’ and the like. Data is data. Cases are certain to rise substantially- MI is halfway to their highest numbers of the entire pandemic, and could pass it sometime late next week. HOWEVER,a resurgence in cases doesn’t have to mean a resurgence in deaths and on that front I’m more a 2. - CG - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 5:41 pm: 3. Have an at-risk factor and can’t get a vaccination appointment. Cook County website crashed and phone number just gave busy signal. I tried Walgreens and my local municipality too. Nothing. Worried that they’re going to supposedly open vaccinations up to everyone very soon when at risk still can’t get appointments. Hoping that we will get more supply and this won’t happen. But otherwise, really don’t think, hypothetically, a 55 year old with COPD or cancer should have to compete with a healthy 20 year old come April 12th -all while continuing to reopen further. - PublicServant - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 6:07 pm: 3.5 - Hopeful that the race to vaccinate will outpace the variant spread, but it’s not looking good at this point. - 62629 - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 6:11 pm: 4 because there are too many fools who think 1 - Southsider - Friday, Mar 26, 21 @ 6:19 pm: Data points to likely. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.