OK, I’m ordering a lockdown
Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We just have way too many first-time commenters these days posting ridiculous things that I always end up deleting. So, we’re going to Defcon 3…
I have never done this before, so I don’t know if it’ll initially block all comments from everybody (which is why I’ve never done this before). But I cannot take all these crazy newbies flocking here, so what’s done is done. This ain’t Facebook, peeps. If you’re a rumor-mongering know-nothing nutball, I don’t want you here.
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* From WalletHub…
Hi Rich,
With the U.S. experiencing a record number of initial unemployment claims, WalletHub today released its report on the States with the Biggest Increases in Unemployment Due to Coronavirus, along with accompanying videos.
To identify which states have experienced the largest unemployment increases, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key metrics. These metrics compare initial unemployment claim increases for the week of March 23, 2020 to both the same week in 2019 and the first week of 2020. Below, you can see highlights from the report, along with a WalletHub Q&A.
Increase in Illinois Unemployment Due to Coronavirus (1=Worst, 25=Avg.):
1829.93% increase in the Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims – from 9,230 the week of March 25, 2019 to 178,133 the week of March 23, 2020. 4th lowest increase in the U.S.
1412.29% increase in the Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims – from 11,779 in the first week of the year to 178,133 the week of March 23, 2020. 21st lowest increase in the U.S.
Full data is here. Indiana was 3rd highest, Florida was 5th highest, Michigan was 7th highest, Ohio was 12th highest, Massachusetts was 14th highest, Pennsylvania was 28th highest, California was 33rd highest and New York was 43rd highest.
For decades, Illinois has been one of the last states to fall into recession and also one of the last to emerge.
* More on NY…
The state with the current largest number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is New York. How has New York’s unemployment rate been affected?
“New York has seen a 717% increase in initial unemployment claims from the beginning of 2020 to the 13th week,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “This is better than the average increase of 2,002%.”
…Adding… Some deep thinker in comments claimed that the reason we were so low was probably because the IDES system is so jammed up. It is a real problem and DoIT is not handling things well. But I have like a kabillion links to other stories about other states’ problems. Here are just a few…
* March 31: Ohioans Still Reporting Problems In Filing For Unemployment Claims
* April 2: Florida residents run into problems filing for unemployment as nationwide claims rise
* April 1: Cuomo Apologizes for Crashing Unemployment Site; US, NY Claims Hit Shocking Records
* April 1: Thousands in Texas face delays to their unemployment relief because of busy phone lines and website outages
* April 2: State unemployment offices scramble to handle surge in jobless claims amid coronavirus fallout
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715 new cases, 16 additional deaths
Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 715 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 16 additional deaths.
Christian County: 1 male 80s
Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 40s, 1 male 40s, 2 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 4 male 70s, 1 male 80s
DuPage County: 1 female 80s
McHenry County: 1 male 60s
Whiteside County: 1 female 90s
Logan, Macoupin, Mercer, Moultrie, and Piatt counties are now reporting cases. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 7,695 cases, including 157 deaths, in 61 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
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* Gov. Pritzker at his daily presser today…
I’d like to begin with an update on the development of alternative care facilities in the state, which are essentially field medical stations designed to alleviate the crush of COVID 19 cases at area hospitals. Last Monday I informed you that in Cook and the collar counties where the vast majority of COVID 19 cases are today. We had formally launched work on three facilities. McCormick Place in Chicago, the former advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin and the Metro South Health Center in Blue Island.
Of these, McCormick Place will be our largest facility slated to reach a total of 3000 beds. Kane County’s Sherman Hospital and suburban Cook County’s Metro South Center will together host more than 500 patients.
Today we formally added a fourth location to our capacity Westlake Hospital in Cook County’s Melrose Park, which will host 230 beds. Construction at all four of these sites will be completed on a rolling basis throughout the month of April.
We’re also finalizing the necessary steps to stand up an alternate care facility in Central Illinois in the coming weeks and I look forward to providing you with the update on that very soon.
As a reminder, these temporary facilities are meant to support, not replace, our existing medical infrastructure. Patients will be directed first to existing hospitals, and if they are lower acuity, they will be transferred to these alternative sites.
We’re also adding additional beds at our existing institutions every day. But for a rough picture, we had about 26,000 non ICU beds and 2600 ICU beds across the state. As of March 24, about half of our non ICU beds and less than half of our ICU beds were available then, and those numbers have only dropped in the nine days since.
Please pardon all typos.
* New website…
For a little while longer, we must all commit to staying home, staying safe and practicing social distancing to stay healthy. So, every one of us must abide by this if we are to get through this difficult time.
So to honor you and to bring us together in our commitment to doing what’s right, I’m introducing a new statewide initiative that we can all participate in. And it’s called, All in Illinois. All in is our anthem, and our point of pride, Illinois and staying home for the good of each other and for our state.
Today I’m asking all of us, all of you to join in and be all in for Illinois, all in for our neighbors, all in for our grandparents, all in for cancer survivors and those who are immunocompromised, all in to protect essential workers like grocery and drugstore employees and food delivery workers, all in for our heroic doctors and nurses respiratory therapists, social workers EMTs pharmacists, er technicians registration staffers sanitation services, and the hospital food service workers who keep our patients fed.
Join us and take the pledge. Pledge your commitment to go all in for Illinois, go to allin.illinois.gov [fixed link] and take a look around.
See comedic actress Jane Lynch telling you why she’s staying home and hear from Veep star Matt Walsh, athletic phenom Jackie Joyner kersee actor and comedian Deon Cole, Chicago PD star Jason Big, and there are many more to come.
You can also print your own yard or window sign, you can update your Facebook profile picture with a themed frame. Display the words all in for Illinois proudly. Post your own videos on social media, demonstrating your pride. The All in in Illinois means we care about one another. It means we care about our communities. We are one Illinois, and we are all in this together.
* IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike…
We’re also starting to see clusters of cases at essential businesses. And although these businesses need to continue operating, they must take steps to protect both their employees and their customers.
Employees should be monitored for symptoms and their temperature should be checked daily. Anybody who’s sick should absolutely be sent home and stay home businesses should be thoroughly cleaned each day, and measures should be in place to protect clients. That might mean keeping customers at least six feet away from the cashiers or if Plexiglas can be intervening.
And I have to go here regarding churches and other religious services. There are reports that people are still holding services. I understand the importance of communing with fellow believers, but let’s understand, kids are home from school, people are home from work, schools and offices are closed. Religious houses have to do the same.
We all must make the sacrifice. Then on the other side of this pandemic, we can gather at the mosque or the synagogue, the church, the museum, the library, all of these places that we love. We must not continue putting people at risk. Please hold virtual services, whether by web or phone.
I may sound like a broken record, but these are all the things we have to do. It just can’t be some of the community that’s following these restrictions and these guidelines. We all have to do it together. Let’s be all in for Illinois and do our part to end this pandemic.
* On to questions for the governor. Should more prisoners be released?…
I want to remind you that we had more than 1000 fewer prisoners in prison today than we had on February 1.
We’ve been in the process of reviewing cases, especially during this crisis, but quite all along, and especially looking at vulnerable populations and trying to let them go for example.
We commuted sentences of pregnant women and women with babies that were in prison. We looked at cases of non violent offenders who were, for example retail shoplifters who are serving relatively shorter sentences, but would still be in prison now had we not reviewed their case and let them out and given them, commuted their sentences essentially. We looked at other non violent cases like narcotics convictions and have processed, we’ve been processing those as well.
And then finally just recall that one of the important rules that sits in place today is that when you let somebody out when you commute their sentence or early release them they have to have a place to go. You can’t just release them on the street and have them become homeless immediately. And we also want to do a medical check and so on but but the most important thing is they have to have a place to go and there are a number of people who may have met certain criteria who did not have another place to go.
* What’s up with the IDES unemployment claims system?…
This is the biggest onslaught of unemployment claims, I think, ever at least in my lifetime, and even more so than the great recession of 2008-2009. I want to remind you that the systems and IDs were actually rebuilt in 2010. Now, you might think well gee that then it shouldn’t be running properly. Well, it’s now 10 years later, not a lot of investment was made in the states IT systems in that last 10 years. And they were operating properly for the number of claims that were expected you know over that 10 year period the system was operating. Now it’s 10 times as many or you know whatever the multiple is now.
And so the systems aren’t acting properly. And I’ve been talking to our department of innovation, technology which is partly responsible, talking with IDs staff which is partly responsible and then we’ve also asked the public, to those who are filing, to segment themselves by the first letter of their last name, to call on certain days and certain hours and so on. We’re trying to spread it out as best we can, but the truth is that the system does go down it went down. This morning for a short period of time they were working very hard to get it back up. Didn’t quite come back up in the same hour that they thought it would but an hour later. But believe me that we’re trying very hard to both answer every call, which is hard to do because you know we have a system that just there aren’t enough people we’ve asked many of our staff to go stay home, as many businesses are, but we also have non essential staff there to help augment whoever is there. So, again, this is a problem. I don’t know exactly that we’re going to fix it entirely so that everybody could do it all at once, but we have asked people please to spread out their calls and spread out their applications online and to use the online system because that really is the best way to do it in off hours.
* Yet another question from yet another reporter about something far off in the future. Not posting it because reporters should stop acting like the “Are we there yet?” children in the back seat. Ridic. I mean, he has answered this silly question every day.
* Stateville update from Dr. Ezike…
Three of those individuals have been released from the hospital
* Sen. Durbin mentioned how he was calling CEOs and others trying to get shipments of PPE from China, where most of the PPE is made in the world…
It is true that I have been making calls night and day to make sure that we can not only locate and procure PPE wherever it may be in the world or in the United States, but also to make sure that it gets shipped here properly and promptly, by the way. And as you can imagine there’s quite a lot that has been held up over some time because of the challenges of coronavirus in China. And so the shipping from China has been, you know, has been curtailed to some degree. It has begun to pick up again. But as you can imagine there’s a backlog of everything that was going to be shipped from China, not just BP. And so trying to get to the head of the line because we have an urgent need is critically important for our state and so that’s why I’m calling heads of airlines heads of shipping companies. I’m calling private individuals that I know have connections in China, because the Chinese government is has been a little bit difficult at putting PP at the head of the line to be shipped to the United States.
* But…
You may have heard the last day or two the president talking about the air bridge, he’s been calling it from China where they’re shipping goods back to the United States.
Well the reality is that the airbridge is carrying private goods for private companies. It can be PPE, but their private goods are not going to the states, they’re going to private companies that are then distributing it to their customers wherever they may be. And that may be there may be states that are on those customer lists, but they may also not be. And so, I asked directly well could I put goods that are bound for Illinois that we are acquiring PPE for the people of Illinois on the airbridge, and essentially the answer has been no.
* Asked about his advice for Wisconsin in its upcoming primary…
I would say to Wisconsin, I don’t know what the laws are about mail ballots in Wisconsin mail in ballots and absentee balloting, but it was very important in the state of Illinois. Many, many people took advantage of mail in ballots many, many people early voted. […]
I guess the only advice that I would offer is make sure you’re coordinating with your election officials that they know how many volunteers they have that are actually going to show up. And perhaps don’t listen to them when they say they’re all good they don’t need any help, and use the volunteers that you have available to you as governor, or as legislature to augment, you know, the need.
* Why are gun stores considered essential?…
We wanted to make sure that people had the ability to protect themselves if they needed to … There are a number of things that I think one person might not consider essential and somebody else would consider essential. But it was just something that we felt would be important. I think there were quite a lot of people downstate who felt like they’d like the opportunity at least to be able to buy ammunition, or something else because they might want to go hunting by themselves, or to protect themselves.
* Have you been given solid promises on Illinois having first dibs on the Abbott Labs rapid test, and expected date for when they will start to be used in Illinois?…
Let me just compliment them. I spoke with them literally the day they made the announcement about the rapid tests and they were so incredibly responsive and helpful. And we expect to have machines online very shortly. They are shipping those, we may have already been getting a taste. We’re getting 15 of those machines today. … hey’re They’re manufacturing these for the entire nation, but they have said that Illinois is going to be, because of we’re their home, that we’re a priority for them and so obviously they’re delivering on that promise with the first 15 machines already.
-30-
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Question of the day
Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Um, OK…
* The Question: What do you miss most and least about spring session? Make sure to explain your answer. Thanks.
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COVID-19 roundup
Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hannah Leone at the Tribune…
Illinois schools could be getting nearly $570 million through the federal coronavirus stimulus package, according to preliminary allocation estimates from the Illinois State Board of Education.
A large portion of that — about $205 million — could go to Chicago Public Schools, ISBE estimates. That’s more than two and a half times the $75 million COVID-19 budget measure the Chicago Board of Education passed last week. […]
Schools are eligible if they received funding this fiscal year through Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the percentage of Title I funding they received will determine how much of the CARES Act funds they could get, according to ISBE. […]
However, that money may not be available in the immediate future. The Department of Education has several weeks to release an application needed for states to access the CARES Act funds. Then the education department will have 30 days to review ISBE’s application. While final allocations will be known only once the U.S. Department of Education issues awards, ISBE provided preliminary estimates to help district leaders plan.
* Not good at all…
Eleven nursing homes in north suburban Lake County have been found to have multiple cases of COVID-19, health officials announced Wednesday.
Each facility has at least two confirmed cases of the coronavirus, health officials said. A total of 62 cases have spread among the 11 nursing homes, with four of them resulting in death.
* One case can easily spread in these facilities…
A 90-year-old female diagnosed with COVID-19 is a resident of Manor Court, a skilled nursing facility within Liberty Village of Carbondale, the facility administrator confirmed.
The resident was one of three cases confirmed Wednesday in Jackson County.
She is receiving treatment at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.
Manor Court Administrator Melissa Neitzel said the facility has notified all staff, residents and their families by telephone, and plans to send a letter to them today.
* Things are getting rough in Kankakee County…
Kankakee County’s infection rate is 5.18 positive cases per 10,000 residents. The county, according to the latest figures released Wednesday by the Illinois Department of Public Health, has 57 positive coronavirus cases.
However, based on the county’s population of just under 110,000 residents, as of the 2017 population figures, Kankakee County trails only Cook County and northern Illinois’ Lake County as the state’s highest infection rates. […]
Kankakee County Health Department leader John Bevis said population density is a key factor in a county’s infection rate. He also noted long-term care residential facilities such as Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee and the Illinois Veterans’ Home in Manteno also play a role as cases can quickly multiply in those areas. […]
Dr. Keith Moss, chief medical officer at Riverside Medical Center, concurred Wednesday with Bevis’ sentiment on long-term facilities being major drivers of the county’s rate. A residential and training center for people who have an intellectual disability, Shapiro accounts for 12 of the county’s confirmed cases.
* Oh, man…
A worker at Exelon Generation’s Quad-Cities Nuclear Power Plant has a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.
That worker is receiving care and any employees who came into contact with that worker or work where that affected worker is employed have been notified, said Bill Stoermer, spokesman for the Quad-Cities Station.
“We performed an additional deep cleaning of all areas that have potentially been exposed. We are maximizing social distancing for those who must continue to report to their locations,” he said.
Moving forward, Exelon will require workers to pass a symptom screening and body temperature check prior to entry every shift, while also requiring social distancing, frequent hand washing and remote work where possible, Stoermer said.
* Sun-Times…
The Cook County medical examiner’s office Wednesday confirmed 23 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the county’s toll to 94.
Five people were pronounced dead Wednesday, seven died Tuesday, one died Monday and six on Sunday, the medical examiner’s office said. Four others died March 28, 27, 25 and 23.
The youngest of the confirmed deaths was 27-year-old James Brooks, of South Shore, who died March 23, the medical examiner’s office said.
* A whole lot of those folks will be booked into Illinois hotels…
The Democratic National Committee is delaying its presidential nominating convention until the week of Aug. 17 after prospective nominee Joe Biden said he didn’t think it would be possible to hold a normal convention in mid-July because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Convention CEO Joe Solmonese confirmed the decision in a statement Thursday.
* Selected headlines from the Tribune’s solid live blog…
Preckwinkle encourages Cook County businesses to get in line first for federal stimulus money
Chicago police officer stricken with COVID-19 dies
Funding for field hospitals announced – will be set up in tents
Bremen high school district loans 3D printers for fire department to create protective masks
They were told their coronavirus test results would take days. These Fox Valley residents waited more than a week in self-isolation.
12th Cook County Court Clerk’s employee tests positive for coronavirus; worked in downtown traffic court
* From the Sun-Times COVID-19 page…
Aurora extends emergency declaration to May 15
* Some headlines from the SJ-R’s COVID-19 page…
Anthony Fauci to get a security detail after facing threats, reports say
Ford donates face shields to St. John’s
Long wait for COVID-19 test result causes frustration, angst
Local small business pushes on through pandemic
* More…
* Thousands of US medical workers furloughed, laid off as routine patient visits drop during coronavirus pandemic
* Could state switch to endorsing face masks to help contain COVID-19?
* Federal judge in southern Illinois strikes and resets jury trials in response to coronavirus outbreak
* Triage tent opened at St. Elizabeth Hospital to screen for coronavirus: St. Elizabeth Hospital in O’Fallon has set up triage tents where patients with respiratory symptoms can be screened for coronavirus.
* How planners are deciding to cancel or keep summer festivals in age of coronavirus
* COVID-19 social distancing measures complicate census efforts in southwest Illinois
* Individual in Effingham County tests positive for COVID-19
* Illinois High School Association provides update for status of spring sports, hopeful for state series tournaments to be played in June
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Cannabis sales held steady in March
Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Pretty remarkable considering the circumstances…
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has announced preliminary numbers show statewide adult-use cannabis sales in March totaled $35,902,543.22. Dispensaries across the state sold 812,203 items over the 31-day period. Sales to Illinois residents totaled $27,096,931.23, while sales to out-of-state residents totaled $8,805,611.99. These figures do not include taxes collected. A portion of every cannabis sale will be reinvested in communities harmed most by the failed war on drugs.
February sales were $35 million in February and $39.2 million in January.
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* Rep. Allen Skillicorn on Facebook…
Some great news:
68% of IL ventilators are not in use and are available.
41% of our adult ICU beds are empty.
I know most politicians and the media want to paint a picture of doom and gloom to keep people scared, but more evidence is coming out showing that’s not the case.
The peak is coming, Allen. You cannot possibly be this stupid. It’s like saying we only need two lanes on the Dan Ryan because traffic is so light at 3 in the morning.
…Adding… I mean, is FEMA overreacting too, Allen?…
There were sobering preparations for a rise in U.S. deaths: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has asked the Pentagon for 100,000 body bags because of the possibility funeral homes will be overwhelmed, the military said.
* Rep. Skillicorn on Twitter…
So, which is it, Allen?
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MLB open thread
Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Secretary of State Jesse White…
“We have lost an extraordinary person with the passing of Chicago White Sox radio announcer Ed Farmer, and I have lost a dear friend,” said Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. “I was proud to partner with Ed on organ/tissue donation awareness and saw first-hand his passion and commitment to this lifesaving program. As a kidney recipient, he dedicated himself to giving back to the program that extended his life for nearly 30 years. Ed and I worked together to bring White Sox players to the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago where they signed autographs, educated the public and most importantly registered people for the state’s organ/tissue donor program. Ed was a hero. My deepest sympathy to the Farmer Family, his White Sox Family and Ed’s many friends and fans.”
The Secretary said it all there. Rest in peace, Ed.
Now, let’s talk baseball and get our minds off the horrors around us.
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* Bruce Rushton at the Illinois Times…
State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, helped talk a physician into making a $1 million loan in 2010 while he was running for governor, according to a court ruling entered Tuesday in Springfield by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Mary Gorman.
The money loaned to Robert Brady, one of the senator’s brothers, was never repaid. Gorman ruled that the loan made to bail out a construction company owned by the senator and two brothers was made under false pretenses and so the obligation cannot be discharged via bankruptcy.
Dr. Tom Pliura loaned the money predicated on promises that there was plenty of collateral in real estate if the loan went south, according to Gorman’s decision. In fact, the real estate, four apartment buildings in Normal, were mortgaged and underwater.
Contrary to what Robert Brady told the doctor when the loan was made, the buildings were owned by limited liability corporations as opposed to Robert and Edward Brady, also a brother of the state senator. According to Sen. Brady’s statements of economic interests filed with the secretary of state, the senator, dating back to 2010, has stock in one of the corporations and a “membership interest” in the other.
Ultimately, the buildings were turned over to a bank in lieu of foreclosure, and Pliura received nothing. With interest, the doctor says that he is owed more than $1.8 million.
Oof. And, yes, that’s the same doctor who tried to hand out free COVID-19 “tests” in Champaign this week. We’ll have more on him later.
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Time to prepare the public, mayor
Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Credibility matters during a crisis and Mayor Lightfoot undermined her credibility yesterday. Here’s Heather Cherone at the Daily Line…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot insisted again Wednesday that Chicago’s municipal finances are weathering the storm whipped up by the coronavirus pandemic, even as Gov. JB Pritzker says the state’s budget will be “vastly different” than he planned.
Pritzker told reporters that he could not list all of the changes that will have to be made to the state’s plan for 2021, which he introduced in February based on projections that the state’s economy would continue to thrive.
“It will be a vastly different budget, there is no doubt,” Pritzker said, adding that he has begun working with his team to develop estimates for revenues and expenses. […]
The mayor said she had “great confidence” in her finance and budget team, which predicted a “substantial” economic downturn in 2021.
Chicago has a diverse revenue stream, with no one source accounting for more than 13 percent of the city’s revenues, Lightfoot said. In addition, “economically sensitive revenue streams like state income tax and sales tax” make up about 25 percent of the city’s budget, the mayor said.
Um, her budget proposal was chock full of holes, some of which are still not filled (a $163 million emergency services reimbursement from the federal government, for instance). And it was also balanced by doing things like drawing down years of savings up front on a bond refinancing scheme ($200 million). She further relied on the General Assembly to approve a graduated real estate transfer tax to bring in an additional $50 million, but that never happened.
She got an almost total pass from the Chicago media for that budget and that attitude mostly continues.
Also, her budget did not predict a “substantial” economic downturn. Sales taxes were projected to rise by $37 million. She predicted overall revenues would increase by $352.2 million and that she could wring $537.6 million in savings.
Yeah. How’s all that working out?
* Lightfoot is right that the economy could vigorously bounce back after this is over. And she will be getting significant help from the latest federal stimulus law, which funnels a bunch of money to municipalities with more than 500,000 residents.
But, I mean, look at this…
Can the downtown hotel market go to zero?
It took a step closer the week of March 22, when the downtown hotel occupancy rate fell to 5.9 percent, down from 9.3 percent a week earlier, according to STR, a hotel research and consulting firm based outside Nashville, Tenn.
* Setting aside the over-heated rhetoric in Paul Vallas’ Tribune op-ed, he’s not wrong here…
The city’s $4.45 billion corporate fund, which pays for core city services, is heavily dependent on taxes directly impacted by the pandemic and the economic shutdown.
Taxes such as the sales tax, parking tax, amusement and transportation-related taxes are all tied to business sectors taking a direct hit. Additionally, shared revenues from the state of Illinois are impacted by a slowdown of economic activity.
Obviously, revenues tied to hotel room rental, sporting events, concerts and theater entertainment, parking garages, the convention business, gasoline sales, property transfer taxes, CTA ridership, parking and red-light tickets have all been impaired or eviscerated.
And he has some decent revenue ideas as well, so go read it.
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* MSNBC…
The torrent of Americans filing for unemployment insurance skyrocketed last week as more than 6.6 million new claims were filed, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That brings to 10 million the total Americans who filed over the past two weeks. […]
On an unadjusted basis, the total was 5.8 million, a number that some economists consider more relevant because seasonal adjustments are less relevant due to the unusual impact the coronavirus-induced shutdown has had on the economy.
“Sadly, this probably still underestimates the actual numbers because of the overload in the systems and not every call getting through,” said Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. “Even if we’re accurately calculating the numbers, we still likely have worse to come.”
As more states issue stay at home orders this week, that number will undoubtedly continue growing.
…Adding… Tribune…
More than 178,000 Illinois residents applied for unemployment insurance benefits last week, as the number of workers who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic continues to swell.
The surge in jobless claims in Illinois — up about 50% from the 114,000 reported for the week ended March 21 — comes as many struggle to file for benefits. With Illinois unemployment offices closed due to the pandemic, the state’s computer systems have been overwhelmed, and many applicants have had trouble getting through.
The state said last week that additional steps were being taken to handle the “unprecedented volume” of applications, with new hardware infrastructure on the website, and increased call center capacity and staff. But newly unemployed residents say they continue to be frustrated by online glitches and trouble getting through by phone.
“I called yesterday all day long,” said Nicole Morsut, of Round Lake, who has been trying to get benefits since March 20, after being furloughed from a retail sales job.
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* Jon Seidel at the Sun-Times…
Civil rights attorneys launched a coordinated legal challenge Thursday to demand the swift release of Illinois prisoners most vulnerable to the coronavirus, and accusing Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other state leaders of putting the general public at risk.
The effort includes a proposed class-action lawsuit filed Thursday morning in federal court, naming Pritzker and Rob Jeffreys, director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, as defendants. Ten IDOC prisoners are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
“To effectively prevent the continued spread of the COVID-19 infection in prison communities, the state must take urgent steps to release, furlough, or transfer to home detention all that qualify under the law, and particularly those who are elderly and medically vulnerable,” the lawsuit states.
It adds: “Class members who are elderly and medically vulnerable, and those with pathways to release, must be released now.”
*** UPDATE *** The lawsuit is here.
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* Gov. Pritzker began his press conference by urging people to fill out their census forms and then turned to healthcare. Here’s some actual news…
I also want to provide an update on our search for new or renewing healthcare workers. We have now received over 1100 applications from both former health care workers looking to rejoin the fight and from out of state professionals who want to help Illinois, many of whom are Illinois residents who happen to practice in a border city in another state. Right now, those numbers are running about half and half, with more applications coming in every day. It’s really incredible to watch the people of this state are truly so deeply genuinely caring. […]
We’re also hard at work, exploring options to allow some of our fourth year medical students and nursing students at the end of their programs to join the fight against Cova 19.
As always, please pardon all typos.
* On to questions for the governor. It sounded like the question was yet another “when will we be there” query…
It is very hard to know to be honest with you. I mean I think you’ve seen that as I put in a stay at home order and when we started with the closing of schools and so on. You know, we were relying upon what we knew at that time which seemed like it was just weeks perhaps that were necessary. We’re continuing to follow the science to know what date we ought to be extending to there are states who have chosen different dates for their stay at home order. And so, we’re looking at all of that if there was a definitive answer I would hope that the CDC would put that forward to everyone. It’s unclear, to be frank with you. And so we’re listening to the best minds that we can get the right answer, right now we’ve extended our stay at home and all of the other orders to April 30, but as I have said, we’re going to continue to evaluate every day whether we’ll need to extend that at any point. But right now I think that that seems like the right period of time. Again, not knowing exactly when we might peak income off of that peak, which is a very important point at which will be making new evaluations.
* IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike was asked about the rise of deaths…
I have said every day that we knew we would see more cases and we knew we would see more deaths. So as we develop more cases, we are going to have more deaths. I can’t tell you, I can’t predict exactly the number that it will be obviously each day, but we know generally from following data that we have from around the world unfortunately we have a lot of information from all the situations all the cases from around the world. We know that approximately 20% end up requiring hospitalization and more severe care, and that about five 5% require ICU care. We know that the mortality rate is somewhere between, maybe one and 3%. So I think our numbers are unfortunately, going to bear that out, and we will see growth in the number of decimals, most, unfortunately, until we get to that peak and hopefully we have done all that we’ve can all that we can in terms of staying home and doing all these mitigation efforts so that the peak is lower than what was originally anticipated.
* Dr. Ezike was also asked about the public wearing masks…
So, of course, the best way to not get ill is to stay at home … wash your hands twice a day. You’re doing a great job if you wash your hands five times, 10 times a day. You’re doing an even better job if you clean frequently touched surfaces. So all of these measures, obviously, are helpful.
When we say cover your cough, the point of covering your cough is that you’re not letting those droplets go on to the person standing in front of you, go on to the person that you’re in front of you so the covering your cough covering your sneeze and the social distancing are essentially similar to the advice of wearing the mask. The idea of wearing the mask as you said would be to keep those droplets potentially from spraying on others so I understand what you’re saying that that is logical. And so we want everybody to do the most that they can to prevent potentially infecting others before they know it. And we know that covering your cough staying away from people, and potentially some kind of covering of your mouth and nose would also potentially be helpful as well.
* Gov. Pritzker on masks…
I want to add to something that Dr Ezike said that while the question about is it effective to wear a mask. I’m sure it’s more effective than not wearing a mask. But it does not replace staying at home. Staying at home is the best mitigation strategy, please stay home. […]
In fact, I think that there’s some evidence to show that it can be effective. A are we thinking about changing policy again, we’re evaluating these things every day.
* Are you considering taking action to delay the deadline for the second installment for property tax payments currently around August 1, or do you think that is one deadline the state cannot afford to push back?…
That is not a state function to, just to be clear. … These are functions of local governments and county government, the state does not collect property taxes and those decisions have been made by local governments county governments.
* Director Ezike, can you please explain the numbers in a more clear fashion for people on the cases at Stateville…
We have tested 127 individuals, 80 of those samples were sent to a university lab, another 47 were sent out elsewhere, of the 80 that we were able to get back, we had 36 were positive, which gave us about a 45% positivity rate. We have 19 individuals who are hospitalized and at multiple different hospitals throughout the state. And we’re continuing to monitor other individuals that are still in the facility
* 12 of the cases in Kankakee County are from the Shapiro Developmental Center. What do you say to the families…
Not only do we have a very strong PPE policy, but we also provide significant amounts of PPE. Look, there is no doubt and you’ve heard this from our medical experts that sometimes congregate facilities are difficult because of the very nature of people living in the same facility. And who have felt like you know we are actually running it reasonably well, doing the right things at the right time sometimes you know that this virus is so it’s an invisible virus you know you just don’t know where it’s going to come from we’re doing everything we can to try to separate people out, who may have contracted the virus to detect it. You just heard, General Neely talk about, you know, taking temperatures and checking people’s medical situation before they enter a facility we’re trying to do that in as many places as we can.
So you know we’re doing the best we can. We’re certainly trying our best to take care of our, our seniors our children, people who are you know in our care as prisoners too. So we’re addressing it as best we can and again. In each of these situations, our number one concern is the welfare of the people who are in our care.
* We may not have as many confirmed cases downstate, but already clusters of cases at a senior home and Taylorville outnumber the available number of ICU beds at the hospital in town. What is your administration doing to coordinate the response in rural areas with critical access hospitals and should county officials make those numbers of available ICU beds public?…
As we move towards the peak of this, we are going to be filling up ICU beds across the state. It isn’t the same in every area, there are critical access hospitals that may have fewer ICU beds. There are other hospitals and other areas of the state that may have more availability just as a percentage of what they’ve got. […]
We’re trying to make sure that we’re either offloading the non acute people who are in the hospital, the patients in the hospital or we’re providing additional facilities for people to have ICU capability.
* Are you considering calling the General Assembly to meet someplace else, or to meet virtually?…
The General Assembly leaders are talking about how they might be able to accomplish a general assembly legislative session.
It is something that I think may be very important to do. It’s hard to do, there are 177 members of the General Assembly and we’re asking people to stay home and not congregate in groups of more than 10. So some Governor’s might think this is a dream that you can’t get your legislature together, but we have things that we need to get done in the state of Illinois. So I’m hoping that we’ll be able to figure out how we might be able to get them meeting. And I know that the leaders are thinking about that as well.
* How would you recommend churches handle Easter Sunday services?…
Well, I would suggest that many people need to attend services online, that the churches should try their best to provide a connection on the internet. It may be the best way in order to make sure that you’re abiding by the stay at home rule, which is so vitally important. I understand how important worship is and especially in these moments, but it can be done virtually, and I would suggest that people should never, you know, despite the desire on Easter to get together to celebrate together to worship together. I would still tell people, please stay home please stay home and contact your pastor to find out if they have services online that you can participate in or at least view it.
* Have you been in contact with the legislative leader leaders and budget committee chairs to talk about a revised FY21 budget, and what if any major changes from your original budget proposal, do you think the state will need?…
Well, I don’t think I could list all the changes that would need to be made to the original budget. Our budget proposal was put together in January, presented in February, weeks and weeks before the coven crisis came upon us, or at least we were all aware of how serious it was.
I have had conversations with various members of the General Assembly and leaders, just to begin, we are obviously working to figure out what is the revenue shortfall, what are the challenges that we’re going to go through, when do we think that we’ll begin to see revenue return. And trying to make estimates of that as you can imagine, at this moment are very difficult when I couldn’t tell you two days ago that we were going to extend the stay at home rule that we put in place. So, we’re still working on it. There’s no doubt that it will be a vastly different budget.
-30-
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986 new cases, 42 additional deaths
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 986 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 42 additional deaths.
- Carroll County: 1 male 80s
- Cook County: 1 male 20s, 2 males 30s, 2 males 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 50s, 3 males 60s, 2 females 60s, 5 males 70s, 3 females 70s, 3 male 80s, 4 females 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 female 100s. (5 incomplete data)
- DuPage County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s
- Kane County: 1 female 90s
- Lake County: 1 male 50s
- Sangamon County: 1 male 90s
- Will County: 1 male 60s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 60s
Massac and Vermilion counties are now reporting cases. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 6,980 cases, including 141 deaths, in 56 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
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JCAR meets during pandemic
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hannah Meisel at the Daily Line…
The Joint Commission on Administrative Rules met in the Stratton Building in Springfield despite federal recommendations banning large gatherings and Gov. JB Pritzker’s own executive orders
Commission Co-Chair State Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) said the lawmakers had no choice but to meet and extend emergency rules before they expire in the coming weeks in order to avoid possible legal battles down the road. […]
One of the most pressing set of emergency rules JCAR needed to vote to extend were ones approved by the Illinois State Board of Education in November after Tribune/ProPublica Illinois investigation into the use and potential abuse of isolation rooms in school settings for children who are deemed disruptive in classroom settings. The new rules prohibit the use of locked seclusion rooms and stop schools from using prone restraint. […]
“We would open things up to all sorts of legal debate about us renewing a rule after it was already expired,” Cunningham said. “Do we have ability to extend rule that already expired?”
The other emergency rule they extended was to collect parking tax revenues.
JCAR can meet, but the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform can’t.
Only 8 of JCAR’s 12 members attended, but a handful of staff were also in the hearing room. The public was not allowed into the room.
* Here’s something from Hannah’s story that I had missed…
A spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office, which controls the Capitol Complex in Springfield — said the Capitol, the Stratton Building and the Howlett Building are closed to the public, though lawmakers, members of the media and state employees with identification are allowed in.
The SoS office closed the Capitol Complex to large groups on March 12. The entire complex was closed to the public on March 17.
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* Tina Sfondeles and Carlos Ballesteros at the Sun-Times…
The Illinois National Guard is sending 30 service members to help with medical care at Stateville Correctional Center, where one inmate has died from the coronavirus and at least 32 more have tested positive.
The service members are medics from the Illinois Army National Guard’s 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team based in Urbana and will be setting up medical tents, triaging and providing medical care for inmates at the Crest Hill-based correctional center, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
Lt. Col. Brad Leighton, a spokesman for the Illinois National Guard, said the medics should arrive by the end of the week. […]
The medical help is intended to assist inmates who need care but not hospitalization. The medical tents will be “fully operational there before the end of the week,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said.
* Speaking of which, the ING’s Twitter account remains on point. More agencies need to be doing rumor patrol…
* From the other day…
The Illinois National Guard announced Monday that Governor JB Pritzker had activated about 115 additional Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen in support of COVID-19 response operations.
About 80 of these additional Illinois National Guard members will help with communications and reporting between county health departments throughout the state and the State Emergency Operations Center. Another 30 Illinois National Guard Airmen will assist in the establishment of a medical facility at McCormick Place.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My phone started buzzing loudly yesterday morning when I received this text…
State needs licensed healthcare workers to sign-up at IllinoisHelps.net to fight COVID-19
* The Question: What was your first reaction when you received that emergency alert?
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Learn something new every day
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Um…
A virtual press conference hosted by Chicago politicians was cut short after someone hijacked the conference call and started streaming pornographic images.
On Tuesday morning, Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), and Illinois State Reps. Theresa Mah and Ann Williams held a private press conference with organizers, health officials and reporters on popular teleconferencing platform Zoom.
The leaders aimed to call on Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. JB Pritzker to close metal scrappers polluting Chicago neighborhoods including General Iron in Lincoln Park and the Sims Metal Management in Pilsen, particularly because of the respiratory nature of COVID-19.
But 16 minutes into the Zoom chat, that push was interrupted by a person who said: “Yeah, I don’t care.”
As confusion set in, a pornographic video that included images of a woman who was not fully clothed began playing on the video call.
I work alone from home when the General Assembly is not in session and I’ve never used Zoom or anything like that until last week when several pals and I connected over some cocktails to celebrate a birthday. All of this is new to me.
* It could’ve been worse. From the FBI…
As large numbers of people turn to video-teleconferencing (VTC) platforms to stay connected in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, reports of VTC hijacking (also called “Zoom-bombing”) are emerging nationwide. The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language.
Within the FBI Boston Division’s area of responsibility (AOR), which includes Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, two schools in Massachusetts reported the following incidents:
• In late March 2020, a Massachusetts-based high school reported that while a teacher was conducting an online class using the teleconferencing software Zoom, an unidentified individual(s) dialed into the classroom. This individual yelled a profanity and then shouted the teacher’s home address in the middle of instruction.
• A second Massachusetts-based school reported a Zoom meeting being accessed by an unidentified individual. In this incident, the individual was visible on the video camera and displayed swastika tattoos.
As individuals continue the transition to online lessons and meetings, the FBI recommends exercising due diligence and caution in your cybersecurity efforts. The following steps can be taken to mitigate teleconference hijacking threats:
• Do not make meetings or classrooms public. In Zoom, there are two options to make a meeting private: require a meeting password or use the waiting room feature and control the admittance of guests.
• Do not share a link to a teleconference or classroom on an unrestricted publicly available social media post. Provide the link directly to specific people.
• Manage screensharing options. In Zoom, change screensharing to “Host Only.”
• Ensure users are using the updated version of remote access/meeting applications. In January 2020, Zoom updated their software. In their security update, the teleconference software provider added passwords by default for meetings and disabled the ability to randomly scan for meetings to join.
• Lastly, ensure that your organization’s telework policy or guide addresses requirements for physical and information security.
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COVID-19 roundup
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Lynn Sweet…
Speaking from his backyard deck in Springfield, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Wednesday that Gov. J.B. Pritzker is calling the CEOs of major airlines to organize an airlift to haul personal protection equipment from China to Illinois.
Durbin also said Pritzker told him about an Illinois company with COVID-19 supplies to sell — yet was “playing hard to get” while seeking a better price from another state for this equipment now referred to in shorthand simply as PPE. […]
In an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Durbin said, “I talk to the governor almost every day and yesterday he said he felt like a shipping clerk. He was calling the major airlines that he knew the CEOs to be available, asking and begging them to help Illinois secure goods from China, PPE from China. […]
Durbin said the Illinois company was profiteering on the disaster and that was “unacceptable.”
* Elena Ferrarin at the Daily Herald…
Work to turn the shuttered Sherman Hospital site in Elgin into a facility for non-acute COVID-19 patients will take place as quickly as possible, officials said.
“We are in a race against time right now to see what we can get done in next three to four weeks as a relief valve for existing hospitals,” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Col. Aaron Reisinger said Tuesday.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District has been assigned to work on the rehabilitation of three hospital sites, including the one in Elgin and MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, Reisinger said.
* Cities have the right under the state disaster declaration to restrict access to any geographic area within their boundaries…
Some Chicago police officers Tuesday were assigned to check the identification of anyone who wanted to enter four historically violent West Side blocks in an effort to tamp down gang gatherings.
Under the order, issued by Harrison District Cmdr. Darrell Spencer, only people who live on those blocks would be able to enter them.
Several police officers said they were hesitant to follow those orders out of concern that the directive was not constitutional. […]
“Following 89 dispersal orders in the 11th District on Monday alone, the Department temporarily closed certain streets as part of a strategic and public health effort to disrupt the open-air drug market in the area and prevent excessive gatherings of people,” Guglielmi said in a statement. “During this time, only residents who reside on the streets are permitted to enter while others are directed to alternative routes.”
It’s akin to sealing off areas that have been slammed by a hurricane. Whether it’s wise to do it in this instance is another story.
* Press release…
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today joined Governor JB Pritzker to announce a new ‘Arts for Illinois Relief Fund’ to provide financial assistance to artists, artisans and cultural organizations impacted by COVID-19. The fund is a partnership between the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois and the broader philanthropic community. Arts for Illinois Relief Fund is administered by Arts Alliance Illinois in partnership with 3Arts and Arts Work Fund. To date, more than $4M has been committed from public and private sources to seed an upcoming statewide campaign that will provide additional funding to meet the growing and critical needs of the state’s creative sector.
Grant applications for artists, artisans and cultural organizations open today. The City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) has contributed $1 million to the relief effort, along with leadership gifts from Walder Foundation and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Fundraising activities will be co-chaired by First Lady MK Pritzker and First Lady Amy Eshleman, with support from other civic leaders. Individuals, corporations and charitable foundations are encouraged to donate to the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund by visiting www.artsforillinois.org.
* I’ve posted this UFCW press release before…
Local 881 workers must be designated as first responders for the remainder of the COVID-19 crisis. Governors in Minnesota, Michigan, and Vermont have taken this position, which will make retail workers eligible for free childcare, provide coverage for all coronavirus treatments, tests, and medicines if diagnosed or quarantined, and ensure that they have adequate access to PPE.
These minimum benefits come at a pivotal time as our members are working to sustain the food supply when demand is high, and schools are closed. Like the rest of us, grocery store, pharmacy, and food processing workers have children who are no longer attending school and are themselves at risk of getting sick. Everything must be done to ensure they can work and come home safely to their families.
I’ve been asking the governor’s office about it and received a reply yeserday afternoon…
The Governor is deeply grateful for the dedication our grocery store workers have displayed during this crisis. He is working with advocates and industry to ensure we’re implementing best practices to keep workers and consumers safe. National shortages in PPE have resulted in tough decisions being made between bad choices and less bad choices. The Governor is urging the federal government to step up, utilize the Defense Production Act, and work to end the national shortage of PPE we’re all dealing with.
So, the answer, apparently, is “No.”
* Related…
* U.S. emergency medical stockpile nearly out of protective gear as demand rises -officials
* A global ‘free-for-all’ to buy and sell face masks emerges amid coronavirus battle
* ‘They should assume their neighbors have it,’ officials say of COVID-19 pervasiveness
* County maps reveal suburban spread of coronavirus infections. Some of the highest numbers are in the northern suburbs.
* A crying doctor, patients gasping for air and limited coronavirus tests: A look inside a triage tent in Chicago
* Shuttered soup kitchens make life even tougher for homeless: ‘No sandwiches. No dinners. No nothing.’
* No layoffs in city government due to declining revenues and rising costs, Lightfoot says
* ‘Doing the best they can’: Southern Illinois towns give distance governing a go as COVID-19 limits interaction
* SIU culinary workers speak out about COVID-19 concerns after two students test positive
* Reaching Out in Crisis: 2 Altamont CNAs head to Chicago to aid COVID-19 patients
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Tiny green shoots
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is a hugely important step…
Scientists are starting to roll out new blood tests for the coronavirus, a key development that, unlike the current diagnostic tests, will help pinpoint people who are immune and reveal the full scope of the pandemic.
The “serological” tests — which rely on drawn blood, not a nasal or throat swab — can identify people who were infected and have already recovered from Covid-19, including those who were never diagnosed, either because they didn’t feel particularly sick or they couldn’t get an initial test. Scientists expect those individuals will be safe from another infection for at least some time — so the tests could signal who could be prioritized to return to work or serve as a frontline health worker.
That story was from last week.
* Yesterday…
Two US companies have launched a rapid antibody test for the coronavirus, which can be used to detect if a person’s immune system has Covid-19 or has recovered from it.
BD, a large medical technology company, and BioMedomics, a North Carolina-based clinical diagnostics company, announced a new point-of-care test that can detect evidence of past or present exposure to the virus in as little as 15 minutes.
But…
BD plans to make a million tests available in the coming months, distributing through its partner healthcare supplies company Henry Schein.
Without a vaccine, the only way we can start getting people back to work after the peak is to find out who may be immune.
We need reliable tests and we need to get production scaled up fast. That’s why the Defense Procurement Act is so important in times like these…
Invoking the Defense Production Act is hardly a rare occurrence. As recently as last summer, the Department of Defense used it to obtain rare earth metals needed to build lasers, jet engines and armored vehicles.
The Defense Department estimates that it has used the law’s powers 300,000 times a year. The Department of Homeland Security — including its subsidiary, FEMA — placed more than 1,000 so-called rated orders in 2018, often for hurricane and other disaster response and recovery efforts, according to a report submitted to Congress in 2019 by a committee of federal agencies formed to plan for the effective use of the law.
The law, which was used frequently by previous administrations as well, does not permit the federal government to assert complete control over a company. The federal government can, however, use it to jump ahead of other clients or issue loans so a company can buy all of the supplies it needs to complete the government’s order by a specific date. A rarely used authority of the law also allows the administration to control the distribution of a company’s products and determine where such materials go.
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Support For Fair Maps Gains Momentum
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
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Is it starting to work?
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Lisa Schencker and Joe Mahr at the Tribune…
The number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois could exceed 19,000 a little more than a week from now, according to a new analysis by experts at Rush — but that’s far less than the 147,000 cases the state could have seen by then if residents had not retreated to their homes. […]
The Rush calculator, which includes four growth models, projects how the number of Illinois cases might increase over the next week or so, depending on how fast the illness spreads. It also includes forecasts as far as 30 days out, but Hota said those more distant forecasts are far less reliable.
According to the calculator, Illinois could have expected to see 146,581 cases by April 9 if cases had continued growing at the fast pace seen earlier in March.
In the earlier stages of the illness’s spread, Rush University Medical Center saw a doubling of cases every two to three days, Hota said. But the growth rate in new cases has slowed, and the medical center is now seeing a doubling every five to six days.
However, testing is still spotty and private labs are overwhelmed and unable to provide timely results.
Just do your best and stay at home.
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U of I won’t publish March Flash Index
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
For the first time in its quarter-century history, the University of Illinois Flash Index will not be published for March because the COVID-19 pandemic has compromised the components of the index. The index, which stood at 105.7 in February, is derived using receipts from the state’s sales tax, personal income tax and corporate income tax.
“The sudden, unprecedented near-shutdown of economic activity from the coronavirus is clearly causing huge, but as yet unmeasured, economic damage,” said economist J. Fred Giertz of the U of I System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs, who has compiled the monthly Flash Index since 1997.
“The shutdowns and the stay-at-home orders clearly have had an immediate impact on economic activity that would show up in declining state tax receipts,” said Giertz. “However, the state’s response in granting deferrals in tax payments will further depress revenues for March.”
Due to the unexpected closures of businesses caused by the pandemic, the state provided extra time to pay sales taxes, and has conformed to federal changes that moved the personal and corporate income tax filing deadlines to July 15.
The value of the Flash Index has been the availability of nearly contemporaneous information about the economy from tax receipts, but the pandemic turned this advantage into a liability for the index, Giertz said. Adjustments have been made for ad hoc problems that have arisen in the past, but they were much more minor, affecting only one of the three kinds of tax receipts, he said.
“The saying ‘It’s different this time’ is almost always wrong. But this time, it’s accurate,” Giertz said. “The economic effects of the suddenness and severity of the current crisis are unprecedented and will take some time to understand fully.”
Wild times.
That most recent Flash Index of 105.7 was the ninth highest February rating since 1984 and the highest month since the beginning of 2017.
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Controversial Champaign testing put on hold
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Yesterday…
Dr. Tom Pliura, an independent physician, has obtained thousands of COVID-19 tests and will be offering tests to the public at a drive-through test site in Champaign starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The tests will be available to anyone, he said. […]
Pliura, a LeRoy-based doctor and lawyer who owns CampusTown Urgent Care at 631 E. Green St., C, said he has 8,000 tests available to start, and can get 8,000 more. He’ll be working with two private labs, Quest and LabCorp, which will be processing the tests and turning around results — he expects within three-to-four days, he said.
That was such an odd story. How did he get those tests? And shouldn’t those tests be going to hospitals and first responders or where they are most needed? Plus, private testing labs are being widely criticized for taking on more tests than they can quickly process. The backlogs are enormous and growing, so how could he expect results in three or four days?
* Today…
“In the interest of serving our local community, First Christian Church initially partnered with a local health care clinic to provide a mobile test site for COVID-19. After further conversation with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and medical officials, we have been advised to postpone this partnership.” […]
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator Julie Pryde said the church staff asked for her professional advice about going ahead with the drive-through, and she advised waiting until several questions that have been raised are answered.
“First of all, there is just no unfettered access to testing in this country,” she said.
“Among questions are tests done outside the guidelines, insurance coverage for testing and what people may wind up paying. Just because Dr. Tom Pliura has promised he won’t bill anyone without coverage doesn’t mean the private labs processing the tests won’t, she said. “There’s no reason they can’t hold off until the questions are answered,” she said.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the other day…
Ain’t that the truth.
As always, please be nice to each other and stick to Illinois topics. Thanks.
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* Press release…
To prevent the further spread of the unprecedented COVID-19 virus, the Illinois Gaming Board has extended the suspension of all video gaming operations at all licensed establishments of any kind and all casino gambling operations in Illinois until at least April 30, 2020. The health and safety of patrons, gaming industry employees, Gaming Board staff, and all others in Illinois is the Gaming Board’s top priority.
The Gaming Board is monitoring developments regarding COVID-19 and will continue to make decisions based on science, public health guidance, and applicable law and rules. We will also continue to update licensees and other stakeholders as new information becomes available.
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Ethics/lobbying commission misses deadline
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
State Senator Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) and State Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove), the Senate Republican Caucus’s representatives on the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform, have released the following statement about the commission’s missed deadline to report to the General Assembly.
“When we began the critical work of the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform, no one could have anticipated the challenges we would face due to COVID-19. As a result of these unprecedented circumstances, and due to our inability to meet in person, we will not meet the March 31 deadline for submitting our draft report.
“Illinois residents should know that this delay in no way negates the critical work our commission was doing, nor does it mean our need for ethics reform has fallen on the wayside. Rather, we look forward to the time when we can all meet again and fulfill our goal of submitting recommendations to bring real ethics reform to Illinois. ”
…Adding… Hannah Meisel at the Daily Line actually had the scoop this morning and I somehow missed it…
The commission has not met since March 5, even though it planned to meet once more before the deadline set for Tuesday.
Commission co-chair House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) told The Daily Line on Monday staff from all four legislative caucuses had begun drafting a report.
“Clearly, we’re not going to be able to finish by the 31st,” Harris said of the original March 31 deadline for the report. “We’re looking at different options at how we’re going to conclude our work. Given the fact that the legislature can’t meet or convene hearings to submit a public document, we’re just trying to figure out among the caucuses and stakeholders how exactly we’re going to do that.”
The commission discussed changing the laws covering everything from lobbyist registration to the power — or lack thereof — of the legislative inspector general.
…Adding… Press release…
Rep. Greg Harris and Sen. Elgie Sims – co-chairs of the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform – released the following statement Tuesday regarding ongoing efforts to enact meaningful ethics reform in Illinois:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated that we all put the health and safety of our state and our communities first. The Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform remains committed to our task of developing recommendations for meaningful reforms to the way lobbyists and elected officials conduct themselves. We have completed our meetings, heard from stakeholders and are working through the proposals that have been put before us. However, due to the ongoing crisis, more time will be necessary to complete our work. We still hold the goal of completing our work and contemplating any potential legislation during the spring legislative session as long as the health and safety of those involved are not put at risk. We look forward to working with our Republican colleagues and others on the joint commission to complete our work and begin restoring trust in government.
“We all want to thank the doctors, nurses and first responders who are working tirelessly to fight this deadly virus, and all those putting their lives in danger to ensure our loved ones stay safe and healthy.”
A report from the joint commission was initially due by the end of March, but that deadline was established before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
…Adding… Leader Durkin…
Since its inception, the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform has conducted six public hearings, took testimony from 38 witnesses and has received extensive feedback from stakeholders. Its work was nearly complete with the only task remaining of issuing a final report.
Our caucus does not concur with an open-ended completion date for a report. Reps. Wehrli and Windhorst requested reasonable date extensions for its completion knowing the unprecedented circumstances we are all facing, but those requests were denied.
Without a scheduled end date, this Commission will likely meet the same fate of the many failed task forces that have come before it.
We should not forget why this Commission was created and the critical need for ethics reforms in Illinois. The House Republican Caucus views ethics reform as essential and should be taken up, alongside the operating budget, as soon as we are back to work in Springfield.
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Stay at home order extended
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Gov. Pritzker Announces Extension of Stay at Home Order, Suspension of On-Site Learning in Schools Through April
Chicago – Building on the state’s efforts to flatten the curve of new COVID-19 cases in Illinois and following careful consultation with experts in Illinois and across the nation, Governor JB Pritzker announced that he will sign a 30-day extension of the state’s disaster proclamation on April 1. The disaster proclamation provides the governor the authority to sign additional executive orders, extending the Stay at Home order and suspending on-site learning in K-12 schools through the month of April.
“I have let the science guide our decisions and I’ve relied upon the top medical experts, scientists, public health researchers, epidemiologists, mathematicians and modelers, from the greatest institutions in the world whose guidance on infection rates and potential mortalities and protective measures is second to none,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinois has one of the strongest public health systems in the nation – but even so, we aren’t immune to this virus’ ability to push our existing capacity beyond its limit. We need to maintain our course and keep working to flatten the curve.”
“This may not be the measure that we like, but it is the measure we all need to combat the deadly and growing COVID-19 crisis,” said Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “The City of Chicago fully supports Governor Pritzker’s bold and necessary extension of the Stay at Home Order, and stands ready to partner with the State and our health officials as we navigate the challenges that lie ahead in safeguarding our residents. We will get through this crisis together and I want to thank all those who have been doing their part.”
EXTENSION OF STAY AT HOME ORDER
On March 20, the Governor announced a Stay at Home order after consulting with medical experts, scientists, public health researchers, epidemiologists, mathematicians and modelers to understand the progression of COVID-19 and the measures needed to flatten the curve.
The extension of the Stay at Home order will continue to permit a range of essential activities that will allow Illinoisans to meet their necessities while maintaining social distance from others. Grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies and other businesses providing services deemed essential will not close.
Staying at home and social distancing are the paramount strategies for minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Every Illinoisan plays a role in ensuring our health care system remains fully operational to treat patients in need of urgent care.
As of March 30, preliminary reports from hospitals statewide show that 41 percent of our adult ICU beds are “empty”, which means they are staffed and ready for immediate patient use, a two-percentage point decrease in a week. As far as ventilators, 68% are available statewide across Illinois, a four-percentage point drop in a week.
Statewide, about 35 percent of our total ICU beds are occupied by COVID patients and about 24 percent of our total ventilators are occupied by COVID patients. The state remains within its capacity, and is working every day to increase its capacity to prepare for an anticipated surge in hospitalizations related to COVID-19 in the coming weeks.
Those experiencing symptoms should call a health care provider who will help arrange medical treatment without putting others at risk of exposure. The Illinois Department of Public Health has a statewide COVID-19 hotline and website to answer any questions from the public or to report a suspected case: call 1-800-889-3931 or visit IDPH.illinois.gov.
SUSPENSION OF ON-SITE LEARNING
On March 13, the Governor announced a temporary statewide closure of all K-12 schools to minimize spread of COVID-19 across communities. Child care providers who have been licensed to operate to provide care to the children of essential workers will remain open.
Schools will transition from Act of God Days to Remote Learning Days, with days counting toward the school year. Each school district will create and implement a Remote Learning Day Plan to ensure all students, including students with disabilities and English Learners, receive instructional materials and can communicate with their teachers.
To prepare, the Illinois School Board of Education (ISBE) assembled an advisory group of more than 60 educators to make recommendations about instruction and grading during remote learning.
Schools can use up to five Remote Learning Planning Days at any time to prepare and refine their approaches to remote learning. Schools will design plans to minimize instructional loss and to provide opportunities for students’ academic, linguistic, and social-emotional growth.
Remote learning will look different for every district and every school. School districts will create plans based on their local resources and needs. Most districts will use a mix of digital and non-digital methods of engaging students in learning.
As a part of their recommendations, the advisory group recommended that grades be used only to increase students’ academic standing with a recommendation that any grades that schools give during this time be used as an opportunity for feedback and not an instrument for compliance.
ISBE will continue to work in partnership with school districts to address any questions and to provide guidance to educators and administrators to protect and support Illinois students.
Illinois schools have worked diligently to meet the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic with generosity, creativity, and a resolute focus on caring for students and communities. Schools across Illinois have shown remarkable agility in providing learning opportunities and meals throughout this crisis and will continue to work to address students’ needs.
“As we all come together to stay at home and out of harm’s way, we must never forget the selfless service of Illinoisans on the frontlines of this pandemic: our health care workers, first responders, grocery workers, child care providers, letter carriers, tradesmen and women, and so many more. They are going to work to serve and protect us, putting themselves and their families at great personal risk, because they have a job to do. Their sacrifices are real and meaningful, and we should all take time to think about them and thank them for keeping up the fight. We will all get through this together,” said Tim Drea, President of the Illinois AFL-CIO.
“I stand with the governor, in full partnership with his team, as we – the local elected officials from across our state – fully cooperate to administer the various compliance and enforcement components of your executive orders,” said Brad Cole, Executive Director of the Illinois Municipal League. “The faster we seriously comply with the executive orders, the faster we will be able to slow and stop the spread of this virus, and the faster we will then be able to turn-on the economic engines of Illinois communities, from small to large.”
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937 new cases, 26 new deaths
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 937 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 26 additional deaths.
- Cook County: 2 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 2 female 60s, 5 males 70s, 2 females 70s, 3 male 80s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- DuPage County: 2 females 70s
- Kane County: 1 male 80s
- Lake County: 1 female 60s
- McLean County: 1 male 70s
- Morgan County: 1 male 80s
- St. Clair County: 1 female 30s
- Will County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 80
Ford and Ogle counties are now reporting cases. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 5,994 cases, including 99 deaths, in 54 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to 99 years.
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* These numbers come from two graphics on display at the governor’s press conference…
* ICU beds: 1,525 in use and another 1,053 are still available. Of those 1,525 ICU beds in use, 889 are occupied by COVID-19 patients.
* Ventilators: 785 in use and another 1,675 are still available.
Of those 785 ventilators in use, 589 are being used by COVID-19 patients.
* On to extending the stay at home order…
With each step, we have been forced to take by this pandemic has made things more challenging for our residents. The cascading consequences of these steps weigh on me, every minute of every day.
But as I’ve said since the beginning. My priority through each and every one of these decisions has been, and continues to be saving as many people’s lives as possible.
That’s the one goal that I will put above all others, every time, most critically I have let the science guide our decisions. I’ve relied upon the top medical experts scientists, public health researchers epidemiologists mathematicians and modelers from the greatest institutions in the world, like the University of Illinois Northwestern University, University of Chicago, SIU, and others whose guidance on infection rates and potential mortalities and protective measures is frankly second to none.
It is based upon that advice that tomorrow I will be signing an executive order to extend Illinois disaster proclamation our stay at home order and our suspension of on site learning at schools, through the end of the month of April.
If we can end these orders earlier, I’ll be the first one to tell you when we can start to make strides toward normalcy again. But that time is not today.
* Bed and ventilator availability…
As of March 30th, our preliminary reports from hospitals statewide show just 41% of our adult ICU beds are empty staffed and ready for immediate patient use - a two percentage point decrease from the moment in time numbers that I ran you through last week. And 68% of our ventilators are available statewide - a 4% point drop in a week.
That doesn’t mean that every hospital has that availability, but collectively, that’s what we have across the state. […]
From all the modeling that we’ve seen our greatest risk of hitting capacity isn’t right now, but weeks from now. The virus is spreading, it is growing. So are its risks. We must not let up now.
Again, pardon the typos.
* On the pressure to regionalize the response in order to concentrate efforts where the cases are now…
I’ll remind everyone that these interventions don’t work if they’re piecemeal across the state. It was only a few weeks back when we had just a handful of cases, all in one county. That’s up to 5994 across 54 counties. And we know that there are even more people out there who have contracted COVID 19 and already recovered without realizing it, or recovered at home and never qualified for a test. That’s true in all 50 states. And that’s the price that we will continue to pay for the lack of early robust national testing. So we have to stick to the knowledge that we have no community is immune.
* Prisons…
Fortunately DOC is at its smallest population since 1995, and it currently has 36,944 individuals. That’s 1069 fewer prisoners than on February 1 of this year.
* After detailing his actions to date, Pritzker had a warning for hospitals…
I want to say to the local hospitals that are near the prison facilities, we will do all that we can to ensure that any patients receive the best care that we can provide. And we will work with local departments of public health to get you all the equipment and support that we can.
But hospitals that refuse to take on residents of the Department of Corrections will be called out by name, and those that refuse to operate in accordance to their oath can and will be compelled to do so by law.
We are asking everyone during this extraordinarily difficult time to do their part to keep residents, all residents of Illinois safe.
* He also had a message for prison reformers…
We inherited a prison system that has suffered from overcrowding after decades of tough on crime policies, focusing on punishment, without attention to rehabilitation. Democrats and Republicans agree on this and have worked together over the last number of years to make real changes. And while we have prioritized support services for the men and women in our care. We’re still operating in facilities that were not built to support these kinds of efforts.
When we get through this immediate crisis, we all need to have a real conversation about criminal justice reform and the status and conditions of our state prisons. But I’ll be frank with you. We still don’t know exactly when this immediate crisis will pass. And I know this continues to be an extraordinarily difficult time for families across our state, especially for our workers. I have directed my governor’s office staff and agency directors to do everything and anything in our power to help our residents who are hurting.
* He then reached out to students…
Lastly, I want to talk about what this extension means for our students. Well, first and foremost, I want to recognize the creativity of our Illinois State Board of Education and the superintendence in the school districts all across our state for their remarkably able and agile efforts that they’ve demonstrated providing learning opportunities, meals connection and stability throughout this crisis.
Under this extended order schools will transition from Act of God days to remote learning days. All of these days count toward the school year, and absolutely no days need to be made up. […]
Students are going through a situation over which they have no control. Our first response must be empathy.
I want to end with a message for our students who I know, never envisioned a pandemic derailing their spring semester. Believe me as a parent of two teenagers, you’re not the only one.
I won’t try and tell you the texting and calling each other is the same as hanging out in the hallways, or in the lunchroom. And I won’t try and tell you that zoom prom is the same as a real problem. I won’t try and tell you not to be sad about the last goals and plans that you may have had for March and April. It’s okay to be sad. And if you do feel sad or frustrated or angry. Whatever you feel, please let yourself feel that way. Don’t beat yourself up over being human.
And if you’re experiencing overwhelming anxiety or you have a friend who is. And you need someone to talk to. There are resources available to you by phone and online […]
But I also want to say something else. Once you’re ready, take a look around. Take in the incredibly unique moment that you’re living in. Yes it’s scary. And it’s uncertain, and it’s difficult. But if you’re looking for a lesson in the fundamental goodness of people and of your community, it’s right there in front of you. Take a look at the districts across the state that have taken it upon themselves to support our health care workers like Tinley Park High School’s science department, delivering goggles to advocate Health’s Christ Medical Center, or Decatur public schools donating over 200 iPads to promote contactless communication at area hospitals. Maybe those are your teachers and administrators or maybe your school is one of the many that have made donations, even if it’s not, I bet people in your school are finding a way to help be one of those people
* Mayor Lori Lightfoot…
As we just heard from the governor, this virus is lethal and growing. That is why I fully support the governor’s bold and necessary extension of the stay at home order. And this may not be what residents want, but it is what we need. And the city of Chicago stands ready to continue to partner with the state in any way possible as we navigate the challenges that lie ahead.
Just as we heard, to pretend this crisis and is anything less than dangerous, that would not only be irresponsible, but it would be deadly.
* IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike…
As you know, those who are moderately ill may need medical care. And although those individuals may not require an ICU bed, they may not require intubation and a ventilator. They will still need doctors and nurses and the medical professionals who tend to them, will still need the personal protective equipment to care for those who are moderately ill. We want to make sure that we have enough resources for those who are the sickest. In order to reduce the overall number of people who are exposed and infected with COVID 19.
We see that there’s some hospitals that are reaching capacity of the number of ICU and ventilators, and we want to make sure that everyone who needs an ICU bed everyone who needs a ventilator will get the care they need. And that’s why it’s so important that we flatten the curve. The concern is that our medical resources will be stretched to their limits. And so that’s why staying at home will help us have the healthcare capacity we need. […]
Early data does show that the vast majority of people we think up to 80% will not need any severe critical care.
* Recovered data…
IDPH recently sent a survey to COVID 19 cases and asked about their recovery. It was sent to people who tested positive for at least seven days after their positive test results. Of those that responded, 48% indicated that they had recovered. And as we get more responses we hope to show you that with more time, even more have fully recovered.
* Stay home…
The CDC just recently put out new guidance in the last 24 hours, saying that we should be concerned about people transmitting the virus, even 24, or 48 hours before symptoms [are evident].
So that’s even further evidence that we need to stay home. You can’t eyeball someone and think, you know, if they’re sick or not. Let’s continue to do what we’ve been telling ourselves to do, washing our hands, staying home, covering our cough cleaning frequently touch surfaces. Let’s do it all for ourselves, for our family, and for our community.
* Tim Drea, Illinois AFL-CIO President…
While social distancing is critical, these frontline workers are in desperate need of PPE and access to testing immediately. We joined with Governor Pritzker, Senator Durbin, Senator Duckworth and the Illinois congressional delegation to urge the president to utilize the defense production act to mobilize all of industry to produce the safety items workers desperately need to protect themselves and their families. We further call upon OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard to protect all workers at potential risk of occupational exposure to infectious diseases, including COVID 19.
On behalf of the nearly 1 million workers of organized labor throughout Illinois. The Illinois AFL CIO will continue to advocate for the health and safety of each and every worker currently engaged in the fight to defeat this virus. All of us depend on all of us depend on them staying healthy and safe, to keep up the fight.
* On to questions for the governor. Why not just say schools will be closed to the end of the year so they can prepare?…
Because we don’t know that this need for a stay at home order will go beyond May 1. And that’s why we haven’t extended the order beyond that. I mean we’re trying to follow the best science. You heard the CDC and the President of the United States suggesting that April 30th was the extension date that they put forward, that, you know, we had been thinking that if we needed to extend and it was looking like we would that we would go to the end of April and so that’s the date we chose.
* Another reporter followed up with when the stay at home order will end…
First of all, we have to see the peak her. We haven’t seen the peak and there’s no perfect model that you can look at. Whether it’s the University of Washington model or for any other, and we’ve got great institutions here in Illinois that have done a lot of modeling, based upon the science and the medical doctors and their estimations. But the truth is that we don’t know when we’re going to peak, we don’t know when we’re going to come off that peak. And so I think we’re looking everybody’s taking their best educated, look at what date seems appropriate and this is the best educated, you know date that they’ve come up with between the experts and those of us who know something about how to manage city and state matters.
* The Illinois Nurses Association says there is a critical shortage of disposable thermometer probes, so they are being told to save them so they can be sanitized with bleach and heat and reused. Have we heard about this, if there is a shortage and what should health care workers do?…
Director Ezike: This pandemic is global and so supplies are scarce throughout the country. If people have items that have that can be reused with certain sanitation mechanisms, we have some guidance that we’ve given for certain equipment on our website in terms of, you know, PPE. And there also are definitely instructions for medical equipment so those should be followed things should be and disinfected with approved approved products, and we definitely want to be able to stretch out our supplies. But we also know that everybody is working hard to obtain additional supplies so that we can have what we need to do the best job we can for all the people that were taken care of, because of course we support our nurses completely.
* Governor, groups have called on you to overturn the ban on rent control is this something that you have the power to do and if not, what is the state doing to aid residents who have lost jobs and will have difficulty paying rent next month and what advice do you have for people in those situations?…
There’s currently in state law a moratorium on rent control so that’s not something that under an executive order that I can overturn. However, as many of you know, we’ve issued Executive orders to ban evictions across the state, to make sure that people are not having their utilities turned off so we have a moratorium on shut offs of any utility that you may be utilizing, and we’ve provided other supports for, you know, for working families and really everybody across the state, to make sure that they’re taken care of and, you know, we’re. We obviously I said yesterday, something very important for people to recognize which is your healthcare workers who are coming home, and anybody who’s experiencing a landlord who’s hassling them about the fact that they may be exposed because their health care worker and interfering with their right to rent in a building needs to come forward because we will go after those landlords,
* Are you considering designating specific nursing homes my understanding is that other states like Massachusetts, Connecticut and others are doing this and then Illinois nursing homes are concerned about mixing COVID residents with non COVID residents…
So the challenge, just to be clear about that is that often there are nursing home residents who can’t be moved, and indeed the best advice by doctors has been, don’t move patients, if you can quarantine them in place. And so we’re trying hard within the nursing homes that exist today to have covered patients in one area of a nursing home many times their wings floors and so on in a nursing home, and we’re trying to separate the, those who are kovat positive those who may have been exposed to somebody with COVID 19, and those who don’t have it. And we’re frankly, those are the divisions that we’re trying to keep around the state and everywhere we can.
* Will you move to expand mail-in ballots or make that the norm for future elections?…
Well I’ve been an advocate for mail-in ballots for a long time. But I do think that we’re going to have to look at it for the general election.
The idea that we may have to move to a significant amount or maybe all mail-in ballots, or at least giving people the opportunity to do that. And so we’re going to look at that, but that is something that the legislature needs to do. And so, you know, we have to find a way to get the legislature together. That’s going to be a decision that gets made by the legislators, along with our public health professionals to determine how you get 177, General Assembly members in the, you know, similar area and vote on things, let alone, you know how they’ll manage through committees.
* Grocery store workers and delivery services you deemed essential have gone on strike. Amazon fired one worker who organized a strike. Do you support their movement and is it appropriate to strike during a pandemic?…
Well I’ve been a lifelong supporter of labor unions. I believe it’s a fundamental right to collectively bargain.
My view is that we are in a very difficult moment there’s no doubt about it. And the conditions you know you heard Mr. Drea talk about the conditions that people are working under and you know making sure that there are standards that are set in these very unusual times. Look, I support workers, and I also have talked to many many businesses, they want to work this out. The workers, the unions and the businesses are talking. And I certainly have tried to wherever I could to create a bridge for them. So I hope and believe that these things will get worked out.
* With a tenfold increase in unemployment claims, does Illinois have enough unemployment savings to pay out all of the applicants. As of 1/20/20, the state has 1.4 billion in unemployment funds…
The answer is no, but fortunately the federal government in the latest stimulus package provided a significant amount of funding for unemployment. We are also allowed in a state to, you know, dip below the reserves that exist. If we need to borrow from the federal government but the federal government has done a great job of providing funding, I believe we’re going to need more, I mean I think I said this at a press conference with Senator Durbin was here.
We’re going to have to see another relief package because not only is there an unemployment problem, which, you know, hopefully it will be only four months or so long but there’s also a challenge to all of our city budgets and state budgets and it goes beyond what was provided in the federal stimulus that was passed just recently
* Do you support the idea of temporary licenses for nursing students to get more help and hospitals? Ohio just approved a similar plan to get thousands of students into hospital…
Yes indeed, we’ve been spending quite a lot of time I’ve got a terrific legal team working together with our IDFPR professionals to look at giving temporary licenses to people who are mostly trained, who are nearly graduated. We have nursing students who are a month away or two months away from graduation, they’re capable of being healthcare professionals, even now we need them in the healthcare field. Same thing with medical students and others.
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Everyone has their own priorities
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Local rent control ordinances are banned by state statute here…
This Act may be cited as the Rent Control Preemption Act.
(50 ILCS 825/5)
Sec. 5. Rent control prohibited.
(a) A unit of local government, as defined in Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, shall not enact, maintain, or enforce an ordinance or resolution that would have the effect of controlling the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property.
* So, no matter what this group claims, an Illinois governor cannot unilaterally overturn a state statute…
People need to stop cynically using this very real crisis to advance their legislative priorities. Rent control is a legislative matter. Take it up with the General Assembly.
And stop misinforming the public! Don’t be covidiots.
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A quick look ahead to November
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Daily Herald…
The general election ballot is set, but there’s much still to be known in the race to represent the 6th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Republican primary winner Jeanne Ives will challenge Democratic incumbent Sean Casten in the November contest to claim the House seat representing an area from Hinsdale and Naperville through Elgin to just beyond Long Grove.
But the spread of the coronavirus is keeping people in their homes, making early campaigning an unusual challenge. And changes in economic and social behavior caused by the virus mean typically safe bets about elections are off, political scientists say.
“Forecasts of the 2020 election are harder than ever given the unpredictable fallout from the pandemic,” said Brian Gaines, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Department of Political Science and at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs. “With ordinary life on hold for who knows how long, it is hard to guess whether turnout will be nothing like usual, e.g. the usually reliable elderly staying home, and whether incumbents will be enjoying an approval rally or a backlash of frustration that normal life isn’t back.”
It’s far too soon to be speculating about fall turnout. We are literally in uncharted modern waters and we have no idea what the future will bring. As for canvasses, not that many general election candidates are out in full force in March and April anyway. Fundraising is an issue, however.
* The 1918 influenza pandemic dissipated over the summer, but then came back with a vengeance in the fall…
The election took place during the Spanish flu pandemic. Campaigning was disrupted around the country. In Nebraska, for instance, authorities lifted a ban on public gatherings in early November 1918 and permitted politicians to campaign five days prior to polls opening. The turnout was 40%, which was unusually low for a midterm election (turnout was at 52% and 50% in the 1910 and 1914 midterm elections). The low turnout was possibly due to the disruption caused by the pandemic.
* The virus slammed our collective consciousness shortly before the primary, so some folks didn’t take advantage of the mail-in ballot option. But the numbers in Chicago were pretty high…
Despite fears that the coronavirus would keep Chicagoans from voting, mail-in ballots trickling in are inching the city’s primary turnout to nearly 35%.
That’s down sharply from the 53.52% city turnout in the 2016 presidential primary and the 52.70% in 2008, but above or comparable to the city’s showing in the remaining three presidential primaries this century — including 2012 when only 24.46% of voters cast ballots. […]
On Monday, the city’s turnout rose by nearly three percentage points, going from 32.62% a few days after the primary to nearly 35% as the city counted additional vote-by-mail ballots that were postmarked in time. […]
Of the city’s 117,119 mail-in ballot applications, 91,706 ballots have been returned as of Monday morning, according to city records. Of that number, 8,437 were rejected for reasons like not being postmarked on or before March 17.
A big problem with mail-in ballots is that some election officials nitpick them to death. Maybe the signatures don’t exactly match, or some little bit of info is wrong or left off.
Also, remember how the city’s elections board screamed about “extremely” low turnout on primary day? That obviously wasn’t the case. That board either needs a total revamp or should be folded into Cook County’s system.
…Adding… With a hat tip to a commenter, the city’s turnout is now up to 37.18 percent.
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Clean, Affordable Energy—Now More Than Ever
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
In the middle of a crisis and financial uncertainty, the last thing anybody needs is a higher utility bill.
The Citizens Utility Board is here to help through its free, virtual service that analyzes your utility bills from the comfort of your home. CUB can check your bill to see if you’re getting overcharged by an alternative supplier, give you energy efficiency tips, and educate you about other potential ways to save. CUB has shown customers how to cut their bills by hundreds of dollars a year.
Email a copy of your most recent electric, natural gas, or telecom bill to CUB: ubc@citizensutilityboard.org. (“Attn: Virtual Utility Bill Clinic” in the subject line.)
CUB’s mission is to bring clean, affordable energy to Illinois consumers—that’s why we support the Clean Energy Jobs Act and that’s why we offer free services like the Virtual Utility Bill Clinic at a time of need like this.
If you have a question about your utility service, please call 1-800-669-5556 to talk to a CUB expert 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit citizensutilityboard.org.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
During the COVID-19 national health crisis, credit unions are banding together to help consumers weather the storm. Credit unions are increasing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by adjusting lobby hours, or shifting to a drive-thru only service with special appointment accommodations as necessary. Additionally, many credit unions are taking steps to offer new loan products to bridge the gap for consumers during these challenging financial times.
Keeping members financial wellness in mind, several credit unions are offering payroll advances, 0% personal loans, or deferred payments. The following is a small sampling of credit unions offering new loan products designed specifically to help members during this crisis:
· Alliant Credit Union
· Credit Union 1
· First Financial Credit Union
· Heartland Credit Union
· Northern Illinois Federal Credit Union
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* I’ve been able to confirm this ABC7 report…
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is expected to announce Tuesday that the state’s stay -at-home order will be extended beyond April 7, sources tell ABC7.
The order went into effect on March 20. It is not known for how long Governor Pritzker will extent the order.
It’s not like this was unexpected. No way was he going to allow that order to expire without renewing it. The only question was when he would do it.
* NBC5…
Illinois’ stay-at-home order will likely be extended until April 30, multiple sources familiar with the matter tell NBC 5.
The announcement is set to be made during Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s daily coronavirus press briefing at 2:30 p.m. (Watch it live here).
The news comes one week before the initial order was set to end and just days after the state saw its biggest rise in cases of the coronavirus pandemic so far.
* CBS2…
With the confirmed number of coronavirus cases in Illinois continuing to climb by the hundreds each day, Gov. JB Pritzker will extend his statewide “stay at home” order through the end of April, sources tell CBS 2.
Pritzker’s “stay at home” order has been in effect since the evening of March 21, requiring everyone in Illinois to stay indoors, except for essential trips to get groceries, medical supplies, to see a doctor, or for brief exercise outdoors. Those who do exercise outside have been told to stay six feet away from others, and avoid groups of 10 or more people. The order does not prohibit essential workers from going to their jobs.
The governor’s order originally was set to continue through April 7. Sources tell CBS 2’s Dana Kozlov the governor will announce he’s extending that order through the end of April during his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday afternoon.
*** UPDATE *** From Jordan Abudayyeh…
The Governor will update the public at 2:30pm, as he has done everyday because he values transparency and direct communication with the people of this state. Trying to get a scoop by reporting information from sources in a piecemeal fashion is irresponsible at a time when the public deserves to get the full picture from their leaders directly.
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The crisis is creating unity for now
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady have both been supportive of Gov. Pritzker’s stay at home order. The Daily Herald reached out to suburban Republican legislators to see what they thought…
A majority of Republicans who responded to the Daily Herald said it’s better to err on the safe side.
“Based on the aggressive nature of this dangerous virus, and how rapidly it appears to be spreading, the governor’s order, which I do support, was warranted,” state Sen. Don DeWitte of St. Charles said. DeWitte added he wants the July 1 increase in the minimum wage postponed because he thinks it’s hard on businesses. […]
“[Rosemont] is supporting the efforts to keep as many folks at home” as possible, [Mayor and Republican state Rep. Brad Stephens] said.
State Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove said, “First and foremost, this pandemic is uncharted territory. The extraordinary actions being taken are saving countless lives.”
And, state Rep. Dan Ugaste of Geneva said, “right now, I don’t believe is the time for people in the legislature to be second-guessing what the governor’s done.” Rather lawmakers should support the action and “help the people of Illinois as best as we possibly can through this difficult time.”
Of course, some of the usual suspects are being usual suspects. Go read the rest.
Still, the big takeaway here is that Republicans like Rep. Allen Skillicorn are clearly in the minority.
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Lotta holes in that backstop, bub
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ben Orner at Capitol News Illinois…
As state leaders try to gather as much personal protective equipment (PPE) as possible to distribute to health care workers treating COVID-19 patients, Gov. J.B. Pritzker says the federal government sent Illinois 300,000 of the wrong type of mask.
In his daily press briefing about the novel coronavirus disease outbreak Monday in Chicago, Pritzker said the state’s third shipment of relief supplies from the feds arrived Sunday, but likely includes 300,000 surgical masks instead of the N95 respirator masks Illinois requested.
“While we do not have a final count on this yet, I can say with certainty that what they sent were not the N95 masks that were promised, but instead were surgical masks, which is not what we asked for,” Pritzker said.
Made of thin fabric and held loosely onto the face, surgical masks do not provide as much protection against COVID-19 as N95 masks, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surgical masks create a loose barrier for the mouth and nose against coughs and sneezes, while tight-fitting N95 masks are able to “filter small particles from the air and prevent leakage around the edge of the mask when the user inhales.”
Pretty big difference between a surgical mask and an N95 mask…
 
* Baltimore TV…
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan asked for the federal governments help coordination efforts to combat coronavirus — by supplying more tests to states, coordinating access to supplies and more in a op-ed he co-wrote in The Washington Post Monday.
The Republican governor co-wrote the piece with Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. […]
They also said FEMA needs to do a better job coordinating the distribution of supplies.
“Right now, there is no single authority tracking where every spare ventilator is or where there are shortages,” they wrote. “The lack of any centralized coordination is creating a counterproductive competition between states and the federal government to secure limited supplies, driving up prices and exacerbating existing shortages.”
Centurion, an auction company based in Franklin Park, just concluded an auction this morning of dozens of ventilators to the highest bidders. FEMA should’ve seized those ventilators.
* If the feds want to act as a backstop, then they need to actually, you know, adequately backstop the states…
As the virus spreads across the U.S. and new hot spots emerge in states such as Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan and Texas, senior administration aides have privately argued the coronavirus response is a test of local politicians’ leadership and resourcefulness — with the White House acting as a backstop for the front-line state-by-state efforts.
The strategy is built on the idea that state leaders have the greatest familiarity with residents, hospitals and public health departments, as President Donald Trump and his allies argue. But it has a political subtext: The approach could give the White House an opportunity to extract Trump from future criticism as the virus spreads throughout the nation and threatens to kill hundreds of thousands of Americans. It also could backfire among Americans who prefer to see a firm national response to a disease that does not respect state borders.
“That is a Darwinian approach to federalism; that is states’ rights taken to a deadly extreme,” said Martin O’Malley, the former Maryland governor who served for eight years on the Homeland Security Task Force of the National Governors Association. “The better read of federalism is that the states and federal government work together when the U.S. is attacked, whether it is by imperial Japan or a pandemic.”
Caterpillar just shut down a plant near Peoria. A proper use of the Defense Procurement Act could prevent that sort of thing from happening (not specifically with that plant, necessarily) and get our supply system in order.
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A few little somethings to lighten your day
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If you haven’t watched this yet, please do so now…
* Another good meme…
* This is happening all over and it’s heartening, but I do hope these distilleries can survive…
Witness Distillery, a craft whiskey distillery in Vandalia scheduled to open in the fall, is now making hand sanitizer.
The distillery is following a recipe from the World Health Organization. Ethyl alcohol is combined with hydrogen peroxide and glycerine to complete the mix.
The company isn’t selling the hand sanitizer, but rather is distributing it to the local law enforcement agencies, Fayette County Hospital and local ambulance service and health professionals.
* Yep…
The governor said one thing was clear from recent stories of communities coming together to have sewing clubs making masks or people seeking to donate their federal stimulus check to the state’s efforts, Illinoisans are stepping up.
“It’s within each and every one of us to tap into that spirit and hold on to it,” Pritzker said. “Each and every one of us has the generosity and tenacity to see ourselves through this moment. Let’s allow it to carry us through these times together and some time, someday soon, through to the other side.”
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* Herald-News…
An inmate at Stateville Correctional Center has died from coronavirus, and the total number of cases in Will County doubled over the weekend.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported Monday that one inmate at Stateville has died and 100 others at the prison have been hospitalized or isolated because they show symptoms.
The Stateville cases are not included in the coronavirus counts in Will County, where two more people died and the total number of cases reached 224.
Stateville is located in Crest Hill, but the coronavirus cases and deaths that occur there are reported separately from the Will County numbers, said Steve Brandy, spokesman for the Will County Health Department.
* ABC 7’s I-Team reached out to the person in charge at the closest hospital, Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet and his outlook is quite grim…
The hospital’s medical director, Dr. John Walsh, said they have been “overwhelmed” by inmates suffering from the effects of coronavirus.
“This is a disaster,” he said. “What I most fear, is that without some resolution, the number of patents coming in from Stateville will be excessive.” […]
There are nine prisoners currently on ventilators in the intensive care unit at Saint Joseph, with the other prisoners and patients in need of care. Dr. Walsh said the hospital is “maxed out on staff.” […]
Walsh said his concern is that there are at least 100 prisoners still inside Stateville who have fevers. […]
According to Walsh, Saint Joseph Hospital has only a few more ventilators available. He fears that the prison death toll could be in excess of 100.
* On to the Tribune…
To date, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has offered little in the way of specifics on what review process is in place, and IDOC has confirmed a mere six inmates have been released early so far, slowed partly by a rule that released inmates have secure housing. The first death of an inmate was announced Monday, a man who was being housed at Stateville Correctional Center. […]
IDOC, meanwhile, has continued to say little about any specific planned process or an anticipated number of releases, though advocates said they have heard some 100 prisoners could be on a pathway to leaving state custody.
The Tribune on Friday first reported the release of six women housed on a special wing of the Decatur Correctional Center that houses inmates who have given birth while in custody.
Your thoughts?
*** UPDATE *** This is not good…
Data was derived from this site.
* Related…
* Elderly inmates are at high risk for coronavirus. Why are there so many of them in Illinois’s prisons?
* ‘Jails Are Petri Dishes’: Inmates Freed as the Virus Spreads Behind Bars
* More Than 100 Cook County Jail Detainees Test Positive For Coronavirus
* One of the largest single-site jails in the US grapples with 134 coronavirus cases
32 Comments
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Tribune gonna Tribune
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune editorial…
Too bad Illinois was not so farsighted. Its Budget Stabilization Fund has only $58,655. That’s enough to cover the state government’s normal expenses for about 30 seconds. Indiana’s is enough to cover more than a month.
This is not a new problem for Illinois. For years, it had nothing in reserve. One of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s deputy governors, Dan Hynes, spent years as comptroller trying to convince lawmakers to set aside reserves with the goal of holding at least $1.2 billion by 2006. It didn’t happen. Even when the economy was booming, lawmakers spent through it.
By 2014, the fund had $276 million. But since then, it’s been depleted. With the rainy — or rather torrential — day now arriving, the state has almost no emergency savings to tap.
Gee. I wonder what happened at the end of 2014 that would’ve “depleted” the rainy day fund?
I dunno, could it be the automatic partial rollback of the 2011 income tax increase the Tribune so bitterly opposed?
Could it have been the election of a new governor with Tribune backing who then refused to cut a deal on new state revenues until he was given anti-union concessions (also with Tribune backing)?
Could it have been a two-year impasse with no budget that the Tribune wholeheartedly supported, which drove up our unpaid bill backlog to $16.67 billion?
Could it have been the billion dollars the state had to pay in interest to its creditors because of that mountainous bill backlog?
* Yes, Illinois has some serious structural budgetary issues. Pensions, for one. But the state has been repeatedly ordered to fulfill its pension promises, so the only way to do that is with budgetary management and additional revenues. The Tribune has always refused to support additional revenues and, if it has seriously engaged on the topic of budget management, I do not recall it.
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Open thread
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Please keep it Illinois-centric, polite and coronavirus-free. Thanks.
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