* Sun-Times…
As Illinois’ indoor mask mandate ended in most public settings on Monday, hospitalizations for COVID-19 and daily caseloads were at their lowest levels since July, the last time face coverings were no longer required across the state. […]
As of Sunday night, 943 hospital beds statewide were occupied by COVID-19 patients, the lowest level since July 31, and less than half the number of occupied beds reported just a little over two weeks ago.
A total of 157 intensive care unit beds were filled with COVID-19 patients Sunday night, occupying just 5% of the total ICU beds across the state. That figure was roughly 40% when the state hit its all-time record of 7,380 patients hospitalized with the virus on Jan. 12, and 1,177 of them in ICU beds.
Deaths from COVID-19 were also down on Monday, with 12 reported.
* Tribune…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday added child care centers to the list of public places where masks are no longer required, a move that his office said was the result of new federal guidelines issued late Friday.
Pritzker announced Feb. 9 that he would lift the mandate for most indoor public places at the end of the month, and he added schools to that list Friday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new recommendations and the Illinois Supreme Court overturned a lower court order that blocked enforcement of mask rules in schools.
But when he made the new masking rules official through an executive order Monday, day care centers were added to the list.
In making the change, the governor’s office cited the new CDC guidelines, which only recommend universal masking in areas where the agency says the coronavirus poses a “high” risk to the general public and the local health care system. Currently, more than three-quarters of Illinois counties are classified as “low” or “medium” risk.
* Covid attorney Tom DeVore claimed credit for the childcare rule, saying his clients “started bombarding DCFS” yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, on the opposite extreme…
[Dr. Howard Ehrman is a former assistant city health commissioner who now works as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago] scoffed at what he called the “racism” behind the argument from officials at the highest levels of the federal government who “basically want us to believe that, now, everything is okay because this disease is now endemic” and “like the flu.”
“It’s not like the flu. It’s 15 times more likely to be transmitted than the flu. You’re six times more likely to die than the flu. And who’s gonna get this disease first? It’s primarily Black and Brown children in Chicago Public Schools, including my two grandchildren. It’s primarily front-line workers who are working right now in restaurants, bars, Amazon warehouses and factories,” Ehrman said.
“This is a crime against humanity. This is genocide. Nothing less.”
* Daily Herald…
Only 21 Illinois counties are listed as high level communities, mainly in the southern part of the state.
21 may seem like a lot, but most are small, low-population counties that obviously haven’t been following much if any of the guidance anyway.
* Illinois Federation of Teachers…
Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) President Dan Montgomery issued this statement following Governor Pritzker’s executive order lifting required masking in schools:
“We are grateful for Governor Pritzker’s leadership throughout the pandemic ensuring that science, not politics, has informed guidance. It has been a long two years, but there is finally light at the end of the COVID tunnel.
“We welcome this new guidance for a safe off-ramp from universal masking in schools. The CDC’s new guidelines set us on a path to a new normal in schools. By using an analysis of hospitalizations in addition to community transmission, school districts, in collaboration with educators, staff, and families, can decide when to ease mask requirements.
“Our sole priority since the start of this pandemic has been to protect students, teachers and staff, and their families by following the proper mitigations. Schools have remained open because of the implementation and enforcement of these mitigation strategies designed to protect everyone.
“We urge school districts to prioritize the most vulnerable, including our Black and Brown communities, as well as the immunocompromised, in all off-ramping decisions. They continue to be at a higher risk of exposure, illness, and death.
“We insist that school districts statewide work with their unions to maintain or come to agreements that will promote health and safety in schools and follow our laws around safe schools and workplaces.
“Finally, we ask everyone not to stigmatize students, teachers, and staff for their individual masking choices. And no one should be pressured into unmasking. These last two years have taught us that we must protect each other and that we all have a duty to protect our most vulnerable populations.”
* NBC 5…
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is scheduled to deliver a COVID-19 update alongside Illinois’ top doctor, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Tuesday.
The address is set to take place at 1:30 p.m. at Rush Hospital in Chicago, according to the governor’s schedule.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 11:24 am:
==This is a crime against humanity. This is genocide. Nothing less.==
Hyperbole much? Sheesh. Time to move on.
- halving_fun - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 11:37 am:
Glad we are in the safe phase
But really surprising folks would brush off 1/330 American dead in 2 years
No compassion and common decency left in America?
Make no mistake, this exactly the type of attitude that will lead to the next covid wave next winter
- mzmmzm - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 11:51 am:
Who is brushing it off? What do you want everyone to do?
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 11:53 am:
Vaccines are still keeping almost everyone out of the hospital and far from the funeral home. That’s all I need to know about my personal safety and that of my loved ones.
To
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 11:53 am:
To those who still choose not to take the vax, your future is in your hands.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 11:58 am:
genocide on the left, hyperbole on the right. that headline on the Vallas opinion piece in the Sun Times about lead paint and the virus was ridiculous. everybody calm down. meanwhile, I’m with Laura Washington, I’m wearing a mask. folks in Japan never really stopped wearing them. fingers crossed the virus keeps disappearing.
- Flapdoodle - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 12:03 pm:
==This is a crime against humanity. This is genocide. Nothing less.==
Dr. Ehrman is not wrong about who is most vulnerable as we stampede into the next phase of dealing with this virus. Neither is he wrong in pointing out the dangers of thinking this virus is “just like the flu.” It is fair to be angry, but his shrillness undercuts his message. That is unfortunate because his viewpoint deserves to be heard.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 12:10 pm:
==Finally, we ask everyone not to stigmatize students, teachers, and staff for their individual masking choices. And no one should be pressured into unmasking.==
This is most important. Nobody should be hounded by either side for making their own choices. There are still many vulnerable individuals in every county.
Our district has made masking optional, but recommended, since yesterday. It’s also requiring unvaccinated staff to continue weekly testing.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 12:13 pm:
==will lead to the next covid wave next winter==
You’re going to have COVID waves in winter probably for the rest of our lives. The question to be asked is what do we set as the threshold to say that the virus is now endemic and we have to learn to live with it. I don’t know the answer to that question but I think we are getting close to that calculus.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 12:15 pm:
I will also note that one of the countries that cracked down the hardest when it came to COVID was New Zealand. They are in the midst of a big Omicron wave right now and getting more cases than they have ever had. But, in the middle of all of this they are opening back up. They are opening their borders and moving away from people entering having to quarantine. I think you are going to start seeing more and more decisions like this around the world.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 12:33 pm:
“hospitalizations for COVID-19 and daily caseloads were at their lowest levels since July, the last time face coverings were no longer required across the state”
It looks like the end of mask mandates is timed just right, which would be excellent pandemic management. A big thank you to all who follow health and science experts, and protect public health. They have helped save many lives and prevent much suffering. Everything else is just talk.
- H-W - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 12:44 pm:
Unfortunately, I tested positive yesterday - the last day of masks. I spent two years guarding my Covid Bubble effectively, only to have it burst at the end. Stay safe people. The virus is still out there, particularly in places like my county (McDonough) where people seem immune to reason, and prefer to bluster about not submitting to vaccinations and reason. Stupid is as stupid does. Unfortunately, stupid often spills over. Argh.
- Lurker - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 1:27 pm:
The only way to write this article perfectly would be to have after Ehrman rant a paragraph saying it is counties of white people still dying.
But once again, Rich was one step ahead of me.
- ‽?? - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 1:39 pm:
Oh,no….Dr. Ezike just announced her resignation as Director of IDPH.
Effective the muddle of this month.
- ??? - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 1:40 pm:
*middle
- halving_fun - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 2:11 pm:
>>You’re going to have COVID waves in winter probably for the rest of our >>lives. The question to be asked is what do we set as the threshold to say >>that the virus is now endemic and we have to learn to live with it. I >>don’t know the answer to that question but I think we are getting close to >>that calculus.
I would only agree when the numbers are reasonable
This pandemic has been frog in soon to be boiling water
nobody notices the ill effects until it is late
950,000/140,000 = 6.79x more dead than the worst seasonal flu years
over 2 years
when would the number of dead Americans be concerning?
1/150 Americans dead
1/100
1/50
1/25
?
I mean is it ok to lose 1/100 every 5 years?
Unfortunately with the level of spread
lack of universal vaccination
there will be new variants
no guarantee that the next one will be less deadly
- Unconventional wisdom - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 4:16 pm:
Pritzker is under unbelievable pressure and he is running for reelection.
I have always advocated for getting your shots and quickly. I have also been disheartened that those who did get their shots were treated no differently than those who did not. To me, this sends a bad message. And it has been the policy in many states as well as the Federal government- particularly airline regulations.
This country seems to be split on lines that are to me beyond comprehension. Those who will never get vaccinated and those who want us to wear a mask forever and have to go through all kinds of hoops regardless of vaccination status.
This needs to end. And I believe that Pritzker is doing the right thing although, at this time, I wish that the shots were required before mask removal in our schools.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 6:05 pm:
- H-W -
My best to you, and to a quick, easy, and safe end to your journey.
OW
- H-W - Tuesday, Mar 1, 22 @ 6:49 pm:
Thanks, OW