COVID-19 roundup
Monday, Aug 16, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Two different anti-masker rallies, two very different newspaper takes. Daily Herald…
A day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved McHenry County to the “high” level of COVID-19 transmission, residents rallied Saturday at the intersection of Route 14 and Main Street in Crystal Lake against the state’s mask mandate for students.
When several local school districts initially chose to make face masks optional for students, “we thought we won,” said Crystal Lake resident Ame Greco, who organized the rally. […]
Several people at the rally said they were concerned about the health effects of children wearing masks.
In an FAQ on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s website, the CDC notes that carbon dioxide levels breathed in by mask wearers do not rise. Though carbon dioxide molecules are small enough to pass through cloth masks, the respiratory droplets that carry the virus that causes COVID-19 are much larger than carbon dioxide so they cannot pass as easily, according to the CDC.
Some people are willing to believe almost anything except actual science.
* Paris Beacon-News…
Approximately 60 people attended a peaceful rally to express their concern about Gov. JB Pritzker’s mask mandate requirement for all Illinois schools.
The rally, held Sunday afternoon, Aug. 8, was organized by Paris mother Brooke Vice Bishop. It featured Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) who represents most of Edgar County. […]
Describing Pritzker’s action as COVID fascism Halbrook said it is time that tyrannical governors stop picking and choosing what they do.
“This is not the end until we make it the end,” he said. The question, he said, “Is what are you prepared to do?”
Paris 95 Superintendent Jeremy Larson and Crestwood Superintendent Danette Young along with Paris High School Principal Mark Cox and Crestwood Dean of Students Meghan Damler were present to answer questions following the rally.
COVID fascism? Another victim heard from.
* Meanwhile…
Illinois State Board of Education officials have reinstated Timothy Christian Schools’ recognition status after initially revoking it over noncompliance with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s school mask mandate intended to reduce spread of COVID-19.
A letter from ISBE State Superintendent Carmen Ayala on Friday, which Timothy Christian administrators shared with the Daily Herald, stated that the institution “is now in compliance with the universal masking requirements” set forth in Pritzker’s executive order. The order requires face masks inside schools. […]
Since having its recognition status removed, the school has changed its position and newly updated its health plan to require universal indoor masking,” ISBE spokeswoman Jaclyn Matthews said. “We appreciate the school’s cooperation to protect the health and safety of its students and staff.
“However, any future verified reports of noncompliance will result in immediate revocation of recognition status.”
* And, apparently, being related to a retired sports celebrity is newsworthy to ABC 7…
Officials at a suburban Chicago high school sent a freshman student home for refusing to put on a mask - a decision her mother said violates her daughter’s rights.
Sheri Urlacher said her 14-year-old daughter was sent home from Fremd High School in Palatine on Friday after officials at the door of the school handed her a mask and asked her to put it on. […]
“As a matter of public safety, we are required to enforce the state of Illinois’ school mask mandate to minimize the risk of COVID virus transmission,” Township High School District spokeswoman Erin Holmes said.
“A student’s refusal to wear a mask poses a potential threat to the safety of other students and staff as we return to full in-person instruction,” Holmes continued. She declined to discuss any specific disciplinary decisions.
* More…
* As delta rises, so do COVID-19 cases in Illinois kids. They’re starting to make up more of the hospitalizations.
* All Counties in Illinois Except 1 Seeing ‘Substantial’ or ‘High’ COVID Transmission and Should Mask Indoors, CDC Says
* US might decide to offer COVID vaccine boosters to more Americans this fall
* Northwestern and Amita hospitals have yet to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for workers. Here’s why.
* What suburban colleges are doing to motivate students to get vaccines
* Uber Eats dumps Jay Cutler from ad campaign over anti-mask views
- truthteller - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:36 pm:
insuring the the safety and wellbeing of citizens is the NUMBER 1 TOP objective of government. At ALL LEVELS. Those who do not do so should be held criminally liable for negligence. The problem would be quickly solved
- Amalia - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:41 pm:
re all the health experts, we are not supposed to shriek at the vaccine resistant people and tell them to get vaccinated. so I will shriek inside my head and look at them and say “bless your heart.” because literally that is needed for them.
- Fixer - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:41 pm:
Good on the school for sending the kid home. I hope other districts will follow suit on noncompliance.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:42 pm:
I have friends and family that work in high schools, and have already heard reports from them of students being verbally abusive to staff when directed to put their masks on. Clearly lessons learned at home, where they will be spending a lot of time if they keep mouthing off.
- Jocko - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:52 pm:
Would Sheri Urlacher please tell us how Fremd violated her daughter’s rights?
Comments like these make me think the NFL might wish to determine if CTE has a genetic component.
- JS Mill - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:54 pm:
=concerned about the health effects of children wearing masks.=
They are not harmful to students. COVID 19 on the other hand…
=Paris 95 Superintendent Jeremy Larson and Crestwood Superintendent Danette Young=
These two, especially Larson (for many reasons, are an embarrassment to the profession. They decide to be medical experts AND politicians instead of running their schools and keeping kids safe. I am disgusted.
- Pundent - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 12:55 pm:
=Several people at the rally said they were concerned about the health effects of children wearing masks.=
Despite the media’s desire to continue to report on these things, the majority of us continue to believe what we hear from doctors and scientists and not these so called “concerned” parents. In fact I’m far more concerned about the judgment of parents who are more apt to believe what they see on Facebook vs. what doctors are actually saying.
- Frank talks - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:00 pm:
So the Representative is against fascism?
Is he now Antifa? I don’t think his constituents will like that?
- Ned Nederlander - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:31 pm:
“we thought we won,” said Crystal Lake resident Ame Greco. No Ame, “we” all win when we defeat Covid through vaccines and masks and responsible behavior. Unless we are playing a different game? Mine is the game where we don’t get a bunch of kids sick unnecessarily.
- Captain Obvious - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:37 pm:
Truthteller - thanks for my laugh of the day. You might clue in Resident Biden about that ALL levels of government thingy. Maybe then he’ll address the daily superspreader event at the southern border.
- filmmaker prof - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:55 pm:
Captain Obvious for the whataboutism win.
- Morty - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 1:58 pm:
It had to be an Urlacher…
- concerned citizens - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:00 pm:
I know some schools in western Illinois are now going on probation.
https://www.whig.com/education/warsaw-school-district-placed-on-probation-over-mask-mandate/article_0b89d388-fc75-11eb-95c6-cb808277b0b5.html
- Give Me A Break - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:04 pm:
If the schools won’t mask up, give them 24 hours to comply. Cancel their first football Friday, that will get their attention.
- cermak_rd - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:14 pm:
Captain Obvious,
And yet if a port of entry was set up where people could get their shots then be on their way to wherever they’re going, you’d complain about that.
That would be my preference. I’m so furious at the maskholes that I don’t care how many migrants joins us, they have to be better than the ones we have.
- Just Me 2 - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:27 pm:
What could possibly be the negative effects of wearing a mask be compared to dying of COVID? If amazes me that so many people are proud to treat our children as expendable during this pandemic.
- Chicago Blue - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 2:37 pm:
@ Captain Obvious
Show me some supporting evidence that didn’t emerge from Abbot’s clenched buttcheeks that immigrants are causing COVID outbreaks? Here’s some that says otherwise.
https://www.npr.org/2021/08/09/1026207555/some-republicans-claimed-migrants-fueled-a-covid-19-surge-doctors-say-its-not-tr
And he’s another article about the explosive growth of COVID cases in a number of states not bordering Mexico. Do you see anything else in common among them?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/these-8-states-have-out-of-control-covid-outbreak/ss-AANlkEf
- Lt Guv - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 3:20 pm:
Captain Obvious, it the superspreader events in the southern states to be worried about.
- thoughts matter - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 4:15 pm:
Ms. Urlacher… it is your daughters’ choice to wear a mask or not, true. It’s the school board choice to set rules for attendance. You want your choice honored… then honor other peoples’ choices. That goes for entry to and service at business, etc. choose to stay home and away from other people.
- zatoichi - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 4:24 pm:
Noticed several hundred people wearing masks all day in the local hospital I go to almost every day. My 6 year granddaughter wears a mask at her day care every day. No mask no day care. Pretty simple. The win comes when Covid ends.
- MyTwoCents - Monday, Aug 16, 21 @ 4:54 pm:
The Urlachers are a great family. /s You’ve the sister who is drinking the kool-aid and who’s opinion isn’t worth a hill of beans, Casey who got busted for illegal gambling and then Brian who buddied up to Trump and got a corrupt pardon for Casey. Classy all of ‘em.