COVID-19 roundup
Tuesday, Aug 17, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* New Axios/Ipsos poll…
Two-thirds (64%) support their state or local government requiring masks to be worn in all public places. […]
Almost seven in ten (69%) support their local school districts requiring teachers, students, and administrators to wear masks in schools. Mask requirements in schools have broad support among the public, with no significant difference in support among parents (68%) and non-parents (70%). […]
About half (51%) of those who are employed report that their employer is requiring all employees to wear a mask at work. […]
Three in five Americans (63%) say they are wearing a mask at least sometimes when leaving the home. This marks a six-point increase from late July/early August, and an 11-point increase from mid-July.
Point being, Illinois news outlets which have been endlessly hyping small anti-mask protests really need to ease up on the ol’ Facebook time. Social media is not reality.
* The difference between now and then, of course, is that we now have a vaccine…
The average number of new daily COVID-19 cases in Chicago topped 400 Monday, the highest it’s been since May 7 and a tenfold increase from the rate’s lowest point in June.
The 400-case bench mark is another indicator of the latest coronavirus surge, this one largely driven by the contagious delta variant and mostly sickening those who aren’t vaccinated. It’s a metric that Chicago’s top doctor also has referred to as “a line in the sand for us.”
That was in August 2020, when city and Chicago Public Schools officials announced that they would start the 2020-21 school year with all remote learning.
Then again, kids under 12 can’t be vaxed yet.
* The same admonition about vaxes applies here…
Gov. JB Pritzker didn’t directly say Monday whether he would extend the state’s eviction moratorium for those facing hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic as cases, deaths and hospitalizations for the virus continue to rise.
“We’ve looked at that, we continue to look at it. We’ll make a decision about that soon,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference in Springfield when asked if he would extend the moratorium, which is set to expire at the end of the month.
The governor’s comments come as COVID-19 intensive care bed utilization has increased by 290 percent on a weekly average since July 11. Positivity rates and death counts also continue to rise, although vaccinations have picked up in recent days as well.
When it comes to evictions, Illinois courts are currently under a Supreme Court order until Sept. 1 allowing for the filing of eviction claims but staying certain final trials and judgements. Pritzker’s current disaster declaration and associated eviction moratorium is due to be renewed or expire on Aug. 21.
* I saw a couple people wearing masks last night, but not many…
Fairgoers are required to wear a mask at the Illinois State Fair and that includes food vendors. It’s a message that Newschannel20 and Fox Illinois have repeatedly shared from the state.
But what is the state doing to enforce that policy after reports that hardly anyone is following it?
As the Illinois State Fair goes on for its fifth day, fairgoers that after every year including Quinn Slightom noticed others are not following the rules.
“I don’t remember the last time I saw a mask besides my own, I don’t think anybody cares,” Slightom said.
The food vendors, at least, really should be masked up.
* Related…
* Despite vaccine mandate, IDOC staff only at 44% inoculation
* Chicago pharmacist charged with selling authentic COVID-19 vaccine cards on eBay
* Stevenson High School District 125 mandates teacher and staff vaccinations by October
* Retail sales drop worse-than-expected 1.1% in July as rising Covid fears hit consumers
* September unemployment cliff looms for 7 million Americans
* This Summer Was Destined for Failure
- H-W - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 11:53 am:
One of my sons and his girlfriend are two of today’s COVID numbers. Young adults, the bought into the conservative media ideas that the vaccine was “unapproved.” It is hard to reason with young adults under 25. They know too much. I can only pray they did not share their germs with others at this point.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 11:57 am:
Leaders need to tune out the loud, dangerous right wing minority and implement necessary COVID mitigations. Most of us support mitigations. We don’t want to be Florida or Texas, who are banning local/school mask mandates (so much for small government) in the midst of a COVID surge.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 11:57 am:
Went to the Kane Brown concert Friday night (fantastic show, btw, I don’t normally like country music but that kid is the truth), none of the vendors were wearing masks. Only people wearing masks that night were ISP and Fairgrounds workers, and even that wasn’t consistent. Folks working at the Will Call window at the grandstand weren’t wearing masks when we got our tickets, but workers outside in the stands directing people to their seats were wearing masks.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:00 pm:
that very conservative Cardinal Burke who discouraged getting the J and J vaccine and is kind of a covid denier/our religion will fight it was visiting the US…he’s usually in Rome…and now he’s on a ventilator in Wisconsin.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:05 pm:
This thread is a quick study in the dichotomy of people. A majority are reported to be in favor being told to wear a mask, while very few voluntarily will do so, as observed on the ground.
- TwinMama03 - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:16 pm:
The family and I were at the Fair yesterday. There are masks available and some signs, but we did not see anyone enforce mask wearing at all. There isn’t a vendor I can recall - except for the little old lady taking money in the Bud tent for beer tickets - that wore masks. The staff in many of the State tents we passed were not masked. Restrooms were nastier than usual and in places like the Pork Patio, Beer tents, Food-A-Rama, Ethnic Village so we didn’t see any “enhanced” procedures regarding cleaning - generally we didn’t see any cleaning at all anywhere. So, it seems there has been a lot of talk, but not a lot of action regarding CoVid, the State and big events.
- Captain Obvious - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:27 pm:
People frequently lie to pollsters in the name of virtue signalling in large numbers, hence the dissonance between poll numbers and the reality on the street. They don’t want the pollster to think ill of them in the moment so they give the expected answer, then head to the concert without the mask they said they want everyone to be required to wear.
- Keyrock - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:29 pm:
Sobering article from STAT:
https://www.statnews.com/2021/08/17/whats-safe-to-do-during-summers-covid-surge-stat-asked-public-health-experts-about-their-own-plans/
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:40 pm:
=Leaders need to tune out the loud, dangerous right wing minority and implement necessary COVID mitigations. =
@GOM, I get what you are saying but at the local level(schools) in rural Illinois it is getting very ugly. I did not sign on to have my life threatened. and it is happening. Our police are not taking it seriously. Social media groups are looking for people’s addresses etc. When you have a family at home and have little support, it is not good. The state and law enforcement need to step in and provide support and they are sitting on the sidelines doing nothing other than writing letters.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:43 pm:
=== People frequently lie to pollsters in the name of virtue signalling in large numbers, hence the dissonance between poll numbers and the reality on the street.===
Explain the recent school board elections and the anti-vaxx, anti-mask losses.
Thanks.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:49 pm:
From what I observed Friday night at the fair, mask were not really a priority of fairgoers, vendors or exhibitors.
Only exception I saw was in the horticulture building where state fair staff and exhibitors were all masked. Even the visitors to the building were wearing mask.
Most likely due to the building being pretty small and the age of those going to the flower show being older.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:51 pm:
a guy was arrested last night at the plainfield D202 board meeting for refusing to wear a mask.
- ChicagoBars - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 12:54 pm:
My big observation from being out and about northeastern Illinois this past few weeks is that poll on mask acceptance sounds like polling Illinois on driving the speed limit - almost all of us say we do, but not many actually do. Lots of good intentions, not so many masks on hot days.
- Dotnonymous - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:00 pm:
Media hypesters continually listen for the loudest squeaking wheel…while failing to note it’s just a squeak.
- It's all about the MONEY - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:01 pm:
Interesting, that Timothy Christian School in Elmhurst had it’s accreditation taken away from refusing Pritzker’s mask mandate. Yet at money making events for Chicago and the state (Lollapalooza and the State Fair) nothing is done.
Stop always blaming conservatives - when the liberal governor only enforces what he wants to…
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:02 pm:
- dissonance between poll numbers and the reality on the street. -
Yeah, I’ve really noticed the anti mask crowd to be very bashful about it.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:08 pm:
- It’s all about the MONEY -
It’s a school mandate. Kids under 12 can’t be vaccinated.
Funny how Timothy was all about “freedom and ‘Merica” till it wasn’t.
Your ridiculous money “thingy” is odd… how is it a liberal governor except to mouth breathing silly. I thought making money was a conservative thing, you know, free trade, capitalism…
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:11 pm:
“I did not sign on to have my life threatened.”
There was a school board meeting in Tennessee where a pro-mask person was threatened while trying to drive away, and cops were there and did nothing. That is scary, when law enforcement won’t help.
- SWIL_Voter - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
== That is scary, when law enforcement won’t help.==
Did you see the video of the anti-mask protest in LA where the Proud Boy repeatedly stabs a counterprotestor right in front of the LAPD headquarters in full view of numerous police, and they do nothing? The police have chosen their side and decided to cast their lot with the crazed mob
- The Dude - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:30 pm:
Oswego
“Explain the recent school board elections and the anti-vaxx, anti-mask losses.”
What you don’t realize is you are arguing exactly what they are arguing they want.
Local officials should be calling the shots for their district not the state.
If the local area wants it they will make it happen through elections. If not they won’t.
Your mistake is thinking that those districts are like all the others. Give local officials the ability to conduct their own assessments. If they want it they will get it.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:34 pm:
=== What you don’t realize is you are arguing exactly what they are arguing they want.
Local officials should be calling the shots for their district not the state.===
No. I realize exactly what I’m typing, insofar as the state mandate(s) coincide with polling and thought.
This virus isn’t stopping at Naperville schools so Oswego schools can decide “whatever”…
If there’s a virus that understands borders, even school borders… heaven help us all.
This isn’t some 2nd grader getting pink-eye.
- thoughts matter - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 1:41 pm:
I’m fully vaccinated and had been enjoying not having to wear a mask afterwards. Medical offices have required them and I’ve willingly complied. Same with my parents assisted living facility. As of the last couple weeks, I’m carrying them in my purse again and putting them on in situations where I will be in close quarters. I need to up my game to every time I go inside. My thoughts are the numbers aren’t going to get any better until the springtime.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 2:38 pm:
=Local officials should be calling the shots for their district not the state.=
If the locals decide to ignore the advice of the medical community in the face of a pandemic, the state must step in. No elected local official has the right to jeopardize the health of my kid because they decided to ignore the medical community on the advice of Dr. Facebook.
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 3:51 pm:
This morning on MSNBC, Dr Vin Gupta discussed ICUs filled with nonVaxed patients are leaving no beds for anyone else. He said hospitals may have to turn away nonVaxed patients to have ICU space to care for vaxed patients with strokes, cardiac, and other serious conditions. Tough choices coming.
- Bob Meter - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 4:36 pm:
Two-thirds (64%) support their state or local government requiring masks to be worn in all public places. […]
Yet masks are required at the state fair but hardly anyone is wearing one. There’s a disconnect here and I suspect the pollsters have been had.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Aug 17, 21 @ 9:48 pm:
= Yet masks are required at the state fair but hardly anyone is wearing one. There’s a disconnect here and I suspect the pollsters have been had. =
Or maybe people who don’t support mask requirements are more likely to go to crowded venues that those who do.