* Tribune…
Illinoisans may have hoped for a soft summer landing from the pandemic, but federal and state data show COVID-19 infections are again climbing in some parts of the state.
Blame it on a crisis in neighboring Missouri, on nastier virus variants and lower vaccination rates, or — most likely — some combination of these factors.
But after a monthslong decline in cases from fall and spring peaks, the rate of new daily cases is up in the west-central and southern regions of Illinois, as well as the Metro East region near St. Louis.
Case rates remain relatively low, but there’s concern more of Illinois could follow suit, especially in areas lagging on vaccinations.
* Sun-Times…
The state reported 2,945 new cases over the past week, compared to 2,120 the previous week. That’s a 39% increase in average daily cases, from 303 per day to 420 — even during a week that saw a dramatic testing drop due to the Fourth of July holiday.
The jump has been even more pronounced in regions bordering Missouri, which has one of America’s lowest vaccination rates and has emerged as the nation’s current epicenter of the pandemic.
Ryder said that’s likely a key reason the Southern 7 saw a “startling” jump in its positivity rate last week, tripling to 4.4%. “A lot of people have family in southern Missouri. They work there. They shop there. They’re mixing around there a lot,” he said.
The Metro East region near St. Louis has jumped from 3.2% on June 25 to 6.1% — on a clear trajectory for the 8% threshold that could prompt Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office to intervene with “mitigations” such as restaurant capacity limits that have been lifted since the state fully reopened last month.
That region includes two of the eight counties — all outside the Chicago area — that are now considered by state officials to be at a COVID-19 warning level due to metrics moving in the wrong direction. Until Friday, it had been at least a month since any of Illinois’ 102 counties had been slapped with the warning label.
* Warning levels in orange…
Get vaxed and this goes away.
* Related…
* Springfield resident wins $100,000 in COVID-19 vaccine lottery
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 7:29 am:
=== Get vaxed and this goes away ===
Duh. Covid doesn’t care. 99.5 percent of all covid hospital admissions are unvaccinated. So, I don’t know…maybe get vaccinated? Find the time. It may be inconvenient, but then so is death.
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:25 am:
5 of the 8 counties in orange border on another state with looser restrictions than Illinois. Must just be a coincidence.
- sal-says - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:28 am:
== Get vaxed and this goes away. ==
Us humans ain’t that smart.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:44 am:
=5 of the 8 counties in orange border on another state with looser restrictions than Illinois. Must just be a coincidence.=
And most of them have very active, fervent, anti-mask/vax movements.
just another coincidence I am sure.
- Nunya - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:06 am:
=== Get vaxed and this goes away ===
Israel, Scotland, and the UK are going through a major increase in cases as we speak with much higher rates of vaccination among their populations. They are discovering many of the cases and new hospitalizations are from the vaccinated. Evidence is showing that the vaccines don’t stop cases; at best, they prevent deaths and make the cases less severe.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:08 am:
“Illinoisans may have hoped for a soft summer landing from the pandemic”
In this state and county, with the many anti-vaxers? Did not unrealistically hope for a soft landing. It’s going to be to hard to defeat a pandemic in which many think the cure is worse than the disease. Beside the dreadfully irresponsible anti-vax messaging from prominent political figures, there are many who don’t trust the vaccine. Huge thank you to folks doing the daunting job of trying to convince resistant people to get vaccinated.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:19 am:
“Evidence is showing that the vaccines don’t stop cases”
Certain people go out of their way to push dangerous anti-vaccine propaganda and use exceptions to try to prove rules, or to try to muddle arguments, like vaccines “don’t stop cases.” COVID vaccines are shown to overwhelmingly protect against hospitalization and death, which is, like, the point?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:21 am:
=== Evidence is showing that the vaccines don’t stop cases; at best, they prevent deaths and make the cases less severe.===
LOL, you say that as a negative.
You can’t un-die, long hauler Covid cases, don’t wish those on anyone…
“Evidence is showing that the vaccines don’t stop cases; at best, they prevent deaths and make the cases less severe.”
So you’re saying the vaccine is helping.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 9:41 am:
=Evidence is showing that the vaccines don’t stop cases; at best, they prevent deaths and make the cases less severe.=
Vaccinated individuals who contract Covid, and in particular the Delta variant, are largely asymptomatic. And at this point they can freely go about their normal lives. Of course that still creates an opportunity for transmission to the unvaccinated. You might want to think about that - while you can.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:05 am:
“Evidence is showing that the vaccines don’t stop cases; at best, they prevent deaths and make the cases less severe.”
Huh? Who really cares if everyone gets it if nobody dies from it?
- Groundhog Day - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:21 am:
Except that vaccines DO stop cases, just not 100% of cases. They dramatically decrease cases. The decrease is less for Delta, but still substantial.
Get your shot.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:24 am:
Scotland, and the UK
On top of your ‘vaccines don’t work’ nonsense, Scotland is part of the United Kingdom.
- Dysfunction Junction - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:25 am:
“Huh? Who really cares if everyone gets it if nobody dies from it?”
Well, my co-worker who just had an organ transplant and will have to take immunosuppressants, I suppose. Or my kid’s teacher who is undergoing chemo. But other than people like them, probably no one.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:27 am:
=Israel, Scotland, and the UK are going through a major increase=
UK vaccination rate - 52%
Israel- 57%
US- 48%
Much higher rate is a bit of a stretch, for starters.
The rest of your post is simply non-sensical. Thanks for posting though, day drinking is fun.
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:32 am:
“my co-worker who just had an organ transplant and will have to take immunosuppressants, I suppose. Or my kid’s teacher who is undergoing chemo.”
And thanks for pointing out why people should continue to wear masks if they are vulnerable.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 10:45 am:
Time for state agencies, regardless of what the unions think, to start mandating 100% vaccination requirement for all state employees. Either get vaccinated by the end of this year or be discharged.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 11:05 am:
“Get vaxed and this goes away.” Preach.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 12:48 pm:
I read an AP article about COVID-19 outbreaks tied to summer camps in a few states, including Illinois, where masking and social distancing were optional. The article wonders whether this is a preview to schools opening without safety mandates.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 1:26 pm:
The Chicago traveler’s advisory is back and now includes Missouri and Arkansas:
https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/07/13/surging-covid-means-chicagos-travel-advisory-is-back-with-2-states-and-more-could-come-if-the-trend-continues/
- JLW - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 2:55 pm:
–And thanks for pointing out why people should continue to wear masks if they are vulnerable.–
Masks are to prevent spreading COVID not getting it. The rest of us getting vaccinated is how we protect the vulnerable (or by wearing masks if we aren’t).
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 3:19 pm:
JLW: from the CDC website:
“When you wear a mask, you protect others as well as yourself.”
If you “have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may need to keep taking steps to protect yourself, like wearing a mask.”
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 5:39 pm:
I don’t see a link to the story on their website, but Fox 55 Springfield’s 5:30 news (which is produced by and has Channel 20 anchors) is reporting a COVID outbreak at Springfield Supportive Living.
I also don’t see anything about the outbreak on SSL’s website. This facility is on East Clear Lake, east of the 19th STreet railroad tracks overpass.
- Suburban Mom - Tuesday, Jul 13, 21 @ 8:17 pm:
I wonder if GOPers think that any suburban mother in America will forget who was determined to put their children at risk by fighting masks and vaccinations.
My 5-year-old does not remember stores or restaurants. Or going to school actually in a school and not on a screen. I know who I blame for that.