I want to thank Abbott, which informed us yesterday that facilities in our state which are operating with their machines can now access swabs directly from them, instead of through third parties. Great development.
Pritzker noted yesterday that the federal government had “waylaid” the tests and sent them to private entities.
Again, please pardon all transcription typos.
* More from today…
As Dr. Ezike and I told you yesterday, our rate of rise is looking less and less exponential. That indicates to us that we are in fact bending the curve. There is even some evidence that we may be moving toward a flatter curve. But we need to keep watching the data on a daily basis. Keep in mind our case numbers, and the death toll are still growing. And thus, our fight must continue. And the data will show that those numbers are growing more slowly. And that’s a very good thing.
It’s all of you, the families and individual residents of Illinois, who are making the biggest difference in our fight against COVID-19.
* The governor then went on to highlight and thank groups all over the state which have pitched in during the crisis. Here’s one…
Communities of Southern Illinois came together to launch Marion United, a live stream benefit featuring local artists, musicians and community leaders, sharing hope and encouragement. They raised nearly $200,000 from hundreds of donors money that will go directly to support local businesses that have been impacted.
* The governor started his presser today with a shoutout to this person…
— adam i. hasegawa 🥃📬📚 (@adamihasegawa) April 9, 2020
Here’s what he said…
To the Forest Park resident who tweets every day that he has faithfully enjoyed a cocktail or a mocktail during this press conference every afternoon since March, 26: Know that your hashtag, #SpritzersWithPritzker, has brought a smile to the governor’s staff, and lots of people seem to appreciate your tweeting the drink recipes too. So thank you.
* On to questions for the governor and Dr. Ezike. For Dr. Ezike: Why are some zip codes, seeing more cases than others?…
First of all, let’s not put all our eggs in the zip code and the tallies that we have there, because we do know that there are many more positive cases than we have actually tested and confirmed. Again, you know, working as hard as we can to get those testing numbers up and increasing that capacity. But nevertheless, for every case that you find there are many others so it doesn’t mean, again we’ve been stressing that significantly, that even if you think you don’t have a case in your zip code that’s probably not actually the case. But we do know that there are areas, communities, neighborhoods where there’s a higher density of people with, whether it’s comorbidity conditions that predispose to serious complications and death.
* What feedback have you gotten from small business owners about how the minimum wage increase in July?…
You know, it’s only been the, the large business organizations like the Chamber of Commerce who have brought this up. The truth is, the current conditions actually indicate to you more than ever before why we need to raise the minimum wage across the state. So, look where we’re all concerned to make sure that we bring this economy back to where it could be should be after we’re able to get past the peak and past the danger that this poses for many people, but that is very frankly it’s unrelated to the rise in the minimum wage, which is a very small raise you know each year it goes up by a little bit, and it’s a very small raise that’s coming in July relative to, you know, the entire raise which happened over a six year period.
* Governor, the rules of unemployment were supposed to change to allow them to apply for benefits, but we’re hearing from many people that IDES has not yet allowed them access to apply. Is there a timeframe on when this will happen, any advice for these people?…
Well there are federal benefits, you’re right, that were provided in the federal bill, but almost no state has this available to them because you’ve got to build a system for that. That’s not just something you can add on to your existing system. So, we’ve hired the necessary personnel, we’ve hired the outside provider who can build the system for us, and it’ll be up in the coming weeks, coming weeks, kind of the timeline. And again, we’ve got, you know we’ve hired the best we can [who are] working as expeditiously as they can. Every state has this challenge so we’re gonna do it as fast as we possibly can.
* What should we expect for the summer, and could we go through this again come fall or winter?…
Yes. In short, yes. The fact of the matter is that we are not going to be truly able to begin to move on until we have a testing, much greater testing contact tracing and treatment. Test trace and treat. We have to have those available that’s even before there’s a vaccine.
* Governor, your counterpart in New York said this morning that they’re working to ramp up testing sites in the African-American community. You are well aware of Chicago situation. What is being done here in Chicago to get more testing in the African American community?…
We’re doing that very same thing. In fact, I was just talking this morning and yesterday morning about a drive-thru site that we intend to put up in the south suburbs in a heavily African American community. We’re looking at other sites, and the placement of testing sites is directly related to who’s getting tested, of course. So we wanted to make sure that we spread those five minute tests are the five to 15 minute tests the rapid tests into communities where we know we have significant issues like the African American community. So those 15 machines that you heard me talk about yesterday that we’re trying to get more testing capability through. We want to make sure that when those tests come in that many of those are placed in communities where particularly African American communities where people are we have more vulnerability than others.
* Do you think the stay at home order will be lifted before April 30?…
Look, you know, we talk a lot about peaking and we talk a lot about how we’re bending the curve, the curve is still upward trajectory. And so just because we’re bending the curve does not mean it’s bending down yet. And so people need to understand that, that it is unlikely that that we will be able to lift this stay at home before April 30.
* What’s been spent on PPE?…
We’re going to be listing the various contracts online so people can take a look at it. I couldn’t tell you what the total is now, but I know that it’s not infrequent that we have to place a $5 million order, or even a $10 million order for PPE. Think about the cost of what is normally an 85 cent or $1 N95 mask is now going for anywhere between four and $7 apiece. So if you need millions of them as we have indicated that we do a million of those at $5 apiece is $5 million. So that’s just N95 masks.
* Governor Baker of Massachusetts has launched a virtual call center of 1000 people to trace contacts of those testing positive for COVID-19. Are you considering any similar contact tracing measures in Illinois?…
Yep, because it’s a great … indicator of what really needs to happen all across the nation and especially as we … move beyond the peak.
* What is DHS’s plan to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in residential centers for the developmentally disabled now that cases are reported, especially given the challenges that population presents, including, not necessarily understanding what’s going on?…
Dr. Ezike: So we believe that, you know, we’re going to be able to limit the spread. As you know as best we can with PPE, with the staff following the protocols and by separating the various residents between those who have COVID- 19 and those who haven’t been. ….Time is becoming relative now, I believe at the end of February beginning of March, they were very proactive. They were immediately following recommendations to start thinking about their facilities trying to identify their space issues trying to figure out how people would be able to be spread out if they needed to isolate and segregate. They, as the governor said, were right on top of it in terms of closing down facilities to visitors I know sometimes people would think that sounds difficult but in a situation such as this where you know that the virus is being brought in by a visitor. That is the aggressive step that has to be taken also doing pre-shift assessments on people who work in the facility. So, they weren’t even proactively looking at instead of moving people back and forth, they were bringing providers that had to assess people in terms of trying to figure out if there would be need for evaluation if it could be done on site instead of transferring to a hospital. So again, a lot of steps were taken, even before they had a single case, they do have some cases and some other facilities now IDPH is working close with them in terms of having a consultant and infection control preventionist working directly with the facilities. And so, we’re keeping a close eye on and partner I think we had a delivery of PPE with thousands of mass surgical masks and N95, that even went should have been delivered today, so we are following closely and they’re doing a great job and we’re going to mitigate as much as we can.
* There have been reports that HHS plans to no longer support community based COVID-19 sites. Many at Walmart parking lots. Is this accurate has the state been told this will these test sites continue? If so, who will pay for the testing?…
So, just to back up a second, HHS, the federal government, set up this organized effort to have drive thru facilities with Walgreens parking lots, Walmart parking lots, and signed a deal with labcorp and quest which are two of the largest laboratories in the nation to do the actual evaluation of the test the swabs themselves would be done at the drive thru. And then those swabs are sent to labcorp and quest. That’s what we’re talking about when we talk about the federal sites that HHS put up. We have a number of those sites in Illinois.
It is true that on April 10, which I think is tomorrow, they will be handing over those sites to the States. Their intention, they didn’t say this upfront but it became clear about a week ago, that their intention was to set these up to make them operational and then to hand them over to the States. And so we are taking over those, we will be providing personnel we’ve asked for as much support as we can get from the federal government in that turnover, because obviously we have a limited number of healthcare personnel available in the state, but we need to do this testing. I think the biggest challenge is that they’re only providing a limited number of swabs, for each of those sites as they have only been using a limited number of swabs themselves, and each of those sites and we’d like to do more.
And so I’ve asked for more swabs from the federal government. We’ll see whether we’re able to get them. But our intention is to do as much testing as we possibly can in their drive thru sites but I just want to make it clear that taking a swab is not doing a test taking a swab is taking a specimen, and then putting it in a vial.
* What advice would you give to organizers of big summer events, concerts, etc.? Should they plan to proceed plan on crowd limits, should they think about canceling?…
I think everybody needs to think seriously about canceling large summer events. From my perspective today, I do not see how we are going to have large gatherings of people, again, until we have a vaccine, which is months and months away.
I would not risk having large groups of people getting together, anywhere. And I think that’s hard for everybody to hear but that’s just a fact that they’re just, you know, even with, you know, testing and tracing and treating as is necessary for us to begin to make changes, it isn’t enough for me to say that it’s okay to have a big festival with a whole bunch of people gathering together.
* Have you heard of the workshare program helping 29 states and Washington DC? A University of Illinois professor says Illinois could get $1.1 billion and avert up to 124,000 layoffs will Illinois join?…
Yeah, it’s an excellent program. I understand that the availability of that program was open, under the previous governor and he didn’t act upon it. We are looking at how we might open a program like that at work share program. And I don’t disagree that you know whatever we can get to support workers to expand the workforce or make available opportunities for people who are laid off. We’re going to pursue.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,344 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 66 additional deaths.
Cook County: 2 females 40s, 1 male 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 6 males 60s, 6 females 70s, 6 males 70s, 6 female 80s, 5 males 80s, 3 females 90s, 3 males 90s, 1 female 100+
DuPage County: 2 males 70s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
Effingham County: 1 male 60s
Kane County: 1 female 90s
Kankakee County: 1 male 80s
Lake County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 80s, 2 male 90s
Rock Island County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s
St. Clair County: 1 male 70s
Will County: 1 female 30s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s
Hancock, Pulaski, and Schuyler counties are now reporting a case. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 16,422 cases, including 528 deaths, in 81 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
* Ted E. Leverenz was once chairman of the Illinois House’s only appropriations committee. There are now six approp committees.
Ted had amazing sources throughout state government, which he then used to his advantage when pressing agency directors about their shortcomings as administrators. He often jokingly referred to himself as “Agent 99,” a reference to a female spy on the old Get Smart TV show.
Ted was enormously helpful to me when I first started out. He knew so much and he was such an entertaining fellow, particularly when he was relentlessly grilling those aforementioned agency directors. Ted, then-Sen. Judy Baar Topinka and a few others helped a nobody who nobody sent figure out how the government really worked. I will be forever grateful to them.
Ted eventually moved to the Senate via appointment. He was never happy there. He lost all his seniority and complained about how everyone in the chamber was so old. “Their parking places are wider,” he said. “You know why? So they can get their walkers out of their cars!”
My dad Ted E. Leverenz fought the good fight! Today Jesus carried him home to paradise! April 8, 2020@3:30 pm. Loving husband, father, grandpa and great-grandpa! Heaven is celebrating with joy his homecoming and “Never Had A Bad Day” has a whole new meaning! He was a kind, caring, public servant, who worked tirelessly for the community in numerous ways. He stared in his role as Representative Leverenz then a Senator Leverenz. Politics and helping others were forever running through his veins.
Ted and Rep. Chris Welch never got along well, but when I asked him about Leverenz’s passing today, Welch said, “He never supported me in any election, but there’s a lot of people in my district who revere the guy to this day.”
I think Ted would’ve appreciated that response. /s
* He sure was a handsome devil back in the day…
…Adding… More…
Our community has lost a long time public servant. Former State Representative and former State Senator Ted E. Leverenz has died. He served jn the Illinois House from 1975-1991 and in the Illinois Senate from 1991-1993. He was a fighter, and he loved public office. May he RIH🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/uUuhyuBdRe
— Emanuel Chris Welch (@RepChrisWelch) April 9, 2020
With the number of coronavirus deaths in Cook County climbing above 300, the medical examiner’s office is opening a refrigerated warehouse as a “surge center” capable of holding as many as 2,000 bodies.
In addition to the 66,000-square-foot warehouse, opening Thursday, the county said it is has acquired 14 refrigerated trailers and is looking for six more for hospitals so their morgues are not overwhelmed.
“We are paying special attention to the southern portion of Cook County, an area that is traditionally disproportionately impacted during crises,” said William Barnes, executive director of the county’s Emergency Management and Regional Security Department.
A federal judge on Thursday denied a bid by Cook County Jail detainees for release or transfer amid the coronavirus outbreak but ordered Sheriff Tom Dart to implement new policies to keep inmates safe.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly ordered Dart to begin prompt coronavirus testing of detainees who exhibit symptoms of the virus by Saturday. He said the sheriff must also enforce social distancing when taking in new inmates.
An adequate amount of soap or hand sanitizer must be available for inmates to frequently clean their hands, the judge said, and staff must receive sanitation supplies. Finally, the judge said the sheriff must “provide face masks to all detainees who are quarantined.”
Given those measures, the judge said he would not order the sheriff to move inmates to other forms of custody.
It started small. On March 23, two inmates in the sprawling Cook County jail, one of the nation’s largest, were placed in isolation cells after testing positive for the coronavirus. In a little over two weeks, the virus exploded behind bars, infecting more than 350 people.
The jail in Chicago is now the nation’s largest-known source of coronavirus infections, according to data compiled by The New York Times, with more confirmed cases than the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., or the cluster centered on New Rochelle, N.Y.
Security firm hiring 300-plus positions for McCormick Place field hospital
Mayor Lori Lightfoot drives around city telling groups to ‘break it up’
150 cases of coronavirus found in 20 Lake County nursing homes
* Roundup…
* Essential workers exposed to coronavirus can return to work if showing no symptoms, CDC says: Under the new guidelines for essential workers, the CDC recommends that exposed employees take their temperatures before their shifts, wear face masks and practice social distancing at work. They also are advised to stay home if they are ill, not share headsets or other objects used near the face and refrain from congregating in crowded break rooms. Employers are asked to take exposed workers’ temperatures and assess symptoms before allowing them to return to work, aggressively clean work surfaces, send workers home if they get sick and increase air exchange in workplaces.
* Major Meat Processors Shutting Down Plants As Employees Get Sick With COVID-19: The United States has a large enough meat inventory to prevent shortages for consumers, explained Christine McCracken, senior analyst of animal protein for Rabobank. Processors that were previously servicing restaurants or cafes have started to sell to retailers. And some restaurants are selling groceries, including meat, directly to customers.
* Virus Sparks Prison Riot, Hits More Washington state Long-Term Care Homes: Corrections officers used verbal orders, pepper spray and rubber pellets to get the demonstrators under control, but the inmates ignored those efforts, officials said. Both housing units were evacuated and the situation was under control soon afterward. No one was injured.
* Haywire Immune Response Eyed In Coronavirus Deaths, Treatment: The out-of-control immune response eventually causes the patients’ lungs to stop delivering oxygen to the rest of organs, leading to respiratory failure and in some cases death, the experts say. The malfunctioning immune system may be driving the rapid decline in lung function experienced by some patients, including younger and relatively healthy ones, after the initial onset of symptoms, doctors say.
* Illinois has ‘supreme authority’ to enforce coronavirus quarantine — but won’t use it: “To be honest, we don’t have the resources, the capacity or the desire to police every individual’s behavior,” Pritzker said on March 20. “Enforcement comes in many forms and our first and best option is to rely on Illinoisans to be good members of their communities.”
At the request of U of I System President Tim Killeen, IGPA assembled more than four dozen interdisciplinary faculty experts from the three system universities to serve on IGPA’s Task Force on the Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
This first report, from the Economic and Fiscal Impact Group, draws comparisons to the 2007 to 2009 recession. The authors also used new, national models of the possible economic outcomes from the COVID-19 pandemic to project the potential impact on the three biggest sources of state revenues: individual income tax, corporate income tax and sales tax.
In all but the best-case scenario, the negative impact on state revenue is projected to be worse than during the Great Recession, from 2007 to 2009. Under the most severe model of a protracted downturn followed by a weak recovery after a severe pandemic, Illinois could lose more than $28 billion between calendar years 2020 and 2023.
Amanda Kass is a faculty leader on this project, so you know it’s good stuff. The full report is here.
The COVID-19 crisis will also likely harm the finances of all local governments: counties, municipalities, school districts, transit agencies and special districts.
Declines in state revenues, which are shared with local governments, are especially concerning because municipalities in Illinois are more reliant on state revenues than municipalities in most other states.
As state revenues drop, spending on public health and human services is expected to increase. The biggest impact on spending is expected to be a several-billion-dollar increase in Medicaid expenditures.
Market volatility could have a negative impact on pension funds, causing state and local governments to see increases in required annual contributions. But these increases will be somewhat delayed.
“It is too early to precisely quantify the fiscal gap that is likely to be created by reductions in state revenue and increases in the cost of delivering state services, but we believe that it will almost certainly cost billions of dollars and possibly cost tens of billions of dollars,” the report says.
The authors note that the recently approved federal stimulus package will likely fall short in some key ways. For instance, the increase in federal matching funds for Medicaid is much smaller than the enhanced match Congress approved as part of the response to the 2007 recession.
The report emphasizes there will be no easy answers, but suggests that policymakers focus on five basic principles: transparency, protection of the vulnerable, economic efficiency, minimizing borrowing for operating purposes and flexibility.
* In other news…
Moody's today followed S&P's action late Friday moving outlook to negative from stable. Both rate state at lowest investment grade level so a downgrade would make the state the first sovereign to fall to junk….
— yvette.shields@arizent.com (@Yvette_BB) April 9, 2020
Facility: The Municipal Liquidity Facility, which has been authorized under Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act, will support lending to U.S. states and the District of Columbia, U.S. cities with a population exceeding one million residents, and U.S. counties with a population exceeding two million residents. Under the Facility, a Federal Reserve Bank will commit to lend to a special purpose vehicle on a recourse basis. The SPV will purchase Eligible Notes directly from Eligible Issuers at the time of issuance. The Reserve Bank will be secured by all the assets of the SPV. The Department of the Treasury, using funds appropriated to the Exchange Stabilization Fund under section 4027 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, will make an initial equity investment of $35 billion in the SPV in connection with the Facility. The SPV will have the ability to purchase up to $500 billion of Eligible Notes.
Eligible Notes: Eligible Notes are tax anticipation notes (TANs), tax and revenue anticipation notes (TRANs), bond anticipation notes (BANs), and other similar short-term notes issued by Eligible Issuers, provided that such notes mature no later than 24 months from the date of issuance. In each case, a note’s eligibility is subject to review by the Federal Reserve. Relevant legal opinions and disclosures will be required as determined by the Federal Reserve prior to purchase.
Eligible Issuer: An Eligible Issuer is a State, City, or County (or an instrumentality thereof that issues on behalf of the State, City, or County for the purpose of managing its cash flows), in each case subject to review and approval by the Federal Reserve. Only one issuer per State, City, or County is eligible.
Limit per State, City, and County: Limit per State, City, and County: The SPV may purchase Eligible Notes issued by or on behalf of a State, City, or County in one or more issuances of up to an aggregate amount of 20% of the general revenue from own sources and utility revenue of the applicable State, City, or County government for fiscal year 2017. States may request that the SPV purchase Eligible Notes in excess of the applicable limit in order to assist political subdivisions and instrumentalities that are not eligible for the Facility.
Pricing: Pricing will be based on an Eligible Issuer’s rating at the time of purchase with details to be provided later.
Origination Fee: Each Eligible Issuer that participates in the Facility must pay an origination fee equal to 10 basis points of the principal amount of the Eligible Issuer’s notes purchased by the SPV. The origination fee may be paid from the proceeds of the issuance.
…Adding… Press release…
Today, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) led congressional delegation letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin calling for immediate aid to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to address surprise revenue shortfalls.
The letters were joined and signed by each Democratic member of the Illinois congressional delegation: Reps. Bobby Rush, Robin Kelly, Dan Lipinski, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Mike Quigley, Sean Casten, Danny Davis, Jan Schakowsky, Brad Schneider, Bill Foster, Lauren Underwood, and Cheri Bustos in addition to Rep. Krishnamoorthi.
“State and local balance sheets across the country are dipping into the red as billions of dollars are being lost from unexpected revenue shortfalls,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “The $150 billion provided to state and local governments in the CARES Act was a good start, but more needs to be allocated for places that are hit hardest by the public health and economic impacts of this crisis. This is an issue that is harming the physical and financial health and safety of state and local governments, their employees, and their constituents, and one that must be addressed in our next COVID-19 legislative package.”
Forcing states and cities to accommodate dramatic budget shortfalls, which are exacerbated in part by lost tax revenues due to halting economic activity, could lead to widespread, disruptive reductions in public services, delayed improvement projects, and a slower economic recovery. Below are some examples of cities and states across the country that are expecting revenue shortfalls:
· New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently predicted a state revenue shortfall of up to $15 billion.
· Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently told his cabinet members to prepare for up to 20 percent cuts to agencies for the next 15 months.
· Illinois’ Commission on Government Finance and Accountability recently predicted a potential 20 percent decrease in state revenues over the next few fiscal years.
· Cities across the country, from Phoenix to Houston to Philadelphia, are similarly grappling with difficult budget decisions unforeseen just a few short months ago.
In the letters, the undersigned Members of Congress asked that the “State and Local Coronavirus Expenditures Relief Fund” within the CARES Act be expanded to allow state and local governments to replenish lost revenue as a qualifying expenditure, or that Congress authorize the creation of a new fund to provide direct aid to state and local governments with fewer restrictions. They express that either option must allow greater flexibility in how the funds are spent and include robust funding at a level that will meaningfully alleviate the fiscal problems faced by state, local, tribal, and territorial governments across the country.
* Tony and Lisa Yuscius have been friends of mine for years. They’re just good, solid people and a great couple. I cannot say enough positive things about them.
As a public service, their company BlueRoomStream.com (click here to subscribe) has been providing free video access to Gov. Pritzker’s daily briefings during the crisis.
And now this…
In the spirit of public service, BlueRoomStream is offering four different worship services/sermons on Easter Sunday, lifting its usual paywall so all can safely observe the Christian holiday from their homes.
Tony Yuscius, president of parent company Advanced Digital Media, said he was inspired by a reporter’s question about Easter worship during a stay-at-home order that was asked at one of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s daily COVID-19 press conferences. The popular public affairs streaming platform is currently offering free coverage of the governor’s daily press conferences in the absence of Illinois legislative committee hearings and House and Senate floor action.
“Like many people, I want to do something that is of real help during this pandemic,” Yuscius said. “My wife, Lisa, told me, ‘You have the means to do that, so do it.’”
Yuscius contacted one of his subscribers, the Catholic Conference of Illinois, for help in reaching out to a diversity of Christian denominations.
The result is four different services/sermons that will begin streaming on BlueRoomStream on Sun., April 12 at different times. Each worship option will remain available on the platform after its initial broadcast time. No password will be needed to view the worship offerings.
The following worship services/sermons can be viewed at www.BlueRoomStream.com on Easter Sunday:
6 a.m. Roman Catholic Easter Mass, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archdiocese of Chicago
10 a.m. Easter Sermon, Bishop Jeffrey D. Lee, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago
10:30 a.m. Easter Sermon, Bishop Frank J. Beard, Illinois Great Rivers Conference, United Methodist Church
11 a.m. Easter Worship, Rev. Shannon J. Kershner, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago
* Should the governor skip his daily press briefing on Easter Sunday, or are his daily updates too important for Illinoisans? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
Pritzker announced Wednesday the state has acquired five high-volume RNA extractors, each of which should be able to run 200 tests per hour, from Massachusetts-based Thermo Fisher Scientific.
However, the machines — distributed to Illinois’ three state labs — are still not running at the speed promised and are not giving lab technicians “the level of output that we want to see,” Pritzker said.
“More importantly, these tests are not producing valid results in a way that meets our exacting standards,” Pritzker added. “I am as impatient as the rest of you are, wanting to increase testing, but I will not sacrifice accuracy for the sake of speed. The tests and results they will provide are too important. We have to get this right.”
As a result, Illinois state labs will not be using the Thermo Fisher machines until they produce reliable results.
I was told by the administration yesterday that they tested those Thermo Fisher machines by feeding it samples from known positive patients, but the Thermo Fisher results were often coming back negative. The administration doesn’t want to deploy machines that aren’t reliable, of course, so they’re still working with the company.
Much touted tests from Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories that promise to give results for positive cases in as little as five minutes and negative cases as fast as 13 minutes will not help Illinois close the gap in testing, Pritzker said Wednesday.
Although the state received 15 Abbott machines last week from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Abbott’s promises to provide enough supplies to perform 88,000 tests per month will not materialize, Pritzker said.
The federal government “waylaid” the tests and sent them to private entities, such as private hospitals and labs, according to the governor.
“Unfortunately, it is our understanding now that the federal government redirected most of these early tests to private systems without our state input about where the tests would make the most impact,” Pritzker said. “Some of those machines will end up in Illinois and so that’s good. But not what we had expected, and we won’t have as many as we expected.”
Pritzker told reporters yesterday that the state only received 120 total tests. “That’s eight tests per machine for all of Illinois,” he said.
* So, what about private testing labs? Pritzker yesterday…
If we wanted to choose an easy, but less effective path, we could increase testing capacity through private labs used by the federal government. The problem is those labs take seven to 10 days to produce a result. People can end up on a ventilator before they ever get their testing result. That’s just not a timeline that I want to bet on.
Sigh.
* Pritzker laid out the path ahead…
No matter how much is beyond our control the buck stops with me. […]
We’re charting our own path forward. I’m putting my faith in the scientists and technicians, the academics and innovators here in Illinois to expand our test results. […]
Our researchers are working in an expedited fashion to get this additional new testing up and running, as soon as possible and distributing it to other institutions beyond our state labs that have our same type of equipment to continue increasing capacity statewide.
To ensure a steady stream of supplies, our in-state universities and local laboratories are creating our own raw materials, instead of relying upon the global supply chain, which is frankly in disarray. Our institutions are developing and distributing their own viral transport medium, known as VTM, and the necessary reagent locally. […]
We’re now running three shifts at one of our state labs, with the other two moving to match their capacity soon. And more than 96 locations across the state are now collecting specimens, this capacity has brought us the increase that we have already achieved. Today we surpassed 6000 tests in a 24 hour period.
* I was also told by the administration yesterday that Walgreens will start offering tests here “in the next few days.” The company is apparently getting some personal test kits, which people can use to test themselves for the virus.
I am writing to you on behalf of my caucus, and the citizens we represent, who have made hundreds of calls to our offices to express their frustration about their inability to access critical unemployment benefits.
Residents throughout Illinois impacted by the economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak are struggling to pay their rent and feed their families. During these unprecedented times, we must do everything we can to ensure they are getting the help they need as soon as possible.
One segment of our population impacted by this economic crisis are those self-employed “gig” workers who, according to ADP Research Institute, make up 18 percent of our workforce. Under the recently signed federal stimulus law, these gig workers will now be eligible for unemployment benefits, and states must modify their websites in order to review these claims. This is most welcome news. However, it is our understanding that this modification to the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s (IDES) website could take months.
Weeks ago, our constituents were told the IDES website would be improved, and access would be enhanced. However, based on what we are hearing from our constituents, delays with the site continue and frustrations continue to mount.
With the addition of gig workers, timely access to this site is even more critical, especially given the fact that we are hearing other states already have a system in place to handle gig claims.
When can we tell our constituents they will be able to apply for these crucial resources?
Sincerely,
Bill Brady
Senate Republican Leader
* I asked for a response from the governor’s press secretary, Jordan Abudayyeh…
This administration is committed to lifting up working families during this crisis. IDES is working around the clock to handle the unprecedented volumes of claims and improvements have been made while the office continues to work through the historic number of claims. The CARES Act created a brand new program for workers who have never participated in the unemployment insurance system. The state has contracted with a vendor to get that new program up and running as soon as possible. If lawmakers have ideas on how to improve the process or expand resources for working families even further we’re happy to work with them.
* Related…
* Wanted urgently: People who know a half century-old computer language so states can process unemployment claims
…Adding… From the ILGOP…
This response from Governor Pritzker to criticism for the failures of our unemployment claim system is unacceptable. This is understandably an unprecedented time with major strain on our state agency processing unemployment benefits that help struggling families. First it became clear Illinois is falling behind other states in testing. We can’t afford to fail to provide struggling workers with the help they need to survive. The Governor’s response to reasonable questions amounts to “we are doing the best we can” and if lawmakers have better ideas, “you can do the job.” It is an abdication of leadership to shove responsibility for needed solutions for HIS state agency onto state lawmakers. Leaders lead; they don’t pass the buck when challenged. Governor, do better.
In contrast, here is how a couple Dem Governors are responding differently to the strain:
Cuomo (NY): “I apologize for the pain — it must be infuriating to deal with.”
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/cuomo-sorry-for-crashing-unemployment-website-deluged-with-3m-hits-in-5-days/2354582/
Newsome (CA): “We all have to do more and to do better.”
https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/california-falls-behind-paying-out-federal-unemployment-dollars/
And NY has found a creative way to deal with the claim load - partnered with Google for a new platform that is rolling out today, moving to a call center, and hiring hundreds of new workers to process claims. https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2020/04/09/unemployment-claims-ny-frustration-with-filing/2962500001/
The Strategic National Stockpile is nearly out of the N95 respirators, surgical masks, face, shields, gowns and other medical supplies desperately needed to protect front-line medical workers treating coronavirus patients.
The Department of Health and Human Services told The Associated Press Wednesday that the federal stockpile was in the process of deploying all remaining personal protective equipment in its inventory.
The HHS statement confirms federal documents released Wednesday by the House Oversight and Reform Committee showing that about 90% of the personal protective equipment in the stockpile has been distributed to state and local governments.
HHS spokeswoman Katie McKeogh said the remaining 10% will be kept in reserve to support federal response efforts. […]
Federal contracting records show HHS made an initial bulk order of N95 masks on March 12, followed by larger orders on March 21. But those contracts won’t yield big deliveries to the national stockpile until the end of April, after the White House has projected the pandemic will reach its peak.
* First, the federal government strictly limited the number of tests at first responder and medical worker drive-through sites to no more than 250 per day. And now this…
Some local officials are disappointed the federal government will end funding for coronavirus testing sites this Friday. In a few places those sites will close as a result. This as criticism continues that not enough testing is available. […]
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tells NPR, “Many of the Community-Based Testing Sites (CBTS) are not closing, but rather transitioning to state-managed sites on or about April 10.”
The agency and a spokesperson for FEMA say the CBTS program originally included 41 sites. It was intended as a stop-gap to bring testing to critical locations, especially for health care facility workers and first responders.
“The transition will ensure each state has the flexibility and autonomy to manage and operate testing sites within the needs of their specific community and to prioritize resources where they are needed the most,” the HHS spokesperson said.
It often feels like we are living through a worst-case scenario.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Congressmen Darin LaHood (IL-18) and Rodney Davis (IL-13) today announced that the federal government will extend their funding and support for the McLean County COVID—19 testing facility. Congressman LaHood and Davis released the following joint statement after their visit today at the site.
“Today, we are pleased join federal, state, and local officials in McLean County to announce that the federal government will extend their support and funding for the COVID—19 testing facility at the McLean County Fairgrounds,” said the Congressmen. “The coronavirus pandemic calls on each of us to put aside our political differences and work together to overcome this health and economic crisis. We are pleased that the federal government moved swiftly to expand their support Illinois’ testing ability.
“We also want thank the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, Brig. Gen. Richard Neely, his servicemen and women, and the McLean County Health Department for their tireless work to keep this site running and our community safe. In Congress, we’ll continue to work with our colleagues and the White House in a bipartisan manner to support the McLean County testing site and Illinois’ response.”
The surge of job losses continued last week with 6.6 million Americans applying for unemployment benefits, the Labor Department said Thursday.
More than 17 million new jobless claims have been filed in the past four weeks, a rapid and unprecedented escalation in unemployment in the United States since the week that President Trump declared a national emergency because of the novel coronavirus.
The 17 million figure includes new reporting from the Labor Department that even more people filed for unemployment in the prior week, pushing the jobless claims up during the week ending March 28 to a record 6.9 million, up from 6.6 million.
With astonishing swiftness, the pandemic has shut down both longstanding and new businesses, leaving veteran workers and recent hires in nearly every type of industry without a paycheck. In just three weeks, more than 16 million Americans have lost their jobs — more losses than the most recent recession produced over two years. […]
Given the current information, though, several economists expect that by the end of the month more than 20 million people will have been thrown out of work, pushing the unemployment rate toward 15 percent. In February, it was 3.5 percent, a result of 113 straight months of job growth.
* Fascinating…
My latest with @qdbui for @UpshotNYT: The usual economic indicators can't keep up when the economy is shifting this fast. So we turn to electricity data which suggests the economy has sunk further over the past 3 weeks than over the entire Great Recession.https://t.co/RXjUEUZvlOpic.twitter.com/ltG9yPPzEo
The U.S.Department of Labor estimates 200,940 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of March 30 in Illinois.
While this number is based on advanced estimates, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) will be releasing a final number later Thursday.
Last week, the IDES said unemployment claims for the week of March 23 totaled 178,421.
* Sorry for the quality of this copy, but it’s been confirmed by the administration. Click the pic for a larger image and I’ll try to get a better version…
Murray is in Centralia, in southern Illinois. Click here for more info on the facility.
No Illinois health facility has more cases of COVID-19 than the Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee. Wednesday there were 50 residents and 19 staff members with confirmed cases for a total of 69 cases. The total number of cases in all of Kankakee County had reached 150, meaning the Shapiro Center makes up 46% of the cases. […]
The next biggest cluster of cases is 29 at the Ludeman Developmental Center in Park Ridge.
Because so many staff members are sick, all time off has been canceled. The state health department has staff dedicated to rumor control online to prevent misinformation on social media.
This is a nightmare.
…Adding… Press release…
Statement from IARF President & CEO Josh Evans: Confirmed Cases of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities in Community Residences and State Centers
“It is with deep sadness and concern that we continue to learn of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in group homes and state centers where individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities reside. With at least 47 known cases in group homes and five deaths – and with news of over a dozen residents of Murray Center - we grieve with families and guardians that are experiencing loss and we hope for a speedy recovery for those going through this horrible illness.”
“Services and supports for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities make effective use of social distancing impossible. Frontline staff are needed for activities of daily living, administering medications, and a myriad of supports to help individuals with disabilities have a meaningful day, yet be healthy and safe during this pandemic. Yet for many staff in IARF provider agencies and state-run centers, there isn’t access to critically needed personal protective equipment (PPEs), such as masks, disinfectant, thermometers, and robes. We simply cannot get PPE in the quantity we need it to protect residents and staff.”
“While we may never be able to quantify, the Association believes the Department of Human Services – specifically the Division of Developmental Disabilities, took quick action that has reduced the spread of the coronavirus and has saved lives. The community service array has received information, guidance, and resources it needs to protect the health and safety of residents and the staff that serve and support them. IARF is proud of the leadership exhibited by this Administration.”
“However, despite best preparations, the spread of the coronavirus will continue unless disability and behavioral health service providers and state centers have access to PPE to mitigate that spread. Consider this a call to anyone reading this – in government, outside of government, in supply chains, in our healthcare and social services safety net with any sort of surplus or reserve – we need PPE – we need it to protect our friends and loved ones with developmental disabilities, and the staff that support them – with families of their own. My team and I will do what we can to connect you with service providers in your communities. Please help.
* From today’s press conference, here’s IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike…
Using the information that we have, we can still track our rate of rise. And so with the decrease in the rate of rise, with it not looking exponential, with it looking more linear, that just means that there’s a slower rate of increase. So we are confident with our team of epidemiologists that that is what we’re seeing, thus far.
So we’re with guarded optimism, we’re hoping that we’re getting close to either the peak or the plateau. It’s not clear yet how long that would be. Again, it’s really hard to start making specific days like we’re X number of days from the peak. But we think we’re heading in that direction. And we will continue to follow the data and give you more as we get it.
A plateau would be horrible, so stay inside. And please wear a mask and gloves if you absolutely must venture forth. Keep washing your hands. Don’t let a little good news allow you to start coasting. The coming days are absolutely critical to starve this virus of its food (people).
One of the most important distinctions between linear and exponential functions is how (and how quickly) they increase or decrease. Linear functions increase proportionally; an increase in x has a corresponding additive increase in y. Exponential functions, however, increase exponentially; that is, an increase in x has a corresponding multiplicative increase in y.
If you talk to Dr Ezike, you’ll see that early on in the development of COVID-19 in Illinois, there was a coefficient that was like three and a half people were getting infected for every one person that you could detect. And it’s much lower now, and again, it’s not an exact science that number, but we are seeing a change in those numbers and it has directly to do with the orders that we put in place people staying at home. People washing their hands people doing the right thing people wearing masks. These all have an effect on the infection rate in the state
Folks I promised you honesty and transparency in every step of our COVID-19 response. So here it is. We have only just recently surpassed 6000 tests [per day], and we will not reach the 10,000 mark this week.
As always, please pardon all transcription typos.
* More…
Today I’m going to lay out exactly why that is, the work that’s been done to increase testing over the past 10 days and what we plan to do to get to our goal as quickly as possible.
10 days ago I presented a roadmap showing how we were going to get to our goal within 10 days. The path that I laid out for you had as its key element the addition of new laboratory automation machines to add a multi thousand unit daily increase to our state labs. To get this done we partnered with a major supplier of molecular testing equipment Thermo Fisher, which is a global provider of COVID-19 testing solutions to state and commercial laboratories. Thermo Fisher like many companies provides testing processes that are regulated by the FDA and are authorized under an emergency use authorization to provide COVID-19 testing to customers like the state of Illinois.
So we acquired five high volume RNA extractors from Thermo Fisher, each of which promise to run 200 tests per hour. And we distributed those five machines across our three state laboratories. Some quick math will tell you that these extractors could increase our testing output by thousands per day when running effectively. Over the past 10 days working alongside experts from Thermo Fisher. We are still not getting the level of output that we want to see from these machines.
More importantly, these tests are not producing valid results in a way that meets our exacting standards. I am as impatient as the rest of you are wanting to increase testing, but I will not sacrifice accuracy for the sake of speed. These tests, and the results they will provide are too important. We have to get this right.
* More…
We’re working around the clock alongside Thermo Fisher to accomplish our goal, but until these challenges are overcome these machines will not be part of our testing capacity here in Illinois. 10 days ago I said to you every day we aren’t hitting 10,000 tests or more is another day that we’re not able to get the answer is that help us get past the current crisis. So today I’m standing in front of you and saying we are not there yet.
* What about private labs?…
Folks, I want to be clear, with all of you that we are choosing the best path, but not necessarily the easiest path. If we wanted to choose an easy but less effective path. We could increase testing capacity through private labs used by the federal government. The problem is those labs take seven to 10 days to produce a result. People can end up on a ventilator before they ever get their testing result. That’s just not a timeline that I want to bet on. When we produce accurate test results at our own state labs or at local hospitals we get results within two days.
No matter how much is beyond our control the buck stops with me. And we are still not where we need to be on the testing front.
* Battle plan…
So here’s what we’re going to do. Instead of solely relying on federally sanctioned labs to save us, we’re charting our own path forward. I’m putting my faith in the scientists and technicians, the academics and innovators here in Illinois, to expand our test results. Our state is nationally and globally competitive in just about every category of research science and technology.
We’ve already relied upon those resources in our fight against COVID-19. Illinois was the first state in the nation to validate the original CDC COVID-19 test back in February. In the United States, only the CDC has been testing for COVID-19 longer than the state of Illinois and teams at universities and research laboratories statewide are already working toward treatments, preventions and cures. We’ve already led the way on state level testing innovation in the United States, and we’re going to do it again.
Our researchers are working in an expedited fashion to get this additional new testing up and running as soon as possible and distributing it to other institutions beyond our state labs that have our same type of equipment to continue increasing capacity statewide. To ensure a steady stream of supplies are in state universities and local laboratories are creating our own raw materials, instead of relying upon the global supply chain, which is frankly in disarray, our institutions are developing and distributing their own viral transport medium, known as VTM, and the necessary reagent locally. Hospitals and labs in Illinois that are running low on VTM will be able to access these resources through their local emergency management agency’s resource request systems.
We’re now running three shifts at one of our state labs, with the other two moving to match their capacity soon. And more than 96 locations across the state are now collecting specimens, this capacity has brought us the increase that we have already achieved. Today we surpassed 6000 tests in a 24 hour period.
We also need to talk about rapid tests, as I’ve told you I spoke directly with the President and the CEO of Abbott Labs, the night that they announced their portable five minute rapid test for COVID-19, and they expressed their genuine interest in taking care of their home state. And for that I am very grateful.
They dedicated the supplies to support more than 88,000 tests, a month or around 3000 tests, a day here in Illinois and we’ve seen the documentation as to where the distributions of those items are headed. Unfortunately, it is our understanding now that the federal government redirected most of these early tests to private systems without our state input about where the tests would make the most impact. That said, we believe this new test capacity will begin to show up in our numbers. As soon as these labs start to utilize their full capacity.
Our teams in our state labs also received 15 Abbott, Id now machines from the federal government, for which we’re very grateful. And those machines are being distributed to every state in the United States, 15 machines. This could be a huge help. But there’s a catch. The federal government included only 120 total tests. That’s eight tests per machine for all of Illinois. But I assure you that we will leave no stone unturned to get the tests that we need to run those machines at full bore.
I lay out these obstacles not to complain or to point fingers but to be fully transparent with all of you. As to the challenges that we face and how we are working to overcome them. It’s on us. I’m also hopeful that this transparency will shine a light on some of what’s taking place across the country and will encourage the White House to remove the obstacles that are blocking our path forward and to work together. Meanwhile, we are using every resource at the state level to increase testing and are continuing to make progress, though frankly not at the rate that I would like.
* Fundraising announcement…
Two weeks back we announced multimillion dollar Illinois COVID-19 response fund to support community organizations and local nonprofits around the state, working to support the residents who were hit hardest by COVID-19. This morning the fund announced its first round of grant distributions $5.5 million to 30 organizations that serve families across 96% of our state’s population by providing people with access to food, shelter health care help with their mortgage and utilities and focusing, especially on supporting vulnerable populations, like our children, our seniors those with disabilities, immigrants victims of domestic violence and others in some of these organizations serve more than 700,000 people. In just the last few weeks the fund has raised more than $28 million from nearly 2000 donors, and many more rounds of funding will be coming soon.
* Richard Neely, Adjutant General, Illinois National Guard…
Today I’m happy to announce that the Illinois Air National Guard will have two C-130 cargo aircraft from the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria move 250 negative pressurized tents from Eugene Oregon to Chicago this evening. … This will be the first of three deliveries over the next few weeks as the Army Corps of Engineers in almost construction complete the build out the McCormick center
* On to questions for the governor. There is some discussion today that the CDC is considering changing its guidelines for self isolation, making it easier for those who have been exposed to return to work if they are asymptomatic. What is your take on that?…
This is an important development. First of all, it’s taken weeks and weeks for a determination to be made and the CDC is acknowledging it now, that if you’ve had COVID-19, there is a high likelihood that you are immune from getting it again. Unless it mutates or there’s some other development of it. COVID-19 once you’ve had it, you cannot get it again that’s the acknowledgement I think that the CDC is making here, so that’s good news, in many ways, at least for people who had COVID-19, and have recovered, that they are not under the same restrictions and guidelines that others who haven’t had it yet, are now.
What we don’t know and I need to read more about what the CDC may be saying about it, is whether someone who has had it can also somehow on their clothing or in other ways carry the virus with them. Right, so even if somebody is immune from it. Is there any way for them to carry the virus with them, I do not know the answer, and I can let Dr. Ezike answer if she does. But I can just tell you that we look very much at this research we’ve been looking at it for four weeks now, that this will help us going forward with the restarting of the economy. […]
So we’re going to look very much at how we would accomplish what they’re suggesting you know because it’s very hard to just look at somebody and know whether they’ve had the test, or they don’t haven’t had the test you can’t tell the difference with somebody. So how would we identify somebody who has had COVID-19 recovered rather not the test, but had COVID-19 and recovered, they would only be if they had a test and some showing that they’re immune.
* Mayor Lightfoot has stopped liquor sales after 9 pm. Could you imagine that statewide as well?…
I think that’s up to local mayors and local city governments and county governments to make the decision
* Why do you need pressurized tents for McCormick Place when it was not intended for very sick people?…
Well, the hope is not, but you want to be prepared and so the idea is to have an area for patients that, who come in their cars with COVID positive, but hopefully at a low level low acuity right and unfortunately some of them will increase the intensity of the seriousness of the effects of COVID-19.
* Dr Ezike on the exponential growth, you said seems to be slowing. Where does this suggest we are in terms of the peak, and also how can we be sure if we’re not testing the 10,000 per day?…
Using the information that we have, we can still track our rate of rise and so with the decrease in the rate of rise, with it not looking exponential, with it looking more linear, that just means that there’s a slower rate of increase and so we are confident with our team of epidemiologists that that is what we’re seeing, thus far. So we’re with guarded optimism we’re hoping that we’re getting close to either the peak or the plateau. It’s not clear yet how long that would be, again, it’s really hard to start making specific days like we’re X number of days from the peak but we think we’re heading in that direction. And we will continue to follow the data and give you more as we get it.
* For Dr. Ezike. Up until yesterday, IDPH, the data on the test was reported as number of people test it. Now, it’s number of tests. So which is it and why is there a change is it true that sometimes multiple tests are needed to get a result?…
so if you recall when we used to talk about the specimens tested we know that we used to take a nasal swab like we had an MP nasal pharyngeal swab and oropharyngeal swab so sometimes people had up to three different swabs from the same patient. We have now switched to doing single swabs. So I think there’s, depending on which data you’re looking at you have to correct for, there may be multiple swabs for an individual. And so I think that’s why the correction was the most part it is one specimen, for one test now because the guidance has changed.
Pritzker on the subject…
You know, a lot of the things that you were measuring a month ago are different now because the CDC has given different and new guidance for the FDA. And so, it used to be multiple swabs for a single person, almost three I think at the beginning, and now it’s really more like one to one
* For Dr. Ezike: Are Illinois hospitals still allowing family members to accompany a woman in labor and what are the guidelines?…
Yeah, so I’ve been following that and it’s not consistent it’s not a single rule for all hospitals. I know that in some hospitals, they are allowing the partner or the coach to be there for the actual labor, but not for any additional time again, understanding the situation we’re in. But knowing that people coming from the outside can bring you know the virus into the hospital. So I know that some hospitals were allowing just the one partner or coach to assist with the actual labor, but not outside of that. And there may have been some other place some other hospitals where that even one person wasn’t allowed so I know that there’s not consistency
* In Los Angeles, the mayor has ordered if you’re at a retail store wear masks. Is that a good idea?…
It is a good idea. It is a good idea when you go out and we haven’t ordered it but but as you’ve said I’ve every day, you know, I wear my own mask when I go outside. If I’m going to a store or any other place I would wear a mask. I would suggest that for everybody. I’ve seen a lot of people doing just that which is terrific.
* You’ve talked with about the wild west of securing PPE outside the government, but what is it like working with the feds is it organized and or do you feel like you’re getting the runaround?…
Sure, it’s a great question because you know when you say the feds when someone asked the question about working with the federal government, there are so many different parts of the federal government. You know when you’re talking to the Army Corps of Engineers. This is a highly organized, highly effective organization they deliver when they have promised things, they’ve delivered. It’s really quite amazing.
And it you know when you talk about kind of the more political branches right like the White House, it’s less the case, you’ve heard me say before. It is often difficult when people are promising things and then they don’t get delivered. And whose fault is it I mean if someone makes you a promise but it’s supposed to be delivered by somebody else were in the executive chain of command. Did that fall down? I don’t know. What I know is a promise was made, and then it wasn’t delivered. But I will tell you that every time I have interacted with people on the ground who come from the federal government, who are working hard, you know, for Illinois, I mean I’ve been really amazed at what they’re doing for us.
* Governor on the rate of infection growth…
Early on in the development of COVID-19 in Illinois, there was a coefficient that was like three and a half people were getting infected for every one person that you could detect. And it’s much lower now, and again, it’s not an exact science that number, but we are seeing a change in those numbers and it has directly to do with the orders that we put in place people staying at home. People washing their hands people doing the right thing people wearing masks. These all have an effect on the infection rate in the state.
* For Dr. Ezike: It seems likely that downstate Illinois will see cases peak sometime later than the Chicago area. To what extent are rural critical access hospitals prepared for the increased volume of cases they’re likely to see?…
So we know that there’s the population density of is, will affect the rate of spread. But we also know that they have a shortage of hospitals and beds there so we’re keeping a close eye on that as we look right now I think our hotspot is more Northern Illinois and regions seven through 11, but we’re keeping an eye on all the beds the ICU, the ventilators and the availability of those, and we potentially will have to do some moving of things but we are also looking at what the needs will be there and if we need to create some of these additional alternate care facilities in some other regions like we will be looking at that so we monitor all of these numbers through our m resource multiple times a day, and we’ll be keeping up with what’s going on in the southern region as well.
* Governor, how do you feel when you see shops and restaurants closed, maybe forever because of your decision?…
It’s devastating. It’s devastating for the people who have closed their businesses, it’s devastating for the people who worked at those businesses.
I hope that those shops will not close forever. I hope that the small business loans that we’re offering in the state of Illinois, the small business support that’s coming from the federal government will allow those businesses to survive to reopen when it’s time.
We’re doing our best I am lobbying, I mean every day I’m talking to federal officials federal elected officials to get them to do something in a stimulus fashion. There’s going to be another CARES act I’m told to expand support for small businesses as well as for individuals across the country. And so we want to do everything we can to help those people.
But if you want to know how it makes me feel, I know how hard it is to start a business, and to make it initially successful. Many small businesses get started, don’t go over, they don’t get very far. The ones that do survive by working 18 hours a day, seven days a week, sometimes to make it, and when they finally make it, I mean the idea that a virus is going to devastate your business not something anybody could ever have imagined. But here we are, and we’ve got to stop the spread of this virus we’ve got to save lives, so we can save livelihoods.
* Canada radically streamlined applying for unemployment insurance by choosing to detect for fraud and errors after processing the application. Folks are applying in three minutes and getting direct deposits in three days. Could Illinois do something like this?…
In fact, we have streamlined that we’ve taken away the obstacles. There had been a number of checks that somebody would have to go through before getting their unemployment insurance the card and. And we’ve actually reduced the numbers of those checks so that people could get approved much faster.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,529 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 82 additional deaths.
Boone County: 1 female 80s
Cook County: 1 male 30s, 4 males 40s, 2 females 50s, 8 males 50s, 2 females 60s, 7 males 60s, 12 females 70s, 7 males 70s, 4 females 80s, 10 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 2 males 90s
DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s,
Kane County: 1 male 60s
Lake County: 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s
Macon County: 1 male 80s
Madison County: 1 female 60s
McHenry County: 1 male 70s
St. Clair County: 1 male 70s
Tazewell County: 1 female 80s
Will County: 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 2 males 70s, 2 females 80s
Stark county is now reporting a case. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 15,078 cases, including 462 deaths, in 78 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
The night before a funeral in February, a Chicago man shared a three-hour takeout meal with two family members of the deceased. The next day, at the service, he took part in a potluck dinner, hugging those in mourning. In the following days, he swung by a birthday party.
Throughout these simple, seemingly innocuous encounters, the man had mild symptoms of what authorities now know to be the novel coronavirus, and health officials believe he may have been a so-called super-spreader who unwittingly transmitted the infection to as many as 16 people, resulting in three deaths.
The account of community spread in an Illinois cluster is the product of an investigation conducted in February and March by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Chicago Department of Public Health. It shows how easily the virus can be transmitted, even with limited contact—and provides a cautionary tale for Americans thinking of breaking social-distancing guidelines. […]
Super-spreaders—or patients who are extra contagious—have become a notable feature of the virus. Experts have pointed to cases like that of a lawyer in New Rochelle, New York who may have helped trigger an outbreak there, and a man in the United Kingdom who may have transmitted the virus to nearly a dozen people before realizing he was sick earlier this year.
This cluster comprised 16 cases of COVID-19 (seven confirmed and nine probable), with transmission mostly occurring between nonhousehold contacts at family gatherings. The median interval from last contact with a patient with confirmed or probable COVID-19 to first symptom onset was 4 days. Within 3 weeks after mild respiratory symptoms were noted in the index patient, 15 other persons were likely infected with SARS-CoV-2, including three who died. Patient A1.1, the index patient, was apparently able to transmit infection to 10 other persons, despite having no household contacts and experiencing only mild symptoms for which medical care was not sought.
As part of a state’s unemployment insurance system, work-share programs (also called “short-time compensation programs”) allow employers to temporarily reduce the hours of their workers during economic downturns as an alternative to laying them off altogether. For example, an employer might reduce the work hours of the entire workforce by 20 percent, from five days per week to four days per week, instead of laying off 20 percent of the workforce. Workers in the firms that participate in work-share programs receive partial unemployment insurance benefits to supplement the lost earnings from their reduced hours. By allowing full-time employees’ hours to be reduced in lieu of layoffs, work-share programs ensure businesses can retain skilled workers until economic conditions improve, enable workers to keep their jobs and collect reduced unemployment benefits, and reduce both unemployment rates and full unemployment insurance payments for states.
Sounds like a good idea. And 29 states and the District of Columbia have work-share programs, including Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
* Illinois actually has a work-share law on the books. From 2015…
It took a year to do it, but the Illinois Legislature unanimously passed a bill designed to prevent layoffs by providing partial compensation for employees who lose work hours.
Gov. Pat Quinn on Dec. 23 signed the “shared work benefits” bill, which was passed in April by the House and agreed to in November by the Senate.
While its passage drew support from the labor movement and the business community, the program was never fully implemented because the Illinois Department of Employment Security did not issue rules during the Rauner Administration.
Researchers estimate it could prevent up to 124,000 coronavirus layoffs in Illinois, not to mention saving the state’s unemployment insurance fund $1.1 billion.
“Under the $2-trillion dollar coronavirus relief package, the federal government is, with some stipulation, fully reimbursing states for their workshare program. So it is free money for the 29 states that currently have these 29 programs,” said Frank Manzo of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. […]
A spokeswoman for the governor said Pritzker “would definitely look into” the “Work Share” program.
I am deeply concerned that our Governor and Democrats in Springfield are bungling our state response to COVID-19. The most important thing that we seem to be lacking is regular and accurate updates about the number of cases we are dealing with and this needs to be fixed now! pic.twitter.com/msg3iVydOR
Whether or not the administration is bungling its response is beside the point. If she wants regular updates about case numbers, then she should just click here.
IDPH updates testing, case numbers and deaths every day. You can see case and death results by county, race and gender. There’s even a Zip Code lookup for cases and a timeline graph that displays tests, cases and deaths.
(T)he spring session is set to adjourn May 31. If they decide to hold a June session, bills would require a three-fifths vote to pass rather than a simple majority.
While it’s all up in the air, lawmakers are planning for a possible June session.
“That makes the most sense at this moment,” Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, said about a June session.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will self-isolate until the end of the day Friday, after a member of her security detail tested positive for COVID-19, she announced Wednesday morning.
Preckwinkle said she has no signs or symptoms of the coronavirus, and is moving into isolation only out of an abundance of caution.
To work, they must be worn tight. Within 20 minutes, the straps pinch your ears and the mask starts digging into your nose.
The masks need a tight seal to keep the coronavirus out. Doctors and nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital test their masks by reading aloud while saccharine is sprayed in their faces. If they taste sweetness through the mask, they’re dead — or they might be, if that mist were coronavirus droplets instead. Stubble on men can also throw off a mask’s fit.
Add goggles and gloves and hairnets and protective body coverings, then start treating a patient.
”It gets hot, it gets a little claustrophobic,” said Kimberly Lipetzky, a nurse at Mount Sinai. “I had a couple codes, doing CPR in full gear. Your goggles fog, and you’re trying to navigate this situation while of course performing at peak ability.”
”After an hour it starts getting really uncomfortable,” said nurse Adam Garrison. “It feels like the bridge of your nose is going to disintegrate.”
Section 1. The provisions of the Township Code, 60 ILCS 1/30-5(a) and 30-5(b), requiring that each township’s annual township meeting for calendar year 2020 be held on either April 14, 2020 or April 21, 2020 are suspended through the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations.
Section 2: During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, section 10-35 of the Funeral Directors and Embalmers Licensing Code, 225 ILCS 41/10-35, stating that no license of a funeral director and embalmer intern shall be renewed more than twice, is suspended. Licensees must meet all other requirements for renewal as set forth by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Section 3: During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, sections 1-15 and 1-20 of the Funeral Directors and Embalmers Licensing Code, 225 ILCS 41/1-15 and 225 ILCS 41/1-20, requiring that the transportation of deceased human remains to a cemetery, crematory or other place of final disposition shall be under the immediate direct supervision of a licensee, are suspended as they pertain to licensed funeral director interns. Licensed funeral director interns must meet all other requirements as set forth by the Funeral Directors and Embalmers Licensing Code and its accompanying provisions at Title 68, Part 1250 of the Illinois Administrative Code, 68 IAC 1250.
Section 4: During the duration of and for sixty days following the termination of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, the definition of “child” under Section 2.01 of the Child Care Act of 1969, 225 ILCS 10/2.01, is suspended for the limited purpose of ensuring that persons in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services who are 18 years of age or older and are in a placement identified in the Child Care Act of 1969, are permitted to remain in their placement.
Section 5. During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, the requirement in the Health Care Worker Background Check Act, 225 ILCS 46/33(e), and the accompanying regulations, that designated students, applicants, and employees must have their fingerprints collected electronically and transmitted to the Illinois Department of State Police within 10 working days is suspended, provided that the fingerprints are transmitted within 30 working days of enrollment in a CNA training program or the start of employment.
On our Coronavirus Data page, you’ll find a collection of graphs, charts and maps tracing the spread of the virus, tracking test results and plotting the impact on individual counties. Check back daily for updated totals.
1 more chief judge’s office employee diagnosed with COVID-19
15th employee contracts COVID-19 at Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s office
* OSF HealthCare announces plans to furlough some employees amid coronavirus crisis: “Every health system in the country is experiencing the same sorts of downturns in revenue that we are. … We’re all having to take measures to secure our financial stability during this time of crisis,” Allen said in a video posted by OSF.
* Non-essential businesses in Champaign-Urbana violating “stay at home” order: Non-essential businesses from small boutiques to big box stores are still offering curb-side pick up for customers even weeks after the “stay at home” order was issued. Roberts says, “If you’re going to have other people come in to do curbside then that is violating the governor’s executive order.”
* Sangamon County changes COVID-19 reporting method; launching public service campaign: The Christian County sheriff’s office also reported that a part-time worker for Consolidated Correctional Food Service tested positive for the coronavirus and was receiving medical care. The worker had no symptoms when they were last at work more than a week ago. The company is on contract to provide food services for the county jail. The statement said company employees have been limited to no contact with sheriff’s office personnel. Their work was mostly in the basement kitchen and food storage area of the sheriff’s office.
* Robservations: Furloughs, wage cuts hit Cumulus Media Chicago stations: Me-TV FM, the Weigel Broadcasting soft-rock oldies station at WRME 87.7-FM, will provide the soundtrack for Chicago’s weekly mass singalongs during the COVID-19 shutdown. At 7 p.m. this Saturday, listeners are invited to sing along from porches, balconies and backyards to “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers, who died last week at 81.
Wednesday, Apr 8, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Leadership counts more than ever. Every voter’s voice is at risk if nothing is done to improve the remap process before May 3. Failure to improve redistricting will leave communities un- or under-represented.
CHANGE Illinois is proud to work with these organizations, and many others, in the Illinois Redistricting Collaborative.These are just some of the dozens of groups that have endorsed the Fair Maps Amendment (SJRCA18/HJRCA 41):
● Asian-Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago
● Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
● Chicago Urban League
● Chicago Votes
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● Indivisible Chicago
● John Howard Association
● Latino Policy Forum
● League of Women Voters Illinois
● Mujeres Latinas en Accion
● NAACP Chicago – South Side Branch
● National Rainbow PUSH Coalition
● Workers Center for Racial Justice
The Illinois Redistricting Collaborative includes 33 organizations fighting for a fair and equitable redistricting process. Gerrymandering is voter suppression. It needs to stop.
Lawmakers can stand with Illinois voters and our diverse, statewide coalition by sponsoring HJRCA41 and SJRCA18 and by calling on leadership to allow votes. Together, we can bring equity to Illinois representation.
Presidents of Illinois’ public universities sent the following letter to the state’s congressional delegation Tuesday, seeking additional relief from increasing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dear Senator/Representative:
We write on behalf of Illinois’ public universities to ask for your continued support—and additional federal resources—as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With over 180,000 students, more than 48,000 employees and a collective economic impact of greater than $21 billion, our institutions have a crucial role to play in helping Illinois manage and recover from this grave challenge. Over the past several weeks, we have taken unprecedented steps to safeguard the health, well-being and education of our students while maintaining our commitments to our employees and to the communities we serve. These measures have taken a significant financial toll, including:
Refunds for room and board;
Costs of transitioning to online education and telework;
Expenses associated with mitigating and remediating the impact of COVID-19, including assisting relief and response efforts, cleaning our campuses, and safely ramping down research activities;
Lost revenues from cancelled programs and events, closed facilities and delayed grants.
We are grateful for the support Congress has provided to date, particularly the assistance for students, institutions and student loan borrowers included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted March 27. As Congress crafts further legislation responding to the crisis, however, additional relief is urgently needed.
In particular, while the CARES Act included roughly $14 billion for grants directly to institutions of higher education nationwide, that is roughly a quarter of the funding that the higher education community had requested. Collectively, our institutions stand to receive approximately $140 million in direct grants under the CARES Act, at least half of which will be passed on to students for emergency financial aid grants. These institutional funds are welcome, but they do not cover the expenses and revenue losses we have incurred to date, which we estimate at approximately $224 million, let alone the additional costs and losses we expect in the coming weeks and months. Accordingly, we support the request made by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities that Congress provide an additional $47 billion in emergency funding for students and institutions of higher education.
We also ask that Congress provide public institutions with the same assistance that private employers are receiving to pay for the expanded employee paid sick leave and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), enacted March 18. We estimate that our universities will expend approximately $195 million to comply with these new requirements. While private employers will receive refundable tax credits to offset the costs of these benefits, FFCRA excluded public employers from eligibility.
We thank you for all that you are doing during this challenging time, and appreciate you considering this urgent request for assistance.
Chicago’s forgotten army of 2,000 refuse collection workers are picking up 50 percent more garbage during the statewide, stay-at-home order — but without the masks distributed to other front-line workers, according to their union leader.
Steve Marcucci, vice-president of Laborers Local 1001, said his members are working harder than ever to keep the city clean and prevent the sheer volume of garbage from piling up in alleys, triggering an explosion in the city’s rat population. […]
“I’m not aware that the sanitation workers aren’t being equipped [with masks]. That’s something we’ll look into. … We’re going to make sure they’re protected,” the mayor said. […]
“Employees are permitted to use cloth face coverings while at work unless the use of such cloth face covering would pose a health or safety risk to the employee. The use of cloth face coverings by employees is voluntary,” [Streets and Sanitation spokesperson Christina Villarreal] wrote.
Cloth face coverings help prevent people from spraying other people with infected droplets. They’ll help, but that’s not really the issue here. The problem is the workers are handling a whole lot of refuse that could be infected.
The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces, according to a new study from National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University scientists in The New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.
Better masks could help, so it should at least be looked into. That cold bureaucratic response from Streets and San was uncalled for.
If you’re still going in to work, please tell the rest of us about your experiences in comments. Thanks.
* Another effort by elements of the far right to sow doubt…
That's incomplete and not often enough. We need to see it by region, which he clearly has but is withholding. He gets all the info every morning at 10am and there is no reason to hide it or present it selectively as he did today.
The second image in press release is ICU only. Why? Because that's where things are indeed tight (though fixable). He omitted broader regionalized hospitalization data because there is excess. He is playing games by selectively releasing partial data — and getting away with it.
Pritzker said regular beds can be converted to ICU-like bed with a little effort. If no regular bed shortage why is he demanding huge additional fed help for more regular beds? And why is he demanding PPE sufficient to cover all regular bed even though not needed?
Because, first thing you need is a negative pressure room. You can't just convert any room into an ICU for COVID patients. And then you need the equipment (including ventilators, heart and oxygen monitors) to fill it. It can be done, but it is not done with "a little effort"
Yes, I'm well aware of those stories. But, again, not every hospital bed can be converted to an ICU. And, who says they're not adding ICUs? You're jumping all over the place. Focus, Amanda, focus.
His whole point appears to be that some hospitals aren’t overwhelmed. OK, but nobody has ever once claimed otherwise. And he never did get back to me with an exact quote or a link to Pritzker’s alleged claim that hospital beds can be converted to ICUs “with a little effort.”
* From Pritzker’s press secretary Jordan Abudayyeh…
Wirepoints gets the privilege of being able to sleep at night without having to wonder if you did enough to save the people whose deaths you had to announce that day. And he gets to go to sleep without worrying what tomorrow’s body count will be and if in few weeks we will have enough space to treat everyone who depends on us. That must be very peaceful.
Clearly I struck a nerve today with our thin-skinned Governor. He singled me out in one of his low information pressers today for writing an article that demanded some measures of accountability.
How dare his subjects question anything.
This is what is so dangerous with these people. If you dare to question them, they will misrepresent you and accuse you of promoting policies that will “let people die.”
What a bunch of sick, dishonest and unaccountable group of people.
He didn’t single anyone out. He answered a reporter’s question that was specifically about Wilhour and didn’t so much as mention Wilhour’s name in response…
Reporter: How do you respond to Rep. Blaine Wilhour’s suggestion that the longer we’re quarantine that the more we delay herd immunity, which could ultimately lead to more people getting the virus?
Pritzker: Okay folks, let me just point out that Great Britain went by this theory that perhaps if we just let everybody get it then everybody will get hurt, we’ll have herd immunity faster, and everybody will be okay. Well guess what, if you let everybody have it all at once, which is what happens when you just let it go, you overwhelm your healthcare system and more people die. A lot of people can die. And so the suggestion that we should just let it happen so that the herd immunity occurs faster is an invitation for us to just let people die. And I won’t do that. I will not do that.
The Illinois comptroller’s office borrowed $105 million from various funds in March, in large part so it could make bigger-than-normal payments to hospitals as they brace for the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak later this month.
But Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is advising all state vendors that there will likely be payment delays in April, in part because the tax filing deadline for both state and federal taxes has been pushed back to July 15.
The inter-fund borrowing was noted last week in the state’s monthly revenue report from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. The comptroller’s office has authority to engage in such borrowing to meet short-term cash flow needs of the general revenue fund.
That report noted that total tax receipts in March, at $3.4 billion, was about what was expected, and 3.3 percent above the same month last year. But it also noted that the impact of the economic slowdown brought on by Gov. JB Pritzker’s stay-at-home order and closure of nonessential businesses had not yet shown up in the revenue numbers.
Some of that borrowed money was used to capture federal matches and contributed to a $145 million increase in federal revenue in March, according to COGFA.
* Excerpt from Mendoza’s statement issued last week…
State revenues, estimated at well over $1 billion, traditionally expected in the month of April due to increased seasonal income tax payment activity, will be delayed until at least July, given the extended tax payment deadlines announced by both the state and federal governments.
In addition to the deferred revenues from the filing extension, it has not yet been determined what additional negative fiscal impact reduced economic activity related to this pandemic will have on our state revenues going forward.
The most immediate priority today, and in the coming weeks, will be emergency funding for critical medical equipment and services necessary to combat the COVID-19 coronavirus on the front lines. While our immediate priority is to provide funding necessary to fight the pandemic and save lives, the core priorities of the IOC remain the same.
Healthcare, debt service, K-12 funding, state payrolls, and required pension payments will continue to be made, and the state’s most vulnerable citizens’ urgent needs will continue to be served.
As in past times of budgetary difficulties, the predictability and the timing of specific payments may be uncertain, but the provider and vendor community can be assured that, as in the past, all state payments will eventually be made, and all state commitments will be honored.
Given this reality, the IOC asks for understanding and patience as we address the impact from this pandemic, while continuing to manage an existing state bill backlog of over $7 billion.
In the U.S., an estimated 30 million people live with kidney disease, meaning one in three adults is at risk. In Illinois, some 30,000 people suffer from kidney disease.
The Illinois Kidney Care Alliance (IKCA) is proud to have Associates in Nephrology (AIN) as a member. Since 1971, AIN has tended to the needs of patients with kidney disease throughout the Chicagoland area. With more than 40 Nephrologists, AIN offers treatments for chronic kidney disease, assessments of kidney function, and dialysis.
The Illinois Kidney Care Alliance consists of community groups, advocates, health professionals, and businesses from across Illinois striving to educate the public about the challenges people with kidney disease experience every day. IKCA is here to tell their story. For more information, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and visit our website.
* The University of Washington IHME’s COVID-19 model has been updated again. Now, this is just one forecaster and one projection, but we’ve been watching it fluctuate and the news seems encouraging for Illinois.
Right up front I need to point out two errors in the IHME database. The IHME has yesterday’s Illinois death toll as 1. It was actually an all-time high of 73. IMHE also has cumulative deaths yesterday at 308. It was actually 380. Somebody entered the wrong death report yesterday and that may have thrown off the entire projection.
So, take these numbers with a grain of salt until they fix those errors.
The latest projection, dated today, has the projected death toll at 1,588, with a range between 1,011 to 2,790.
In March, the IMHE projected 2,453 deaths in Illinois. That was revised upward to 3,386 on April 2nd and then 3,629 on April 5th.
Illinois’ peak resources day has been moved up to April 11, five days earlier than its last projection.
Illinois is now projected to experience a peak of 91 COVID-19 deaths on April 12th. That’s way down from the last projected peak of 208 deaths per day by the same date. But, again, those input errors may have thrown everything off.
IMHE is now projecting no statewide shortage of ICU beds. It had originally projected a shortage of 204.
Keep in mind, though, that the statewide numbers will not reflect the reality at individual hospitals. Some may be overwhelmed while others have more than enough.
John Prine, who for five decades wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots music, died Tuesday at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was 73. The cause was complications related to COVID-19, his family confirmed to Rolling Stone.
Prine, who left behind an extraordinary body of folk-country classics, was hospitalized last month after the sudden onset of COVID-19 symptoms, and was placed in intensive care for 13 days. Prine’s wife and manager, Fiona, announced on March 17th that she had tested positive for the virus after they had returned from a European tour.
Yeah I’m gonna smoke a cigarette that’s nine miles long
I still say that Wordslinger was right and Prine’s name should be carved into the State Library building with all the other Illinois literary greats. We’ll get to that after this crisis ends.
