* IMA President & CEO Mark Denzler on Facebook…
University of Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones reached out to me this afternoon with amazing news. The brilliant researchers and innovators at The Grainger College of Engineering and Carle Health have developed a prototype emergency ventilator.
The University of Illinois is a great member of the IMA and we’ve had a collaborative partnership.
The U of I and its Thomas M. Siebel Center for Computer Science, Applied Research Institute, The TEKMILL, and Creative Thermal Solutions, Inc. collaborated on this project.
The University of Illinois and Illinois Manufacturers’ Association are now working together to test with an ultimate goal of ramping up production.
Go Illini!
…Adding… More…
The Illinois RapidVent, as the emergency ventilator is known, would plug into the oxygen source available in most hospital rooms or could plug into a tank of oxygen. The prototype has run for more than 75 hours, which is more than 125,000 breathing cycles. Over this time, the device delivered the amount of oxygen necessary and the pressure that patients would need when they are unable to breathe well enough on their own. So far, focused testing in the laboratory shows that the device performs as well as commercial products, which are in very short supply. The U.S. is experiencing a massive shortage of ventilators — most acutely in New York — that numbers in the thousands.
The team is collaborating with doctors and medical professionals on an ongoing basis to refine the design and make usability improvements, based on an evaluation of about a half-dozen existing products. A prototype was created using high-end additive manufacturing equipment and then tested at the University of Illinois and at Champaign-based Creative Thermal Solutions. Team members are also addressing necessary institutional and regulatory approvals for using the emergency ventilator and ramping up animal testing.
And there’s even more here.
*** UPDATE *** Crain’s on a breakthrough by Abbott Labs…
The North Chicago medical device maker today announced the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has authorized the use of its new coronavirus test, which delivers positive results within five minutes and negative results within 13.
The test, which runs on an existing, portable Abbott platform, can be used in various health care settings, including urgent care clinics and emergency departments, according to a statement. The company says it will eventually be able to make 50,000 tests available per day.
11 Comments  
|
Oy
Friday, Mar 27, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oy…
Despite calls for more personal protective equipment and safer working conditions, the Illinois Nurses Association learned today that 12 Registered Nurses from the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago have tested positive for COVID-19.
“These nurses served patients on the front line of the fight to contain the coronavirus pandemic and risked their lives to make sure patients received proper care,” said Alice Johnson, INA Executive Director. “We hoped their hospital and their government would protect them, but they failed,” Johnson said.
Johnson stated that nurses have had to work on the COVID Care Unit without personal protective equipment.
“They do not know day to day if they will have masks, gowns, gloves or goggles for that shift. One nurse said their unit manager scolded them for wearing a mask in a room where a COVID19 positive patient was being intubated.”
* Oy…
Officials announced a plan Friday after the amount of detainees inside Cook County Jail with COVID-19 rose to 38.
With only two cases on Monday, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Sheriff Tom Dart are concerned at the rate of the spread.
Officials are still waiting on 123 tests to come back. Non-violent offenders will be released as soon as possible, officials said. Bonds may also be granted to those who are deemed unhealthy or too poor to post bail, according to Cook County Jail.
“I want to assure the public that everyone, everyone leaving the jail will be screened and given a temperature check to make sure they are not currently exhibiting any COVID-19 related symptoms,” Preckwinkle said.
* Oy…
A secretive cache of medical supplies to save Americans from deadly disasters for years lacked the funding to prepare for a pandemic as widespread as the coronavirus, former managers of the stockpile told USA TODAY.
Overseen by a cadre of scientists, disease specialists and others at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Strategic National Stockpile houses roughly $8 billion in inventory for rapid deployment to anywhere in the nation in under 12 hours.
But its inadequate supply of ventilators, respiratory masks and other personal protective equipment will leave critical shortages for U.S. hospitals scrambling to respond to the mounting coronavirus pandemic.
New York state requested 30,000 ventilators, and New York City alone asked for 15,000 of them, as well as for 3 million N95 masks. California has requested 10,000 ventilators and 20 million N95 masks.
The stockpile had just 16,600 of the breathing machines and an estimated 12 million N95 masks at the start of the pandemic – not enough for those two states, much less the rest of the country.
…Adding… Oy…
Lake County officials regret to announce that the first two Lake County residents have died from complications of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper said, “On March 24, 2020, at approximately 8 p.m., the Lake County Coroner’s Office was notified of the death of a male in his 50s at one of our local hospitals. He was tested for COVID-19 prior to his death, and last night the results confirmed that he was indeed COVID-19 positive. Today, at approximately 1:30 a.m., we were notified of the death of a woman in her 90s at another area hospital. She also tested positive for COVID-19.”
5 Comments
|
Please, don’t be a Covidiot
Friday, Mar 27, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* All of a sudden last night, this became a thing for certain elements of the far right…
* Look, I’d like to have the numbers, too, and I’ve asked for them. ProPublica is attempting to put together some data. But there are two things to consider here…
And…
The overall numbers track everywhere. So even without hospitalization numbers, we have a pretty good idea from looking at other countries and other states what they likely are here. In other words, despite what “Dr.” Glennon and his ilk say, we don’t actually need hospitalization numbers to see how bad things are.
What they instead appear to be doing is sowing doubt among the populace. There’s more than enough misinformation and panic out there already without trying to manufacture something out of thin air.
…Adding… Rep. Wilhour…
Rich:
The Governor has been very clear that the point of the preventative measures was to relieve pressure on the hospital system. Why would we not be specifically monitoring the pressure on the hospital system? How is that not extremely relevant? How can we make good decisions and properly allocate resources without knowing this? Yes, we need more data-the Governor has said this and I agree. Right now, there are only 2 data sets that are reliable: Deaths and Hospitalizations. I sure hope he has this information. He should be asked if he has it and if he has it, why not be transparent about it?
Serious legislators ask questions and demand all available data to ensure informed decisions are being made.
53 Comments
|
673 new cases, 7 new deaths
Thursday, Mar 26, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oy…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 673 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including seven deaths; a man in his 50s, two men and two women in their 60s, a man in his 70s, and a woman in her 90s. Approximately 87% of fatalities are among patient 60 years of age and older.
Franklin and Tazewell counties are now reporting cases. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 2,538 cases, including 26 deaths, in 37 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to 99 years.
Confirmed Cases by Race
White – 40%
Black – 28%
Other – 9%
Asian – 4%
Left blank – 19%
Confirmed Cases by Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino – 7%
Not Hispanic or Latino – 61%
Left blank – 32%
…Adding… Check out the graph. This is such bad news…
14 Comments
|
* NCSL…
The U.S. Senate approved an estimated $2 trillion stimulus package to battle the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, though concerns with the unemployment provisions remain. A few highlights of what’s included in the package:
• Creates a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund for state, local and tribal governments. See estimated state allocations courtesy of Federal Funds Information for States.
• Provides $30 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund for states, school districts and institutions of higher education for costs related to the coronavirus.
• Provides $45 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund for the immediate needs of state, local, tribal and territorial governments to protect citizens and help them respond and recover from the overwhelming effects of COVID-19.
• Provides $1.4 billion for deployments of the National Guard. This level of funding will sustain up to 20,000 members of the National Guard, under the direction of the governors of each state, for the next six months in order to support state and local response efforts.
• Provides an additional $4.3 billion, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to support federal, state and local public health agencies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.
• Extends the Oct. 30, 2020, Real ID implementation deadline to Sept. 30, 2021.
• Provides $25 billion for transit systems. These funds would be distributed through existing formulas including the Urbanized Area Formula Grants and Formula Grants for Rural Areas using fiscal year 2020 apportionment formulas.
• Provides $400 million in election security grants to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus in the 2020 federal election cycle. States must provide an accounting to the Election Assistance Commission of how the funds were spent within 20 days of any 2020 election.
• Expands unemployment insurance from three to four months, and provides temporary unemployment compensation of $600 per week, which is in addition to and the same time as regular state and federal UI benefits.
• Establishes a $500 billion lending fund for businesses, cities and states.
• Provides a $1,200 direct payment to many Americans and $500 for each dependent child.
And if you click that link, Illinois’ share of the $150 billion is $2.7 billion, with another $2.2 billion to local governments here. But that doesn’t include the other programs.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Here’s a breakdown from US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s office…
Breakdown of funds to IL for various key programs:
• Election Assistance ($400 million total): $13.9 million federal share + 5% state match ($695 thousand)= $14.6 million
• Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) Program ($850 million total): $31.9 million
• Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG): FY2020 Regular Appropriations ($189.5 million) + COVID Supplemental Appropriations ($117.5 million) = $307 million (an additional $117.5 million)
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): $17.8 million
• CDC Coronavirus State, Local, and Tribal Grant (Through the Public Health Emegrency Prpearedness Program) Awards: $16.3 million
• Emergency Solution Grants (ESG): $99 million
• Federal Transit Administation (FTA) Formula Distribution: $1.6 billion
• Housing Opportunities for Persons With Aids (HOPWA): $1.7 million
• Low Income Housing Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) Program: $13 million
• Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): $2.2 million
• National Endowment of the Arts (NEA): $528,000
• National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): $799,000
*** UPDATE 2 *** Chalkbeat has a good roundup of what schools can expect. Small excerpt…
Districts will be able to use their portion of the $13.5 billion on a wide variety of things, including:
• Supplies for cleaning and sanitizing schools and school district buildings
• Efforts to help students from low-income families, students with disabilities, English learners, “racial and ethnic minorities,” homeless students, and students in foster care
• Coordinating long-term school closures, including meals, technology, and serving students with disabilities
• Buying technology, including connectivity, to help students continue learning, including adaptive equipment for students with disabilities
• Items principals need “to address the needs of their individual schools”
• Mental health services
• Planning and providing in-person or online summer learning programs and after-school programs
• Continuing to provide district-level services and employ staffers
*** UPDATE 3 *** Good news, but let’s hope he also releases the money. New York and California complained yesterday about that very thing…
12 Comments
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
