…Adding… US Rep. Adam Kinzinger was interviewed about several things, including the mask mandate…
In regards to the state’s school mask mandate, Kinzinger said, “If that’s what keeps kids safe – all these kids aren’t vaccinated – then it’s fine to lean forward on it, as long as it’s not being done in a strong handed way, as long as it’s being done on scientific recommendations.”
* Marni Pyke…
In just one month, new COVID-19 infections more than tripled, but vaccinations dropped nearly by half, Illinois Department of Public Health data showed.
The latest mutation of COVID-19, the delta variant, is spreading rapidly, and it shows in average daily caseloads spurting from 318 in June to 969 in July across Illinois.
However, COVID-19 vaccinations shrunk from an average of 40,452 a day in June to 21,102 in July, reflecting some people’s hesitancy about getting a shot and the fact most Americans who are eligible for a dose have already gotten one. […]
On Tuesday, 26,667 more COVID-19 shots were administered. The seven-day average is 28,180.
* Notice that GOP legislators almost never say how they’d vote if a bill was in front of them. It’s mainly a deflection tactic to avoid taking a stand one way or another…
State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said such decisions can’t be left to one person. Legislators elected by the people should be debating such issues.
“We’ve been saying from the beginning from here as well that the legislature should be involved,” McClure said. “I think hearings are important.”
* Unclear on the concept…
The governor’s direction requires masks to be worn for workers in state facilities, prisons, day care centers, and public and private schools — where students must mask-up, too. The rule kicks in Oct. 4, allowing for unions that represent state workers to negotiate the specifics.
Um, the governor’s announcement was about a mask mandate for P-12 schools and long-term care facilities and a vaccine mandate for congregate state facility workers. It was in all the papers.
* More like this, please…
The nation’s largest nursing home operator told its workers this week they will have to get COVID-19 vaccinations to keep their jobs — a possible shift in an industry that has largely rejected compulsory measures for fear of triggering an employee exodus that could worsen already dangerous staffing shortages.
The new requirement at Genesis Healthcare, which has 70,000 employees at nearly 400 nursing homes and senior communities, is the clearest sign yet that such places may be willing to take that risk amid the surging delta variant and the fact that more than 40% of U.S. nursing home workers still have not gotten the shot.
Some experts are calling for mandatory vaccinations at nursing homes, warning that unprotected staff members are endangering residents. Even residents who have been inoculated are vulnerable because many are elderly and frail, with weak immune systems.
More than 1,250 nursing home residents across the U.S. were infected with COVID-19 in the week ending July 25, double the number from the week earlier, and 202 died, according to federal data.
* Same for this…
Major hospital system Advocate Aurora Health will require all of its workers to get COVID-19 vaccines, joining a growing list of Illinois health care providers mandating the shots.
Advocate Aurora, which has 10 hospitals in Illinois, will require its workers to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15. The system has 75,000 workers in Illinois and Wisconsin.
“Our ultimate duty is to protect the health and safety of our team members, patients and communities,” President and CEO Jim Skogsbergh told employees in a video Wednesday. “The data is overwhelming. This vaccine is safe, and it’s highly effective in preventing infection and even more so, serious illness and death.” […]
More than 50 health care organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Nursing Association, released a statement last week supporting vaccine mandates in health care.
* Leaving it up to the locals was creating divisive local fights…
At first glance, the hurling of F-bombs, menacing threats and burly security guards whisking away unruly members of the crowds packing suburban school board meetings in recent weeks seems straight out of a reality TV show.
But the scenes are unfolding in real time across the Chicago suburbs, where concerned parents and beleaguered school district officials on Wednesday greeted Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate with everything from anger and sadness to relief and appreciation. […]
This summer, some members of the crowd at a Barrington Community School District 220 board meeting were escorted out of the room by security, and a recent District 45 meeting in Villa Park was adjourned after a mask debate devolved into a shouting match.
* Other stories…
* Read Gov. Pritzker’s Full Remarks on New COVID Mitigations for Illinois
* Superintendent concerned Pritzker’s mask order removes local control
* ‘Hard to disagree’; Southern Illinois leaders react to Pritzker’s school mask mandate
* Area superintendents adjust on mask mandate, with changing information, governor’s update
* McLean County Schools Shift As Pritzker Issues Mask Mandate
* Gov. Pritzker issues mask mandate for indoor youth sports
* Masks Mandated at Schools, Day Cares, Long-Term Care Facilities
* Less than 2 months after lifting most COVID-19 orders, Gov. J.B. Pritzker issues mask mandate for schools and vaccine requirement for some state workers
* Illinois announces new mask rules for schools as fight against COVID-19 continues
* Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Announces Statewide School Mask Mandate
* Pritzker orders up school mask mandate: ‘We all must take immediate and urgent action’
* Mask-optional schools in suburbs reverse course, say they’ll obey governor’s mandate
* If you went to Lollapalooza, get a COVID-19 test this week, Champaign-Urbana health department urges local residents
* Amid delta variant threat, employers step up pressure on unvaccinated workers to get COVID shots
* US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers
* Secretary of Defense Austin to announce mandatory vaccine policy for all active-duty military
* Republican official who mocked COVID in final Facebook post dies of virus in Texas
- The Fellow Edgar - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 10:41 am:
Leaving it up to the locals was causing debate, not “divisive local fights”. Which, of course, we were not going to allow debate here in super majority Illinois.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 10:47 am:
=This summer, some members of the crowd at a Barrington Community School District 220 board meeting were escorted out of the room by security, and a recent District 45 meeting in Villa Park was adjourned after a mask debate devolved into a shouting match.=
This is what leaving it up to parents looks like.
- SWIL_Voter - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 10:54 am:
== “We’ve had some say that masks are not useful because we’re not good mask wearers and we’re constantly touching our faces,” Larson pointed out. “We have others say they would not vaccinate their own children. Then we have other doctors who say we all need to get vaccinated and that as soon as the vaccination comes out (for 5- to 12-year-olds), that kids need to be vaccinated. We have all different kinds of information coming our way.”==
I just don’t know who to believe on medical advice, it’s so confusing. Let me look after the health and safety of your kids. Yikes
- Big Jer - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 11:01 am:
I grew up in Lombard in the 70’s, next town west of Villa Park, and went to high school at Willowbrook in Villa Park. From 1970 to about 1990 the majority of my life was spent in that area. Modest middle class decent people. Back then I do not think anyone would have blinked an eye at mask mandates or vaccine mandates.
Fast forward to today. What has changed? IMO not easy to point at one thing. A lot of major factors and minor factors. What stands out for me is the loss of trust in government and institutions due to the behavior of govt itself and the media. Also just the overall decay of the morals, ethics, decency of society due to inequality, increasing poverty, deindustrialization i.e. lack of good middle class jobs, and the breakdown of institutions like the family, church, PTA’s, etc. etc. that held the social fabric of society together. The responsibility of the decay can be placed at the feet of govts, corporate america, and the media with a mix of the seven deadly sins thrown in (greed, selfishness). It is very sad and disappointing.
I feel like an old man ranting about the good old days so that is enough for now.
On a positive note anyone else see El Mago (Baez) doing his thing on the bases last night? The look on the catcher’s face was priceless.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 11:01 am:
I’d swim through shark-infested waters before sitting on a school board.
- SWIL_Voter - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 11:04 am:
== Leaving it up to the locals was causing debate, not “divisive local fights”. Which, of course, we were not going to allow debate here in super majority Illinois.==
This is the logical endpoint of debate me bro contrarianism. Nevermind the death and misery being caused by the decisions being made, what’s important is they chose death through debate, and that’s better than protecting your community and ending the pandemic. A truly American brain disease
- Demoralized - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 11:45 am:
==Which, of course, we were not going to allow debate here in super majority Illinois.==
Another victim heard from
- Blake - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 11:56 am:
If you’re part about local fights is supposed to be a statement in favor of a state mandate it’s a weak argument. Where feasible, it’s generally better to allow more local government control, especially where these can be nonpartisan elections.
- Pundent - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 12:13 pm:
=Where feasible, it’s generally better to allow more local government control, especially where these can be nonpartisan elections.=
I think feasibility ends when people start basing decisions off of what they read on Facebook and/or hear from cable propaganda artists. Said differently I don’t want public health policy being set by people like this:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/h-scott-apley-chair-of-galveston-county-texas-gop-mocked-covid-days-before-he-died-of-virus
- sharpie - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 12:19 pm:
Fast forward to today. What has changed?
To me the biggest changes is the advent of social media and the way media is consumed. You use to be able to go years, decades or even lifetimes without knowing or caring about your neighbors, coworkers, or even friends political leanings. Now it’s essentially the first thing you learn about people and for whatever reason people want/need to make this their identity. So instead of sharing in the 95% of things people have in common they are fighting about the other 5%.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 12:54 pm:
==Legislators elected by the people should be debating such issues.==
Debate them. Nothing is stopping you. You don’t need the Governor’s permission.
I also might add that the Governor was also elected.
==I think hearings are important.==
Yes, because that’s an efficient way to respond to an ever changing pandemic. To have a hearing every time a decision needs to be made.
I really wish the Republicans would do a lot less whining and be more constructive in how they are responding to the pandemic. They’ve done nothing but stand in the way of a response. Get out of the way already.
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 1:13 pm:
A finger pointed solely at Facebook…wouldn’t be far off the mark.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 2:02 pm:
- as long as it’s not being done in a strong handed way -
What does that even mean?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 3:10 pm:
It’s a global pandemic.
It calls for at minimum statewide action
Your ignorance to grasping things like global and broad uniformed actions is noted.
- walker - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 4:26 pm:
“”The river’s rising, the dike’s about to break — can you help with the sandbags?”
“No way Some guy on the internet said it’s an optical illusion, and my house in on high land anyway.”
- Nearly Normal - Thursday, Aug 5, 21 @ 9:39 pm:
The Illinois Parents Union (IPU) appears to be leading the charge to attend school board meetings to protest masks, teaching about slavery, and sex education. The leader Katie Byrne Spaniak announced the start up of this group in April, 2021 organized with the help of the Illinois Policy Institute. The IPI is listed as one of the three administrators for the IPU Facebook page.