* Gov. Pritzker talked about frontline state workers who cannot work from home today. Employees at DCFS, Veterans Affairs and IDHS were all singled out…
I want to express my gratitude to these state workers who have made public service their life’s work. They’re still doing their jobs every day, spending hours away from their own families to care for some of our most vulnerable residents. They are our heroes.
Please remember to excuse all typos.
* IDVA Director Chapa LaVia…
We are responding to a single positive case of an employee at our veterans’ home at Manteno, which is a standalone building on the Manteno property that provides housing and supportive services for our homeless veterans. The employee is home recovering. Our prayers are with them and their family.
* DCFS Director Smith…
Today, 88% of our DCFS workforce no longer report to an office. But even with that change, we are still providing the support that families and communities depend on.
I am proud to announce every call center worker at the abuse and neglect hotline, for the past two weeks, every call center worker has been taking calls from the safety of their home.
In addition, we are allowing caseworkers to practice social distancing while they continue to check on the well being of our kids. Starting on March 20, DCFS announced new guidelines for caseworkers, residential monitors and birth parents, giving them the ability to use phone and video to replace many of their in person contacts with their children.
However, the reality is to ensure that we are keeping children safe, and some in person contact must continue. DCFS has provided protective gear to our frontline staff and to the staff of our private partners who have asked for assistance. Over the last two weeks DCFS has distributed more than 400,000 protective gloves and 15,000 masks, and disinfecting, and cleaning supplies across the state.
* IDHS Director Grace Ho…
Our 14 24/7 facilities across the state serve about 3400 people a day with about 6500 staff who come to work every day. […]
This past Monday, we closed all but 13 public facing offices and urged people to stay at home and to access services online, and by phone. We made the hard decision to keep these few public facing offices open so that community members had at least some in person, opportunities to meet with our caseworkers.
* On to questions for the governor. Reports that African-Americans are particular susceptible. Is that true in Illinois?…
IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike: We are still early in this disease, but we have some information in terms of the people that it has been affected will continue to follow it. But if that were to bear out, I think, as we put on our health equity lens we already know before COVID was ever established that the health outcomes for various communities are already different and those were already things at the Illinois Department of Health and all of our local health department, help local health departments have been very keyed in on how to narrow those disparities. So if you know that those disparities exist in terms of health outcomes you can imagine that overlaying a new disease is only going to exacerbate whatever inequities already exist. So, the Department of Health at the local state level will continue to try to address these disparities. But, as I’m saying you know it’s early we’re still looking at our data, but if that were to bear out, we would not be entirely surprised because of, we know what the existing baseline is.
* When can we expect tests for whether people have already contracted the virus?…
First of all, they have the ability to do this test today. It’s not in mass form so we can’t do it as many of those as even we can the COVID 19 test today. But it will be readily available. And why is it so important because as the doctor said if we know that a certain number of people are immune, and we know that that population is increasing because people, more people are getting COVID 19 and many, vast majority are recovering from COVID 19, so they develop the antibodies. […]
I don’t know [when they will be available] nobody’s told me you know that well gee four weeks from now we’ll be able to do this in mass form. But suffice to say I think as one of the glimmers of hope here is that we’ll be able to know if you’ve had it.
* A White House Deputy Director of media affairs tells us Illinois has received more than 500,095 masks, as well as other types of masks, face shields, other equipment and 300 ventilators as well as 1 million PPEs for first responders, is this equipment in use in Illinois and where do we stand on supply?…
Well, I can’t go through every single one of those items a PP but let me give you an example of something you just read off 500,095 masks.
Listen, it will take everything we can get. So 500,000 is you know I’m thankful for 500,000. The reality is that we’ve put in a request for 7 million. We need millions more than that, in fact, because remember our first responders, our healthcare workers, you know they’re using them in the hospitals, and sometimes reusing them for a couple of days even, but eventually they do need to discard them.
* Is everything that we’ve gotten from the feds here in Illinois, has it been able to be used?…
We became aware of ventilators that were sent to California, you may have heard this, and there was a celebration by the White House and of course by people in California that there were hundreds of ventilators sent to California. By the way, they need thousands and so do we. But they received hundreds it turns out many of them didn’t work. Ventilators, can you imagine sending that to a hospital and having that proposed for use on somebody who needs it at that moment and then finding out that it doesn’t work?
So we now are going through every single ventilator we received. I believe a total of 450 ventilators, we assumed frankly that they would be operational Why would you send us non operational ones but now that we’ve heard that other states have received some that aren’t operational? Well we’re going through every single one of those ventilators.
* “Is wearing some sort of face covering a recommendation or requirement?” The reporter could’ve just Googled that to see there was no such order. The governor covered the same ground as he did at yesterday’s presser about the advantages of wearing a mask. The number of time-wasting questions appears to be increasing by the day.
* In the wake of two Walmart employee deaths out of Evergreen Park and other confirmed positives from stores in Chicago are there contingency plans in place to both one further protect these employees and to also prepare for a scenario where staffing at these stores may be an issue due to sick calls…
Well we are encouraging certainly the the essential workforce and the essential businesses that are open to all take care of themselves the businesses themselves, they know that they’re their workers are vital. Many of the businesses in fact have increased the pay to the people who are coming to work because they know how vital these folks are, they want to give them an additional incentive. And I would suggest as I have that people wear masks in any circumstance in which they’re going to be coming in contact with the public and on a regular basis, so that they don’t get it and again that they’re not giving it to anybody that they come in contact with
Notice that he didn’t answer the question about a contingency plan.
* We keep getting calls in the newsroom complaints from people about conditions at senior living facilities, and a lack of social distancing or protective gear at places of work like factories and postal facilities. Where do you recommend people call, or what should they do if they feel like orders aren’t being followed and proper precautions aren’t being taken…
I would make two recommendations. So one is there is a Department of Public Health, either in your city or in your county, and they should certainly be notified if there are groups of people whether it’s in an essential workforce situation or in public. If there are groups of people gathering, not wearing masks, you know, and there’s a danger to the people that are there, and there is if there’s a group of more than 10 people and they’re not doing social distancing so that that’s one thing that I would suggest doing, you know, I think it’s okay also to go to your employer. And if your employer is not listening to go to another level of authority and that might include your local elected officials or your local police department to just say look it’s unsafe.
* Yet another question about when Illinois will hit the peak. This question is asked every day. The answer has not changed.
* Are you frustrated that there are some states out there that still haven’t gone with a stay at home order?…
I’m frustrated for the people who live in those states. I mean I’m frustrated for us too. If you look at some of our border states who just went to stay at home or haven’t even gone to stay at home yet, then you know it’s obviously this has an effect on Illinois. […]
Let me be clear that while we can talk about those individual states, this should have been the job of the federal government to give guidance, in fact to set orders for the country. Because we know how this virus travels, we know it, why I don’t understand why the federal government has abdicated its role of leadership, addressing this virus.
* The president expanded the use of the DPA earlier this week is that enough, and do you want to see it play more of a centralized role in parts of production and distribution of medical goods?…
Let me start by saying that, as someone who used to be in business before I was a governor, I don’t like the federal government or the state government, anybody interfering in the private market generally speaking. But it’s a national emergency for God’s sakes. You know the defense production act is exactly designed for these kinds of circumstances. We are at war, it is a different kind of a war than we’ve ever had before, against the virus, but we are at war, and we have the ability to produce PPE in this country and distribute it so that we have enough of it in every state as we need it. And we have the ability, we had the ability to produce enough ventilators so that we could reach at peak, everybody that would need a ventilator in this country. But again, the White House failed to use the defense production act to do this to help us across the country. The White House, I can’t invoke the defense production act. They’ve only invoked it for a couple of individual circumstances. Right. And it took them forever. When did when did they do it with regard to 3M and, you know, it’s just the other day right and then just two to three days before that it was General Motors on ventilators. Well guess what, if you ask General Motors, when are the first ventilators coming out may well most states if you look at all the models most states are going to peak, many anyway are going to peak in April. And they could have started this in February. And we would have been fine, but we’re not, and it’s very upsetting.
* Yet another question asked about hospital beds that could be easily answered with a Google search. Moving on.
* Companies are threatening sick employees with their jobs that they don’t immediately return to work and these employees don’t want to spread the virus but also can’t afford to lose their job. What should these people do?…
They should report their companies, because we won’t Stanford companies that are demanding that sick people return to work. At this moment in our history we’re fighting COVID 19 and those companies should be reported.
* The Adams County Health Department says 50 to 100 people were together at a party the day that your stay at home order went into effect. Some people at that party now have coronavirus. Why do you think people aren’t taking this seriously?…
Well, let me say that most people really are, the vast majority of people in Illinois are taking it seriously and we should all be very proud of that I think you see it. Certainly if you live in Chicago or Springfield or Carbondale, you can see it just walk outside it’s Saturday. There are not very many people around. So, thank you to the people of Illinois who are taking this seriously and that really is almost all of you.
Some people aren’t, we saw that on the lakefront in Chicago. We saw that in some parks in downstate areas of Illinois. And all I can say is that those people either are not paying attention to the news or they’re stupid. That’s all I can say. I mean there’s no reason why somebody should be ignoring this. You could be giving it to your own family. And you could get it yourself. And then we’re not asking much, we really are not I mean at this moment, we’re asking you to stay at home to protect people for some number of weeks now. And, you should listen, because you’re putting everybody in danger.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,453 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 33 additional deaths.
Cook County: 1 male 20s, 1 male 30s, 1 female 40s, 2 males 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 3 females 70s, 6 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
DuPage County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 100+
Jackson County: 1 female 90s
Kane County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s
Kankakee County: 1 male 70s
Lake County: 1 female 80s
Will County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s
Jasper, Lee, Mason, and Pike counties are now reporting cases. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 10,357 cases, including 243 deaths, in 68 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
As dozens of nuclear power plants prepare for intricate refueling operations this spring, they’ll be without the usual complement of on-site inspectors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which has told its monitors to work from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
An Adams County man, in his 20s, recovering from COVID-19 at Blessing Hospital has been linked to two large gatherings, Adams County Public Health Administrator Jerrod Welch said Saturday.
“During the course of a recent contact investigation, the department became aware of a large social gathering, characterized as a party, of an estimated 50-100 individuals that occurred on March 21st in rural Adams County outside of Lima, Illinois,” the health department said in a written statement. […]
Welch said the patient was also linked to a party of an estimated 25 individuals that occurred on March 27 in Quincy.
* State and local governments are allowed to restrict or even block access to geographic areas as part of the state disaster declaration…
Some Chicago police officers Tuesday were assigned to check the identification of anyone who wanted to enter four historically violent West Side blocks in an effort to tamp down gang gatherings.
Under the order, issued by Harrison District Cmdr. Darrell Spencer, only people who live on those blocks would be able to enter them.
Think of a massive flood. The authorities don’t want people possibly injuring themselves or looting flooded areas, so they bar or limit access.
Since Tuesday, officers in the Chicago Police Department’s Harrison District have been ordered to issue dispersal orders to groups of more than 10 people congregating on four West Side blocks, including the one on West Gladys Avenue where Harrison District Cmdr. Darrell Spencer owns a three-flat.
1) There is no actual “shelter in place order,” which makes me think the language didn’t come from the top;
2) The governor has barred non-essential travel, but he has also said he doesn’t want overt police enforcement like this and he has not issued any specific order about that particular neighborhood, so this looks like passing the blame up the food chain to deflect from a possible abuse of local police powers.
* Let’s move on to a press release from the The Chicago Newspaper Guild, which represents reporters at the Sun-Times, Joliet Herald-News and others…
The Chicago News Guild is accordingly calling on public officials at all levels of government to respond in a manner which prioritizes workers’ basic needs, demanding they “immediately and indefinitely waive the collection of all rent, mortgage, utility, and debt payments.”
I asked the Guild yesterday what possible legal authority that state or local governments have to accomplish these goals. Here’s the response…
We want to draw government officials’ attention to the difficult circumstances workers across the city, state, and country are facing right now, and push those officials to act in a way that safeguards our basic needs like healthcare and housing. We don’t advocate a specific solution or piece of legislation, but are in favor of a response that prioritizes relief for workers and their families.
I replied that the news release looked awfully specific to me. Response…
As a union that represents journalists, the Guild has traditionally avoided making any political endorsements or individuals or legislation. Our membership also includes Cook County Court Interpreters, union organizers and activists with the SEIU and AFT, and a message of solidarity and support for the needs of working people was important to them. But we are not at this time pushing a specific legislative response or mechanism for that support.
Then maybe they need to drop the specific demands.
I’m growing increasingly alarmed about demands from the left that state and local governments should just ignore the state and US Constitutions during this crisis and take unilateral, even dictatorial actions to further their policy agendas. A union representing journalists, who live and die by the 1st Amendment, ought to also acknowledge the 4th and 5th Amendments.
* Yes, traditional legislative niceties were not followed here. Maybe the governor should’ve given a local legislator a heads up (although I kinda doubt that Sen. Robert Peters got a call before they stood up the McCormick Place field unit), but also maybe the local legislator ought to slightly cool his jets…
The state will buy the former Vibra hospital in Springfield to use as an alternate care facility should area hospitals run out of space to treat coronavirus patients. […]
However, Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, blasted Pritzker for not giving him a heads up about the announcement. He said he was left fielding calls from constituents who heard about the facility but he could not provide them with any details. […]
“I guess they plan to use this for overflow or something,” he said. “Does that mean we’re bringing COVID patients into Sangamon County from around the state? I have no idea. I think those are the concerns that the people that I represent want to know as well. It’s my understanding from the local hospitals they feel pretty confident where they are at right now.”
I like Tim. I think he does well for his district. But, right now ain’t peak time, Tim. And Springfield has been a regional medical provider for decades. Stoking fears of “outsiders” is irresponsible because outsiders have always been transferred to Springfield. Rural areas for miles around Springfield do not have adequate hospital systems, particularly during a crisis.
At the start of a normal week, Dr. Christopher O’Connor of Hinsdale would be in an operating room at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, taking care of a patient undergoing surgery. This week started with O’Connor manning a newly outfitted intensive care unit specially designed to treat COVID-19 patients.
“I spent two very long days Monday and Tuesday in this new intensive care unit,” says O’Connor, who worked back-to-back 12-hour shifts inserting breathing tubes into critically ill patients and monitoring their conditions. Not only are more patients needing ventilators, but the entire procedure has changed.
“A COVID patient who has viral pneumonia, they are a different animal completely,” says O’Connor, a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in Schaumburg. “They are more challenging to ventilate.” […]
A typical patient might spend two or three days on a ventilator, but COVID-19 patients tend to remain on the machines for 10 to 14 days.
* A tale of two Pritzker administration responses. Here’s one, from Mark Brown…
In a state where the government usually operates on the basis of buy now, pay later (often much, much later), the emergency of the coronavirus pandemic has required a decidedly different approach.
About two weeks ago, Illinois officials tracked down a supply of 1.5 million potentially life-saving N95 respirator masks in China through a middleman in the Chicago area and negotiated a deal to buy them.
One day before they were expecting to complete the purchase, they got a call in the morning from the supplier informing them he had to get a check to the bank by 2 p.m. that day, or the deal was off. Other bidders had surfaced.
Realizing there was no way the supplier could get to Springfield and back by the deadline, Illinois assistant comptroller Ellen Andres jumped in her car and raced north on I-55 with a check for $3,469,600.
The COO [of the company which owns high-end suit maker Hart Schaffner and Marx] said he is trying to get the green light from the state to start producing protective masks.
“First and foremost there are people that need surgical masks and surgical gowns. We have a factory that is sitting idle,” said Ken Ragland of Hart Schaffner and Marx. […]
“We’re beyond frustrated, we’re angry. Very much emotional about it because we know we can help,” said Ragland.
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services or “CMS” confirms it was contacted by W Diamond Group, the company that owns Hart Schaffner and Marx. In a statement to ABC7, CMS says it’s “…working with vendors of every size and industry to support the needs of State agencies during the COVID-19 response. We are working with interested businesses offering support, including W Diamond Group, to help them navigate the process to quickly and efficiently provide critical materials and services, like personal protective equipment to State agencies.”
Not good. I’ve asked the governor’s office for a response.
*** UPDATE *** This statement from the governor’s office appears to say in a roundabout way that the clothier doesn’t meet FDA guidelines and should maybe take a chill pill…
The Governor’s Office appreciates the hard work and genuine efforts of Illinoisans who are stepping up during this challenging time. We have connected manufacturers with no previous PPE experience interested in helping out by manufacturing needed supplies to our partners working on a personal protection equipment taskforce with IMA and iBio. PPE for our first responders and healthcare workers is required to meet FDA guidelines like being manufactured in a specific factory environment with certain quality controls.
* Not the same sort of mask, but maybe adequate for a grocery run…
The apparent object is to stop your droplets from issuing forth. If you can keep it from slipping off it should be great.
* Gov. Pritzker held his press conference today at McCormick Place, the site of a new field hospital…
The teams on the ground here have brought everything to the table for Illinois. In less than a week’s time, they’ve assembled 500 rooms and beds, 14 nursing stations, and full support rooms for supply storage, pharmacy needs and housekeeping. In one week’s time the heroes who came together to make this possible built us a facility larger than the largest hospital in Illinois.
One week, and they will be building out to 3000 beds, before the end of the month.
Again, please pardon all typos. Mistakes are most likely in transcription, not in what is being said.
* More capacity…
We’ve also launched work on three other sites in Chicago and the collar counties, the former Advocate Sherman Hospital campus in Elgin, the Metro South Health Center in Blue Island and Westlake Hospital in Cook County’s Melrose Park.
And today, I am proud to share with you our next site, Vibra Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, which will begin to add more beds to our capacity in Central Illinois.
* Staffing…
Preparing also means proactively assembling the healthcare workers who will bring these facilities to life. A hospital bed is just a bed until it has the staff and equipment to turn it into a place to treat COVID 19. We’ve already assembled the medical personnel who will staff these first 500 beds, nearly 140 healthcare heroes from around Illinois and the nation are ready to work here, and we’ll be adding many hundreds more as the need evolves.
* Masks…
There’s a reason that we’re raised to cover your mouth, or use your elbow, when you cough or sneeze. It’s a simple gesture to reduce the number of germs that you spread to those around you. The doctors all agree that this virus can be spread through droplets, like when you sneeze or cough. So blocking that by wearing a mask in public seems like a common sense way to do what’s right for everyone around you.
The most important thing you could do, frankly is stay home. But when you do go outside, or when you must go to the grocery store, pharmacy, wearing something to cover your face is a good idea, based upon what the science says. Maybe it’s a homemade fabric mask, or maybe it’s a manufacturer, general medical mask, really just something to cover your nose and mouth out of courtesy to those around you. In case you’re one of those who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic, and who could be spreading the virus, wearing a mask is just one more way that we can help take care of one another in our state.
* Mayor Lightfoot…
I want to also acknowledge Paul Merrick, the CEO of DuPage Medical. Folks, we would have no staffing here without DuPage Medical, and the men and women from an executive team who have stepped up to provide the real services that are going to be necessary.
* More Lightfoot…
Starting Wednesday, we will be making 200 rooms in London House and 225 rooms in the Godfrey Hotel open for healthcare workers
* Major General Robert F. Whittle, US Army Corps of Engineers…
We have eight awarded contracts now across the United States. Three of them are here in Illinois, and this is a testament again to leadership here.
* Press release: “This is snapshot in time data captured at 10am on April 3, 2020. The numbers will change frequently as the state works to increase capacity and new patients need care”…
* On to questions for the governor and the mayor. Where did you get the medical personnel?…
Dr. Nick Turkal, who is the executive director of the new facility: The state has been very helpful at IEMA with helping us to provide test nurses and other providers. DuPage Medical is volunteering and bringing a number of their staff to help with both leadership, and then also to work here as doctors, nurses and other health care providers. We’re in discussions now with additional people who may be able to help us. And that may include local university medical centers. It may include people from out of state at times but our focus will be on staff with local knowledge and expertise, but don’t disrupt the local hospital ecosystem. We want the hospitals to be able to keep all their employees with them doing the work that they need to do there, so that we really become overflow or release of the strain on those hospitals.
* Dr. Turkal was also asked if the PPE supplies are adequate…
That I think is an ongoing concern for our entire nation. There are discussions at the federal level about how that will be distributed in the coming weeks. And I think we have to say ‘more to come’ on that. We will keep up with it, and do the very best that we can.
* Dr. Turkal on staffing levels…
We are planning on 12 hour shifts. And part of the reason for that is to reduce the use of PPE. If we have three shifts a day we have more people coming in and out for nothing more than materials that are so critically important right now. So, we believe 12 hour shifts are the best. And if you look around healthcare today, 12 hour shifts are the norm in many places, not very concerned about burnout. As far as days on and off. We will flex that according to the needs of the staff, and that that is not finalized yet.
* For the governor: How many people should Illinois be testing a day, and how long is it going to take to get to that point? Is the state struggling to test its population at a sufficient level?…
Well I have been saying I think every single day that I’ve had a press conference and maybe days before that, that we are, we do not have enough tests. The federal government said they were going to provide millions of tests, and all the states relied upon that promise and it still hasn’t happened.
So we’ve taken it upon ourselves to grow our testing capability, as you know in our first days we used our state labs in one shift which is all we ever had in our state labs to begin with, with three labs, 200, a day at each lab that was all we could do at the very beginning today. Now we’re doing around 5000 on average per day. And we’re trying to get to 10,000 per day, frankly, I’d like to be at 100,000 per day if we could but right now the testing supplies the swabs everything about the tests are very difficult to come by and there’s no federal plan for this.
So every state is on their own, as I said, it’s the Wild West out here, but my plan and our plan working with our experts and scientists epidemiologist is if we can get to 10,000 per day, that helps us both test the people that will you know come forward with symptoms on any given day, and give us meaningful data, which is a hugely important tip so we know where the outbreaks are taking place. And when we need to, on an emergency basis test for example at a nursing home or in some congregate facility we can test everybody all at once, 200 or 300 people at a time. So it’s extraordinarily important that we build up that testing capability as I talked about yesterday. We’ve bought machines we’ve bought tests we’ve reached out to every company. I’ve been on with CEOs of all the companies that do it Roshan Abbott and so on. And we’re doing everything we can to build up our testing capability, because we’re getting no help from anywhere else.
* What is the responsibility of residential building managers to communicate to their tenants, when there are positive COVID cases in their buildings?…
Chicago Health Director: If someone is living in a multi-unit apartment building for example, and they’re able to return to their home and be isolated at home. There is not a need to notify across that whole building, as long as we believe that the individual is able to be isolated at home just as they would.
* What about what Jared Kushner had to say from the White House, that some states don’t know what they have in their inventory before requesting equipment from the federal government?…
Well, let me start with this. I don’t know if Jared Kushner knows this, but it’s called the United States of America. And the federal government, which has a stockpile, is supposed to be backstopping the states. He apparently does not know that.
Now at the state level, we have stockpiles at the city level we have stockpiles. And, you know, we’re using them now. I don’t think anybody expected a respiratory pandemic. That would deplete, all of the respiratory stockpiles that exists and that we would be, and that the federal government would abdicate its role and have 50 states, five territories. On top of that, all competing with one another and competing against the federal government to get the PPE that’s necessary. So I think Jared Kushner just does not understand this issue. He does not understand what the federal government’s role is supposed to be in a national emergency.
* Mayor Lightfoot…
I think the governor just showed incredible restraint under the circumstances. He’s 100% right. We shouldn’t have to beg the federal government to step up and assume his responsibility here. When we hear from the head of the CDC, that the Federal stockpile, the Federal stockpile only has 10,000 ventilators. The question we should ask is what the heck has the Trump administration been doing over the last three and a half years? What that tells me, what that tells public health professionals across the nation is that the federal government has failed to do the planning that it needs on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to be prepared.
So we’re not waiting for the feds, we’re doing what is necessary. The governor and his team have been working tirelessly to source, the materials that we need to bring to Illinois. But my own mind, somebody like Jared Kushner casting aspersions on the hard work of governors across this country who have been working tirelessly, night and day to be leaders, and to care for the residents in their states that tells you a lot about the character of him.
* Can you tell us what models you’re looking at?…
Pritzker: We’ll look at any model that is well put together and you know the mayor has developed a model for the city we develop one for the state. We’re looking at the regions of the state, we actually have a team that works together now looking at all their statisticians, mathematicians physicists, scientists, we’re looking at that, to make sure that we’re it evolves as we know more information. So, you know, we looked at the University of Washington model, that’s one model to look at. We had a University of Illinois UIUC model as well. There was one that was developed by a consulting firm here in the city of Chicago as well. So, collectively what we’re looking at is, and remember what we’re trying to determine with these models. We’re trying to determine is, what is the height of this look like what is the peak look like, and therefore what resources are necessary for us to have on hand, and to treat the people who are going to be hospitalized. Those who will need ICU beds, those who will need ventilators. And so collectively I think the mayor and I both have said in different ways, in different press conferences over the last couple of days that we believe based upon the various models that we’ve looked at, and the collective one that’s still being worked on that somewhere between the middle of April, and the end of April, might be the peak.
Now I want everybody to understand that just because you say you’re going to hit a peak does not mean that you’re then precipitously going to fall on the other side of that peak to zero. That does not happen. What we need to know about the peak and the reason we’re all looking at it is because of the resources necessary at the height, because that’s what you need to have on hand. That’s how many ventilators you need. And so once we get to that peak, we’re all going to be praying that we come off that peak quickly, but we might not, we might be flattened at that peak.
That is flattening the curve. And then we want it to fall of course but I just, I think people may misunderstand what the use of a model, it isn’t going to tell us exactly everything that’s going to happen every day. It does help us to know how well we’re doing against what our projections were so that as we move forward we can move resources around. You heard Governor Cuomo in New York talk about the when they come off of their peak they may be able to send ventilators to other parts of the country. I hope that’s true. And certainly, if we can do that if we come off of our peak, and we can help some other hotspot across the country we’re going to try to do that too. We want to be helpful to everybody across the country as best we can, but our first and foremost duty is to protect the people of the city of Chicago in the state of Illinois, and we’re going to do that.
* What about legal liability?…
Dr. Nick: I might ask the governor to address that we’re very pleased about the executive order. I’ll say most healthcare professionals come with liability insurance, but in a crisis like this, we’re very appreciative of the state’s efforts to say, we’re going to take care of liability.
Subscribers know more about this week’s executive order.
* Is it possible that we might see not a lot of patients here and it’s just preparing for the worst. Is that part of discussions?…
From your lips to God’s ears. That is honestly what we are praying for. If no patient ends up at McCormick Place, then we will have done our job people, will have stayed at home, they will have done what they needed to do to bend this curve and for people not to get sick. So I pray that that’s an accurate assessment.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,209 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 53 additional deaths.
- Christian County: 1 female 80s
- Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 50s, 4 male 50s, 4 females 60s, 6 males 60s, 1 unknown 60s, 2 females 70s, 6 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 4 females 90s, 1 female 100s
- DuPage County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 70s
- Kane County: 1 female 90s
- Kankakee County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 80s
- Lake County: 1 male 40s, 2 female 60s, 4 male 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Will County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
DeWitt, Effingham, and Jersey counties are now reporting cases. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 8,904 cases, including 210 deaths, in 64 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
* Let’s start out by stipulating that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has done a tremendous job of convincing Chicagoans to stay home. She has inspired her city like no other mayor before. Nobody could ever dispute that.
But, Lightfoot also has a habit of saying things that appear to be so rosy as to flatly contradict the evidence at hand. For instance, this is from February 26…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday she’s “very disappointed” in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for fanning the flames of fear about the spread of the coronavirus in the United States.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, is warning Americans to start preparing now for “the expectation that this might be bad,” triggering a severe disruption in their daily lives.
Messonnier argued the question was no longer if the coronavirus will start spreading in the United States, but when.
That may require what she called, “social distancing measures” that include smaller classes or closing schools, canceling meetings and conferences and allowing employees to work from home. […]
“I will candidly tell you that I was very disappointed with the comments of the CDC yesterday and members of the Trump administration around coronavirus,” Lightfoot said.
“At the end of the day, though, the single biggest reason why we would come to Chicago or somewhere else is that governor feels that there’s a very, very critical requirement,” Semonite said. […]
About a week ago, Semonite said he was notified by the secretary of the Army that Pritzker was “very, very concerned about the bed shortage up here.”
A division commander, Major Gen. Mark Toy, then met with Pritzker, and construction was launched on the McCormick Place’“alternative care facility,” which is short of a full-blown hospital.
So at about the same time Lightfoot was saying “we’re fine,” the governor was frantically urging the federal government to stand up a massive field hospital in the city.
“We prepare all year round for these kinds of emergencies. I mean, this is unprecedented, of course. But we are doing OK in terms of our stockpile of the personal protective equipment, the PPE that you hear a lot about. Ventilators, we’re in pretty good shape for now. But all of it is with a qualifier – I just don’t think the federal government has kept up its strategic stockpile, so I don’t think they have the resources and equipment to actually help us if they were so inclined.”
I just don’t think I believe the city’s PPE and ventilator stockpile is adequate.
1) Last week I started collecting data for the amount of tests IL was doing because I was increasingly alarmed by how slowly the number of total Illinoisans tested was increasing. I used the Wayback Machine to see older data than when I began taking screenshots of the daily data. https://t.co/gAiNgz4Xmn
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and continued guidance from both local and state health officials, we have made the decision that all Summer 2020 courses will be conducted remotely via alternative delivery mechanisms.
We know that this decision about summer courses may generate additional questions about summer research, programs, travel, housing, events, remote work protocols, etc. We are not ready to make those decisions at this time, but as soon as we are ready, you will be notified.
Christie Clinic is placing about 225 employees on a temporary furlough due to coronavirus-related losses, Chief Executive Officer Kenny Bilger said Thursday.
“It is our intention that these furloughs will be short term, with a current expectation of all team members returning to work no later than June 1, 2020,” he said in a letter to Christie employees that clinic officials shared with The News-Gazette.
The temporary furloughs will affect about 25 percent of Christie’s 900 staff members, according to Melissa Tepovich, the clinic’s marketing and public relations manager.
* Press release…
Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim is warning residents of potential scams that attempt to prey on people during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Nerheim said his office has been advised that scammers are making phone calls posing at health care workers or companies offering COVID-19 tests. In many cases, these scammers claim they are able to either obtain tests for people or are able to get test results to people quicker. In these cases, the person is asked to pay in cash or hand over personal identifying information in exchange for the test.
“In most cases, these crimes are preventable by using common sense,” State’s Attorney Nerheim said. “People should always be wary of any business, charity, government or individual requesting payments in cash, wire transfers, or gift cards through the mail. In addition, people should never share identifiable personal or financial information with any unknown sources.”
Senator Morrison (D-Lake Forest) will soon file a measure to further expand Illinois’ vote-by-mail program. Illinoisans would have the option to forego traditional polling places and cast their ballot from the comfort of their home. Under the proposal, each registered voter would be mailed a ballot, which would then be returned to the county elections office and counted on Election Day.
However, this does not preclude in-person voting opportunities on and/or before Election Day.
* The governor has already said he’s open to changing Illinois laws on vote-by-mail. Greg Hinz followed up with the four legislative leaders. The two Democrats seemed at least somewhat supportive. Senate President Don Harmon has long supported ideas like Morrison’s.
House Speaker Michael Madigan’s spokesman said he would “support emphasizing that method in November.” Madigan has so far resisted a statewide mail program unless some standards can be set. As we’ve discussed, different counties treat them differently. Some are more persnickety about signatures, some toss out ballots for minor clerical issues, etc. Also, Madigan does his own VBM program for Democrats.
“Ballot access in Illinois has and will continue to be strong. There is no need to change this November’s process,” House GOP Leader Jim Durkin said in a statement relayed by his spokeswoman, Eleni Demertzis. She added, “The Ds already have all the advantages they need. Just not sure what additional mail ballot provisions we can undertake as any voter can currently request a mail ballot for no reason.” […]
“There will be a time to discuss that in the future,” [Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady] said in a statement relayed by his spokesman Jason Gerwig. “Right now our focus should remain on rebuilding our economy and containing the COVID-19 virus.”
Another prominent Republican, DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin, said such a change could well help Democrats because elderly people, who tend to vote Republican, are more comfortable with the current system.
“But it may be necessary, he added. “I think we have to prepare for the possibility that people’s behavior is going to change.”
A physician who wants to offer drive-thru coronavirus testing for the public is searching for a new location after his plans to hold it Wednesday at a Champaign church were scuttled.
“We will be looking,” said Dr. Tom Pliura, a LeRoy-based doctor and lawyer who owns CampusTown Urgent Care in Champaign.
Pliura had planned to begin a daily drive-thru Wednesday morning at First Christian Church in Champaign, making thousands of COVID-19 tests available to the public — regardless of whether people have symptoms of the disease or not. […]
Pliura said he was irritated at what became of his plans, and he called the governor’s office for guidance about how to proceed.
I asked the governor’s office yesterday if Pliura had called and after checking for a few hours I was told nobody had talked to him.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), testing for COVID-19 is based on priority, starting with hospitalized patients and healthcare facility workers with symptoms.
Then, patients in long-term care facilities with symptoms, patients 65 years and older with symptoms, patients with underlying conditions with symptoms and first responders.
The third priority is for critical infrastructure workers with symptoms, individuals who do not meet any of the above categories with symptoms, healthcare facility workers and first responders and individuals with mild symptoms in communities experiencing high numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
The CDC lists people without symptoms as a non-priority.
Pliura said he believes the number of COVID-19 cases at the University of Illinois is being kept artificially low.
“I also believe that the U of I doesn’t want it known that there are 10,000 foreign nationals over here that left in December before the break, came to their homeland countries and now returned prior to the travel ban and they had exemptions anyway and they brought a little present back with them,” Pliura said. “I guarantee you that if there’s testing done at the U of I, broad-scale testing, you are going to see a hot spot.”
[Champaign-Urbana Public Health District administrator Julie Pryde] disputes that. She said the U of I took aggressive action to limit COVID 19’s spread, including isolating students who traveled overseas.
Truth #4…..Re: Lack of Test Kits…the Media is saying there are not enough ‘Test Kits’ available……that is a bunch of malarkey…it takes 30-seconds to make a kit…SHARE THIS VIDEO
This video is the Gospel Truth…the whole truth and nothing but the truth….so help me God…I challenge anybody in the media to disprove anything here
Um, he’s not showing a test in his video, he’s showing a swab to collect samples for tests that are placed in a test tube. The actual tests are done at a lab, where there are indeed shortages and severe backlogs.
We are performing case-by-case testing for Coronavirus at CampusTown Urgent care…631 E. Green St., Champaign, IL (217) 344-9909 Internet Pre-registration is required….go to: covidtest.center We hope to find a new location for broad scale public testing this morning
Someone asked in comments if he was “Testing for people with no symptoms to see if they are carriers?” Dr. Piura’s response…
well, now the IDPH has asked me not to test people who don’t have symptoms….so during the registration process….you will be asked if in the last 7-10 days, have you had: a runny nose, cold symptoms, a cough, a scratchy throat, head ache, sore throat, fever, or if no fever have you felt warm….if you have any of those symptoms…I can test you…if you check the box ‘No’…then you will need to make an appointment with Champaign Public Health Department and ask their permission before we can test you….but if you tell me you’ve had one of the above symptoms…then I can test you…obviously I don’t know what symptoms you have had….and it’s all on the honor system…so you either check the box stating “yes”, I’ve had the symptoms….or you’ll need to go down to the Public Health Department and bring me back a note from the administrator allowing me to test you….I don’t think there is any licensed doctors down there…but I told them that I would not knowingly test anybody if they told me they have no symptoms…so you’ll either have to check the box as having had symptoms….or you need a note from Public Health…it is kind of like having a note from the teacher allowing you to go to the bathroom down the hall
(3) Procedures: The Secretary, in managing the stockpile under paragraph (1), shall—
(A) consult with the working group under section 247d–6(a) of this title and the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise established under section 300hh–10a of this title;
(B) ensure that adequate procedures are followed with respect to such stockpile for inventory management and accounting, and for the physical security of the stockpile;
(C) in consultation with Federal, State, and local officials, take into consideration the timing and location of special events, and the availability, deployment, dispensing, and administration of countermeasures; […]
(E) devise plans for effective and timely supply-chain management of the stockpile, in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies; State, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies; and the public and private health care infrastructure, as applicable, taking into account the manufacturing capacity and other available sources of products and appropriate alternatives to supplies in the stockpile; […]
(J) provide assistance, including technical assistance, to maintain and improve State and local public health preparedness capabilities to distribute and dispense medical countermeasures and products from the stockpile, as appropriate.
Friday, Apr 3, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
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The idea of secession has long simmered in Illinois’ more rural and Republican counties, periodically flaring up around issues such as raising the minimum wage, the establishment of sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants and gun ownership. And though Illinois’ secession movement — or, movements — isn’t exactly united, many who believe in the principle share a general sense of feeling underrepresented in a state dominated by Chicago’s Democratic stronghold.
The coronavirus outbreak, which has yet to touch some areas of the state, has become the most recent flashpoint, inspiring both serious promises to reintroduce secession on the ballot and Facebook memes that call for building a wall around Chicago.
* And ProPublica Illinois justifies this coverage with these stats…
That spider web, which he’s crafted to function as a sort of social media ecosystem of secession sentiment, includes “Illinois Separation,” a page Cliburn runs that has garnered nearly 27,000 Facebook likes; “Illinoyed,” a page for more general venting about the state, which has about 11,700 likes; and also dozens of county-level pages for local organizers. Lately, Cliburn said, he’s been using coronavirus news to bring attention to the effort to kick Chicago out of the state. […]
Another post, shared on the “Illinois Separation” page on March 25, shows an image of the state of Illinois with the Chicago-area blocked off with a line. “Make Illinois Great Again … build a wall !!” the graphic reads. Comments included individuals blaming Chicago for positive COVID-19 cases in their own counties and criticizing the shelter-in-place order in areas with few if any positive cases.
The post has nearly 800 likes and 400 shares.
Nearly 800 likes? Oh my. It’s a movement!
217 Problems has 103,583 followers. Where’s its big writeup?
But realistically, the House and the Senate, the state would have to pass it by a two-thirds margin and then it has to go to the federal, I mean, so it’s not gonna happen.
You find out sometimes when… you’re being a legislator that sometimes you can introduce a bill, then you get some attention.
* Also, the person profiled at the top of the ProPublica piece lives in Vermilion County, which is 13 percent African-American. These sorts of safaris almost always ignore those voices…
“Often the monolithic portrayal of rural America amounts to a whitewashing along racial lines,” [reporter Sarah Smarsh] said. “In fact, rural areas are much more racially diverse than one would think from reading national headlines. …Those parts of the country have always been much more than white people, and as we speak they are diversifying, in some places quite rapidly, often due to an influx in immigrant populations taking jobs in industries like industrial agriculture and meatpacking plants.
* Not to mention that these stories often usually wind up bringing ridicule on rural people in general…
Trump is not the president of just rural America. He won office because his message took root in coastal cities and suburbs, too. But national reporters found few occasions to explore the ascendant conservatism of these places. Consider Collier County, Florida, and McDowell County, West Virginia, two counties that voted heavily for Trump. Despite the fact that Collier County’s voter turnout was more than twice that of McDowell County, only the latter drew national attention. The wealthier, more suburban residents of Collier County did not inspire the derision of liberals—nor did they command the attention of conservatives, who were eager to pin Trump’s success to the reactionary yearnings of the mythologized heartland worker.
This selective interest in a particular type of Trump voter—and the synonymization of white conservatives with rural geographies—reinforced perceptions many onlookers already possessed. Location alters a place’s material needs and shapes the struggles of its inhabitants, but rurality does not make a community simple. To many consumers of the mainstream press, however, rural communities seem to be benighted places where the light of liberalism could not reach.
Friday, Apr 3, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Credit unions are member-owned non-profit organizations that exist to serve their members and staff. Designed to put consumers in the drivers’ seat of their financial institution, credit unions address the needs of members in a very unique, personal way. During times of national crisis, the community-centric work of credit unions, through countless hours of hard work, is invaluable to the members and communities we serve.
The credit union industry has adapted to the needs of its members and staff through numerous times of national crisis – and the current COVID-19 crisis is no different. Credit unions across Illinois are acting swiftly to accommodate the unique needs of their members while also putting preventative measures in place to help curb the spread of COVID-19. When the federal government made recommendations to limit crowds, credit unions like Community Plus Federal Credit Union quickly acted to cancel their annual meeting and shift it to a digital format. When recommendations were released to encourage social distancing, many credit unions like Alliant Credit Union, shifted to drive-up only service, while still offering unique solutions and individual appointments to serve the needs of their members.
The transition to life at home has proven to be a challenge for many Illinoisans, but credit unions have showed up in force to help alleviate financial worries during this trying time. Additionally, credit unions are communicating digitally with their members to ensure that members are up-to-date on the credit union response to COVID-19. Access Credit Union, among more than twenty others state-wide, have enacted immediate improvements to their email communication efforts to make important information immediately accessible to members. Multiple credit unions across the state continue to utilize social media to keep members informed and stay connected. The credit union industry will continue to honor the “People Helping People” philosophy as we navigate these unchartered waters together. Rest assured that even in these trying times, your credit union remains a trusted partner in ensuring your financial well-being. To ensure the security of your funds, all state and federally chartered credit unions maintain deposit insurance covering at least $250,000 per depositor, per account category – even in uncertain economic times. To learn more about the credit union difference, and to find a credit union near you, please visit asmarterchoice.org today.
The General Assembly’s Commission on Government Forecasting said general funds revenues increased by $174 million in March.
“That performance will surprise many given the dire economic straights in which the country and state finds itself,” said COGFA Revenue Director Jim Muschinske in a monthly update. “It does, however, illustrate the inherent lag between economic activity, or lack thereof, and actual performance.”
But Muschinske said people should not be misled.
“The eventual impacts of COVID-19 are unavoidable and will quickly manifest in the coming weeks/months,” he said.
Similar delays occur after a change in tax rates or policy—usually at least a month from date of implementation. This “receipts in the pipeline” varies by revenue source, but the eventual impacts of COVID-19 are unavoidable and will quickly manifest in the coming weeks/months.
* This will help cushion the blow a tiny bit, but the news isn’t all good…
Despite the expected abrupt changes ahead, through March, gross personal income taxes are ahead of last year by $864 million, or $765 million net. Gross sales taxes are up $204 million, or $249 million net, while gross corporate income taxes are up $105 million, or $104 million net. The performance of the remaining revenue sources have been mixed, but have experienced a combined $112 million decline.
Overall transfers fell $64 million for the month. A $6 million gain from miscellaneous transfers was more than offset by a decline of $40 million in lottery transfers, and a $30 million drop from riverboat transfers. In fact, due to the Gaming Board’s action to temporarily close casino operations, no transfers were made this March.
In addition to underlying disruptions to the economy related to the virus, a few corresponding policy decisions will interrupt some well-established revenue patterns. With the State following the federal government’s lead related to pushing back the “tax day” filing period to July 15 , a great deal of variance will be injected into the timing of “final payments”. It is unclear at this time how the extension of the due date will change taxpayer filing behavior, but to the extent it does, it would act to suppress final FY 2020 income tax revenues in April, while moving corresponding receipts into early FY 2021. Further complicating the picture is that simultaneous to this aforementioned timing issue, tax revenues will likely begin to reflect job losses/income losses/and business profits related to the economic shut down.
The one revenue area that is expected to see some upward pressure from this economic upheaval is federal source revenues. An apparent retroactive increased federal matching rate, along with some lump sum federal assistance, will serve to mitigate revenue losses in economic areas. However, at this time, it is unclear exactly when, into what funds, and what attached federal “strings”, will mean for the state’s bottom line.
At this stage of the battle with COVID-19, the greatest State concern is with saving lives, and doing what is necessary to mitigate its impact. Once the tide turns, and economic engines can again be fired up, it is hoped that the previous trajectory can be re- established. Unfortunately, at this time, it’s unclear when that may be, to what extent permanent damage has been done, and what form a recovery from this pandemic will look lik
The federal Medicaid match has been increased from 50.14 percent to 56.34 percent.
RIP: singer-songwriter #BillWithers, heart complications, 81. Stuttered as a child, left the world speechless with his plainspoken, heartfelt hits. Won Grammys for "Lean On Me", "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Just The Two Of Us". https://t.co/pDwYERdcrL
* Not that you’d want to, but you couldn’t get away from this song when it was released. And it seems to me to be a perfect anthem for these trying times…
Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on
The governor also launched a new statewide effort called “All in Illinois” to reinforce staying home.
“I’ve taken virtually every action available to me to protect our residents and slow the spread, and now, our strongest weapon against COVID-19 is you,” Pritzker said. “For everyone in Illinois, we as individuals must commit to stay home, stay safe and practice social distancing to stay healthy. I’m asking you to join us and be all in for Illinois.”
All in Illinois is supported by a series of public service announcements featuring famous Illinois natives, including Jane Lynch, Deon Cole, Jason Beghe, Jackie Joyner Kersee, and Matt Walsh. The PSA videos reinforce the importance of staying at home during the COVID-19 crisis and encourages everyone to do their part to stop the spread of the virus.
People can also show their solidarity by updating their Facebook profile photos with the All in Illinois frame image and share messages with friends and family on social media using the #AllinIllinois hashtag.
I really didn’t expect it to amount to much, but the Twitter hashtag trended nationally for a while yesterday. It’s still going pretty strong today. The website is here. You can download window and yard signs here.
It’s actually kinda brilliant. Illinoisans are mostly a pessimistic lot about our state and have been for a very long time.
And as a commenter noted yesterday, it’s also a play on words. People are all-in for their state as they all stay in their homes to avoid spreading or contracting the virus.
Pritzker said he is “very, very proud” of those working and learning from home and essential personnel helping residents.
“I see you as tough as you are kind, as courageous as you are creative,” he said. “… All In is our anthem and our point of pride — Illinoisans staying home for the good of each other and for our state.”
* I scrolled down to the very first use of the hashtag yesterday and saw this…
We were tasked by the Governor’s office to inspire Illinoisans to stay in and stay safe during the COVID-19 crisis. Tune in at 2:30 today to Governor Pritzker’s press briefing as he unveils the state's new initiative #AllInIllinois. https://t.co/wnfuzppVkppic.twitter.com/irt0eIcibj
As we’ve been going through different country models of how to flatten the curve - we are being walked through what China, South Korea, Singapore etc. have done. Some of those things are possible in the US and some just aren’t. But it occurred to us that we have to think creatively about what an AMERICAN model for getting social distancing to work looks like. I came from campaigns and so did a lot of people here and on campaigns - you use social pressure to persuade people to vote and vote for your candidate. We thought - why can’t we apply that to this? If everyone on your block has a sign out front saying they are staying in, has a Facebook profile filter, uses the hashtag - we know those things influence people on campaigns - no reason they can’t do the same here. It also gives people something proactive to do to help the effort. Anyway, wanted you to know the thinking behind it. Not just an interesting social media idea and a way to promote state unity but another piece of a bigger strategy to keep people inside.
* We just have way too many first-time commenters these days posting ridiculous things that I always end up deleting. So, we’re going to Defcon 3…
I have never done this before, so I don’t know if it’ll initially block all comments from everybody (which is why I’ve never done this before). But I cannot take all these crazy newbies flocking here, so what’s done is done. This ain’t Facebook, peeps. If you’re a rumor-mongering know-nothing nutball, I don’t want you here.
With the U.S. experiencing a record number of initial unemployment claims, WalletHub today released its report on the States with the Biggest Increases in Unemployment Due to Coronavirus, along with accompanying videos.
To identify which states have experienced the largest unemployment increases, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key metrics. These metrics compare initial unemployment claim increases for the week of March 23, 2020 to both the same week in 2019 and the first week of 2020. Below, you can see highlights from the report, along with a WalletHub Q&A.
Increase in Illinois Unemployment Due to Coronavirus (1=Worst, 25=Avg.):
1829.93% increase in the Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims – from 9,230 the week of March 25, 2019 to 178,133 the week of March 23, 2020. 4th lowest increase in the U.S.
1412.29% increase in the Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims – from 11,779 in the first week of the year to 178,133 the week of March 23, 2020. 21st lowest increase in the U.S.
Full data is here. Indiana was 3rd highest, Florida was 5th highest, Michigan was 7th highest, Ohio was 12th highest, Massachusetts was 14th highest, Pennsylvania was 28th highest, California was 33rd highest and New York was 43rd highest.
For decades, Illinois has been one of the last states to fall into recession and also one of the last to emerge.
* More on NY…
The state with the current largest number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is New York. How has New York’s unemployment rate been affected?
“New York has seen a 717% increase in initial unemployment claims from the beginning of 2020 to the 13th week,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “This is better than the average increase of 2,002%.”
…Adding… Some deep thinker in comments claimed that the reason we were so low was probably because the IDES system is so jammed up. It is a real problem and DoIT is not handling things well. But I have like a kabillion links to other stories about other states’ problems. Here are just a few…
* March 31: Ohioans Still Reporting Problems In Filing For Unemployment Claims
* April 2: Florida residents run into problems filing for unemployment as nationwide claims rise
* April 1: Cuomo Apologizes for Crashing Unemployment Site; US, NY Claims Hit Shocking Records
* April 1: Thousands in Texas face delays to their unemployment relief because of busy phone lines and website outages
* April 2: State unemployment offices scramble to handle surge in jobless claims amid coronavirus fallout
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 715 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 16 additional deaths.
Christian County: 1 male 80s
Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 40s, 1 male 40s, 2 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 4 male 70s, 1 male 80s
DuPage County: 1 female 80s
McHenry County: 1 male 60s
Whiteside County: 1 female 90s
Logan, Macoupin, Mercer, Moultrie, and Piatt counties are now reporting cases. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 7,695 cases, including 157 deaths, in 61 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
I’d like to begin with an update on the development of alternative care facilities in the state, which are essentially field medical stations designed to alleviate the crush of COVID 19 cases at area hospitals. Last Monday I informed you that in Cook and the collar counties where the vast majority of COVID 19 cases are today. We had formally launched work on three facilities. McCormick Place in Chicago, the former advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin and the Metro South Health Center in Blue Island.
Of these, McCormick Place will be our largest facility slated to reach a total of 3000 beds. Kane County’s Sherman Hospital and suburban Cook County’s Metro South Center will together host more than 500 patients.
Today we formally added a fourth location to our capacity Westlake Hospital in Cook County’s Melrose Park, which will host 230 beds. Construction at all four of these sites will be completed on a rolling basis throughout the month of April.
We’re also finalizing the necessary steps to stand up an alternate care facility in Central Illinois in the coming weeks and I look forward to providing you with the update on that very soon.
As a reminder, these temporary facilities are meant to support, not replace, our existing medical infrastructure. Patients will be directed first to existing hospitals, and if they are lower acuity, they will be transferred to these alternative sites.
We’re also adding additional beds at our existing institutions every day. But for a rough picture, we had about 26,000 non ICU beds and 2600 ICU beds across the state. As of March 24, about half of our non ICU beds and less than half of our ICU beds were available then, and those numbers have only dropped in the nine days since.
Please pardon all typos.
* New website…
For a little while longer, we must all commit to staying home, staying safe and practicing social distancing to stay healthy. So, every one of us must abide by this if we are to get through this difficult time.
So to honor you and to bring us together in our commitment to doing what’s right, I’m introducing a new statewide initiative that we can all participate in. And it’s called, All in Illinois. All in is our anthem, and our point of pride, Illinois and staying home for the good of each other and for our state.
Today I’m asking all of us, all of you to join in and be all in for Illinois, all in for our neighbors, all in for our grandparents, all in for cancer survivors and those who are immunocompromised, all in to protect essential workers like grocery and drugstore employees and food delivery workers, all in for our heroic doctors and nurses respiratory therapists, social workers EMTs pharmacists, er technicians registration staffers sanitation services, and the hospital food service workers who keep our patients fed.
Join us and take the pledge. Pledge your commitment to go all in for Illinois, go to allin.illinois.gov [fixed link] and take a look around.
See comedic actress Jane Lynch telling you why she’s staying home and hear from Veep star Matt Walsh, athletic phenom Jackie Joyner kersee actor and comedian Deon Cole, Chicago PD star Jason Big, and there are many more to come.
You can also print your own yard or window sign, you can update your Facebook profile picture with a themed frame. Display the words all in for Illinois proudly. Post your own videos on social media, demonstrating your pride. The All in in Illinois means we care about one another. It means we care about our communities. We are one Illinois, and we are all in this together.
* IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike…
We’re also starting to see clusters of cases at essential businesses. And although these businesses need to continue operating, they must take steps to protect both their employees and their customers.
Employees should be monitored for symptoms and their temperature should be checked daily. Anybody who’s sick should absolutely be sent home and stay home businesses should be thoroughly cleaned each day, and measures should be in place to protect clients. That might mean keeping customers at least six feet away from the cashiers or if Plexiglas can be intervening.
And I have to go here regarding churches and other religious services. There are reports that people are still holding services. I understand the importance of communing with fellow believers, but let’s understand, kids are home from school, people are home from work, schools and offices are closed. Religious houses have to do the same.
We all must make the sacrifice. Then on the other side of this pandemic, we can gather at the mosque or the synagogue, the church, the museum, the library, all of these places that we love. We must not continue putting people at risk. Please hold virtual services, whether by web or phone.
I may sound like a broken record, but these are all the things we have to do. It just can’t be some of the community that’s following these restrictions and these guidelines. We all have to do it together. Let’s be all in for Illinois and do our part to end this pandemic.
* On to questions for the governor. Should more prisoners be released?…
I want to remind you that we had more than 1000 fewer prisoners in prison today than we had on February 1.
We’ve been in the process of reviewing cases, especially during this crisis, but quite all along, and especially looking at vulnerable populations and trying to let them go for example.
We commuted sentences of pregnant women and women with babies that were in prison. We looked at cases of non violent offenders who were, for example retail shoplifters who are serving relatively shorter sentences, but would still be in prison now had we not reviewed their case and let them out and given them, commuted their sentences essentially. We looked at other non violent cases like narcotics convictions and have processed, we’ve been processing those as well.
And then finally just recall that one of the important rules that sits in place today is that when you let somebody out when you commute their sentence or early release them they have to have a place to go. You can’t just release them on the street and have them become homeless immediately. And we also want to do a medical check and so on but but the most important thing is they have to have a place to go and there are a number of people who may have met certain criteria who did not have another place to go.
* What’s up with the IDES unemployment claims system?…
This is the biggest onslaught of unemployment claims, I think, ever at least in my lifetime, and even more so than the great recession of 2008-2009. I want to remind you that the systems and IDs were actually rebuilt in 2010. Now, you might think well gee that then it shouldn’t be running properly. Well, it’s now 10 years later, not a lot of investment was made in the states IT systems in that last 10 years. And they were operating properly for the number of claims that were expected you know over that 10 year period the system was operating. Now it’s 10 times as many or you know whatever the multiple is now.
And so the systems aren’t acting properly. And I’ve been talking to our department of innovation, technology which is partly responsible, talking with IDs staff which is partly responsible and then we’ve also asked the public, to those who are filing, to segment themselves by the first letter of their last name, to call on certain days and certain hours and so on. We’re trying to spread it out as best we can, but the truth is that the system does go down it went down. This morning for a short period of time they were working very hard to get it back up. Didn’t quite come back up in the same hour that they thought it would but an hour later. But believe me that we’re trying very hard to both answer every call, which is hard to do because you know we have a system that just there aren’t enough people we’ve asked many of our staff to go stay home, as many businesses are, but we also have non essential staff there to help augment whoever is there. So, again, this is a problem. I don’t know exactly that we’re going to fix it entirely so that everybody could do it all at once, but we have asked people please to spread out their calls and spread out their applications online and to use the online system because that really is the best way to do it in off hours.
* Yet another question from yet another reporter about something far off in the future. Not posting it because reporters should stop acting like the “Are we there yet?” children in the back seat. Ridic. I mean, he has answered this silly question every day.
* Stateville update from Dr. Ezike…
Three of those individuals have been released from the hospital
* Sen. Durbin mentioned how he was calling CEOs and others trying to get shipments of PPE from China, where most of the PPE is made in the world…
It is true that I have been making calls night and day to make sure that we can not only locate and procure PPE wherever it may be in the world or in the United States, but also to make sure that it gets shipped here properly and promptly, by the way. And as you can imagine there’s quite a lot that has been held up over some time because of the challenges of coronavirus in China. And so the shipping from China has been, you know, has been curtailed to some degree. It has begun to pick up again. But as you can imagine there’s a backlog of everything that was going to be shipped from China, not just BP. And so trying to get to the head of the line because we have an urgent need is critically important for our state and so that’s why I’m calling heads of airlines heads of shipping companies. I’m calling private individuals that I know have connections in China, because the Chinese government is has been a little bit difficult at putting PP at the head of the line to be shipped to the United States.
* But…
You may have heard the last day or two the president talking about the air bridge, he’s been calling it from China where they’re shipping goods back to the United States.
Well the reality is that the airbridge is carrying private goods for private companies. It can be PPE, but their private goods are not going to the states, they’re going to private companies that are then distributing it to their customers wherever they may be. And that may be there may be states that are on those customer lists, but they may also not be. And so, I asked directly well could I put goods that are bound for Illinois that we are acquiring PPE for the people of Illinois on the airbridge, and essentially the answer has been no.
* Asked about his advice for Wisconsin in its upcoming primary…
I would say to Wisconsin, I don’t know what the laws are about mail ballots in Wisconsin mail in ballots and absentee balloting, but it was very important in the state of Illinois. Many, many people took advantage of mail in ballots many, many people early voted. […]
I guess the only advice that I would offer is make sure you’re coordinating with your election officials that they know how many volunteers they have that are actually going to show up. And perhaps don’t listen to them when they say they’re all good they don’t need any help, and use the volunteers that you have available to you as governor, or as legislature to augment, you know, the need.
* Why are gun stores considered essential?…
We wanted to make sure that people had the ability to protect themselves if they needed to … There are a number of things that I think one person might not consider essential and somebody else would consider essential. But it was just something that we felt would be important. I think there were quite a lot of people downstate who felt like they’d like the opportunity at least to be able to buy ammunition, or something else because they might want to go hunting by themselves, or to protect themselves.
* Have you been given solid promises on Illinois having first dibs on the Abbott Labs rapid test, and expected date for when they will start to be used in Illinois?…
Let me just compliment them. I spoke with them literally the day they made the announcement about the rapid tests and they were so incredibly responsive and helpful. And we expect to have machines online very shortly. They are shipping those, we may have already been getting a taste. We’re getting 15 of those machines today. … hey’re They’re manufacturing these for the entire nation, but they have said that Illinois is going to be, because of we’re their home, that we’re a priority for them and so obviously they’re delivering on that promise with the first 15 machines already.
The Illinois Capitol Complex is usually very busy with large rallies in April, but #coronavirus has changed the status quo. Thousands of gun owners normally fill the streets during IL Gun Lobby Day. Organizers hope they can hold their event later this fall. #twillpic.twitter.com/BR8FyIKWkZ
Illinois schools could be getting nearly $570 million through the federal coronavirus stimulus package, according to preliminary allocation estimates from the Illinois State Board of Education.
A large portion of that — about $205 million — could go to Chicago Public Schools, ISBE estimates. That’s more than two and a half times the $75 million COVID-19 budget measure the Chicago Board of Education passed last week. […]
Schools are eligible if they received funding this fiscal year through Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the percentage of Title I funding they received will determine how much of the CARES Act funds they could get, according to ISBE. […]
However, that money may not be available in the immediate future. The Department of Education has several weeks to release an application needed for states to access the CARES Act funds. Then the education department will have 30 days to review ISBE’s application. While final allocations will be known only once the U.S. Department of Education issues awards, ISBE provided preliminary estimates to help district leaders plan.
Eleven nursing homes in north suburban Lake County have been found to have multiple cases of COVID-19, health officials announced Wednesday.
Each facility has at least two confirmed cases of the coronavirus, health officials said. A total of 62 cases have spread among the 11 nursing homes, with four of them resulting in death.
A 90-year-old female diagnosed with COVID-19 is a resident of Manor Court, a skilled nursing facility within Liberty Village of Carbondale, the facility administrator confirmed.
The resident was one of three cases confirmed Wednesday in Jackson County.
She is receiving treatment at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.
Manor Court Administrator Melissa Neitzel said the facility has notified all staff, residents and their families by telephone, and plans to send a letter to them today.
Kankakee County’s infection rate is 5.18 positive cases per 10,000 residents. The county, according to the latest figures released Wednesday by the Illinois Department of Public Health, has 57 positive coronavirus cases.
However, based on the county’s population of just under 110,000 residents, as of the 2017 population figures, Kankakee County trails only Cook County and northern Illinois’ Lake County as the state’s highest infection rates. […]
Kankakee County Health Department leader John Bevis said population density is a key factor in a county’s infection rate. He also noted long-term care residential facilities such as Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee and the Illinois Veterans’ Home in Manteno also play a role as cases can quickly multiply in those areas. […]
Dr. Keith Moss, chief medical officer at Riverside Medical Center, concurred Wednesday with Bevis’ sentiment on long-term facilities being major drivers of the county’s rate. A residential and training center for people who have an intellectual disability, Shapiro accounts for 12 of the county’s confirmed cases.
A worker at Exelon Generation’s Quad-Cities Nuclear Power Plant has a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.
That worker is receiving care and any employees who came into contact with that worker or work where that affected worker is employed have been notified, said Bill Stoermer, spokesman for the Quad-Cities Station.
“We performed an additional deep cleaning of all areas that have potentially been exposed. We are maximizing social distancing for those who must continue to report to their locations,” he said.
Moving forward, Exelon will require workers to pass a symptom screening and body temperature check prior to entry every shift, while also requiring social distancing, frequent hand washing and remote work where possible, Stoermer said.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office Wednesday confirmed 23 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the county’s toll to 94.
Five people were pronounced dead Wednesday, seven died Tuesday, one died Monday and six on Sunday, the medical examiner’s office said. Four others died March 28, 27, 25 and 23.
The youngest of the confirmed deaths was 27-year-old James Brooks, of South Shore, who died March 23, the medical examiner’s office said.
The Democratic National Committee is delaying its presidential nominating convention until the week of Aug. 17 after prospective nominee Joe Biden said he didn’t think it would be possible to hold a normal convention in mid-July because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Convention CEO Joe Solmonese confirmed the decision in a statement Thursday.
* Pretty remarkable considering the circumstances…
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has announced preliminary numbers show statewide adult-use cannabis sales in March totaled $35,902,543.22. Dispensaries across the state sold 812,203 items over the 31-day period. Sales to Illinois residents totaled $27,096,931.23, while sales to out-of-state residents totaled $8,805,611.99. These figures do not include taxes collected. A portion of every cannabis sale will be reinvested in communities harmed most by the failed war on drugs.
February sales were $35 million in February and $39.2 million in January.
68% of IL ventilators are not in use and are available.
41% of our adult ICU beds are empty.
I know most politicians and the media want to paint a picture of doom and gloom to keep people scared, but more evidence is coming out showing that’s not the case.
The peak is coming, Allen. You cannot possibly be this stupid. It’s like saying we only need two lanes on the Dan Ryan because traffic is so light at 3 in the morning.
There were sobering preparations for a rise in U.S. deaths: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has asked the Pentagon for 100,000 body bags because of the possibility funeral homes will be overwhelmed, the military said.
* Rep. Skillicorn on Twitter…
We need more flexibility to provide necessary medical services. To face crisis, state officials weigh issuing temporary nursing licenses https://t.co/Y4GYiMk4ye
— Rep. Allen Skillicorn (@allenskillicorn) April 2, 2020
“We have lost an extraordinary person with the passing of Chicago White Sox radio announcer Ed Farmer, and I have lost a dear friend,” said Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. “I was proud to partner with Ed on organ/tissue donation awareness and saw first-hand his passion and commitment to this lifesaving program. As a kidney recipient, he dedicated himself to giving back to the program that extended his life for nearly 30 years. Ed and I worked together to bring White Sox players to the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago where they signed autographs, educated the public and most importantly registered people for the state’s organ/tissue donor program. Ed was a hero. My deepest sympathy to the Farmer Family, his White Sox Family and Ed’s many friends and fans.”
The Secretary said it all there. Rest in peace, Ed.
Now, let’s talk baseball and get our minds off the horrors around us.
State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, helped talk a physician into making a $1 million loan in 2010 while he was running for governor, according to a court ruling entered Tuesday in Springfield by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Mary Gorman.
The money loaned to Robert Brady, one of the senator’s brothers, was never repaid. Gorman ruled that the loan made to bail out a construction company owned by the senator and two brothers was made under false pretenses and so the obligation cannot be discharged via bankruptcy.
Dr. Tom Pliura loaned the money predicated on promises that there was plenty of collateral in real estate if the loan went south, according to Gorman’s decision. In fact, the real estate, four apartment buildings in Normal, were mortgaged and underwater.
Contrary to what Robert Brady told the doctor when the loan was made, the buildings were owned by limited liability corporations as opposed to Robert and Edward Brady, also a brother of the state senator. According to Sen. Brady’s statements of economic interests filed with the secretary of state, the senator, dating back to 2010, has stock in one of the corporations and a “membership interest” in the other.
Ultimately, the buildings were turned over to a bank in lieu of foreclosure, and Pliura received nothing. With interest, the doctor says that he is owed more than $1.8 million.
Oof. And, yes, that’s the same doctor who tried to hand out free COVID-19 “tests” in Champaign this week. We’ll have more on him later.
* Credibility matters during a crisis and Mayor Lightfoot undermined her credibility yesterday. Here’s Heather Cherone at the Daily Line…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot insisted again Wednesday that Chicago’s municipal finances are weathering the storm whipped up by the coronavirus pandemic, even as Gov. JB Pritzker says the state’s budget will be “vastly different” than he planned.
Pritzker told reporters that he could not list all of the changes that will have to be made to the state’s plan for 2021, which he introduced in February based on projections that the state’s economy would continue to thrive.
“It will be a vastly different budget, there is no doubt,” Pritzker said, adding that he has begun working with his team to develop estimates for revenues and expenses. […]
The mayor said she had “great confidence” in her finance and budget team, which predicted a “substantial” economic downturn in 2021.
Chicago has a diverse revenue stream, with no one source accounting for more than 13 percent of the city’s revenues, Lightfoot said. In addition, “economically sensitive revenue streams like state income tax and sales tax” make up about 25 percent of the city’s budget, the mayor said.
Um, her budget proposal was chock full of holes, some of which are still not filled (a $163 million emergency services reimbursement from the federal government, for instance). And it was also balanced by doing things like drawing down years of savings up front on a bond refinancing scheme ($200 million). She further relied on the General Assembly to approve a graduated real estate transfer tax to bring in an additional $50 million, but that never happened.
She got an almost total pass from the Chicago media for that budget and that attitude mostly continues.
Also, her budget did not predict a “substantial” economic downturn. Sales taxes were projected to rise by $37 million. She predicted overall revenues would increase by $352.2 million and that she could wring $537.6 million in savings.
Yeah. How’s all that working out?
* Lightfoot is right that the economy could vigorously bounce back after this is over. And she will be getting significant help from the latest federal stimulus law, which funnels a bunch of money to municipalities with more than 500,000 residents.
It took a step closer the week of March 22, when the downtown hotel occupancy rate fell to 5.9 percent, down from 9.3 percent a week earlier, according to STR, a hotel research and consulting firm based outside Nashville, Tenn.
* Setting aside the over-heated rhetoric in Paul Vallas’ Tribune op-ed, he’s not wrong here…
The city’s $4.45 billion corporate fund, which pays for core city services, is heavily dependent on taxes directly impacted by the pandemic and the economic shutdown.
Taxes such as the sales tax, parking tax, amusement and transportation-related taxes are all tied to business sectors taking a direct hit. Additionally, shared revenues from the state of Illinois are impacted by a slowdown of economic activity.
Obviously, revenues tied to hotel room rental, sporting events, concerts and theater entertainment, parking garages, the convention business, gasoline sales, property transfer taxes, CTA ridership, parking and red-light tickets have all been impaired or eviscerated.
And he has some decent revenue ideas as well, so go read it.
The torrent of Americans filing for unemployment insurance skyrocketed last week as more than 6.6 million new claims were filed, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That brings to 10 million the total Americans who filed over the past two weeks. […]
On an unadjusted basis, the total was 5.8 million, a number that some economists consider more relevant because seasonal adjustments are less relevant due to the unusual impact the coronavirus-induced shutdown has had on the economy.
“Sadly, this probably still underestimates the actual numbers because of the overload in the systems and not every call getting through,” said Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. “Even if we’re accurately calculating the numbers, we still likely have worse to come.”
As more states issue stay at home orders this week, that number will undoubtedly continue growing.
More than 178,000 Illinois residents applied for unemployment insurance benefits last week, as the number of workers who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic continues to swell.
The surge in jobless claims in Illinois — up about 50% from the 114,000 reported for the week ended March 21 — comes as many struggle to file for benefits. With Illinois unemployment offices closed due to the pandemic, the state’s computer systems have been overwhelmed, and many applicants have had trouble getting through.
The state said last week that additional steps were being taken to handle the “unprecedented volume” of applications, with new hardware infrastructure on the website, and increased call center capacity and staff. But newly unemployed residents say they continue to be frustrated by online glitches and trouble getting through by phone.
“I called yesterday all day long,” said Nicole Morsut, of Round Lake, who has been trying to get benefits since March 20, after being furloughed from a retail sales job.
Civil rights attorneys launched a coordinated legal challenge Thursday to demand the swift release of Illinois prisoners most vulnerable to the coronavirus, and accusing Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other state leaders of putting the general public at risk.
The effort includes a proposed class-action lawsuit filed Thursday morning in federal court, naming Pritzker and Rob Jeffreys, director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, as defendants. Ten IDOC prisoners are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
“To effectively prevent the continued spread of the COVID-19 infection in prison communities, the state must take urgent steps to release, furlough, or transfer to home detention all that qualify under the law, and particularly those who are elderly and medically vulnerable,” the lawsuit states.
It adds: “Class members who are elderly and medically vulnerable, and those with pathways to release, must be released now.”
* Gov. Pritzker began his press conference by urging people to fill out their census forms and then turned to healthcare. Here’s some actual news…
I also want to provide an update on our search for new or renewing healthcare workers. We have now received over 1100 applications from both former health care workers looking to rejoin the fight and from out of state professionals who want to help Illinois, many of whom are Illinois residents who happen to practice in a border city in another state. Right now, those numbers are running about half and half, with more applications coming in every day. It’s really incredible to watch the people of this state are truly so deeply genuinely caring. […]
We’re also hard at work, exploring options to allow some of our fourth year medical students and nursing students at the end of their programs to join the fight against Cova 19.
As always, please pardon all typos.
* On to questions for the governor. It sounded like the question was yet another “when will we be there” query…
It is very hard to know to be honest with you. I mean I think you’ve seen that as I put in a stay at home order and when we started with the closing of schools and so on. You know, we were relying upon what we knew at that time which seemed like it was just weeks perhaps that were necessary. We’re continuing to follow the science to know what date we ought to be extending to there are states who have chosen different dates for their stay at home order. And so, we’re looking at all of that if there was a definitive answer I would hope that the CDC would put that forward to everyone. It’s unclear, to be frank with you. And so we’re listening to the best minds that we can get the right answer, right now we’ve extended our stay at home and all of the other orders to April 30, but as I have said, we’re going to continue to evaluate every day whether we’ll need to extend that at any point. But right now I think that that seems like the right period of time. Again, not knowing exactly when we might peak income off of that peak, which is a very important point at which will be making new evaluations.
* IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike was asked about the rise of deaths…
I have said every day that we knew we would see more cases and we knew we would see more deaths. So as we develop more cases, we are going to have more deaths. I can’t tell you, I can’t predict exactly the number that it will be obviously each day, but we know generally from following data that we have from around the world unfortunately we have a lot of information from all the situations all the cases from around the world. We know that approximately 20% end up requiring hospitalization and more severe care, and that about five 5% require ICU care. We know that the mortality rate is somewhere between, maybe one and 3%. So I think our numbers are unfortunately, going to bear that out, and we will see growth in the number of decimals, most, unfortunately, until we get to that peak and hopefully we have done all that we’ve can all that we can in terms of staying home and doing all these mitigation efforts so that the peak is lower than what was originally anticipated.
* Dr. Ezike was also asked about the public wearing masks…
So, of course, the best way to not get ill is to stay at home … wash your hands twice a day. You’re doing a great job if you wash your hands five times, 10 times a day. You’re doing an even better job if you clean frequently touched surfaces. So all of these measures, obviously, are helpful.
When we say cover your cough, the point of covering your cough is that you’re not letting those droplets go on to the person standing in front of you, go on to the person that you’re in front of you so the covering your cough covering your sneeze and the social distancing are essentially similar to the advice of wearing the mask. The idea of wearing the mask as you said would be to keep those droplets potentially from spraying on others so I understand what you’re saying that that is logical. And so we want everybody to do the most that they can to prevent potentially infecting others before they know it. And we know that covering your cough staying away from people, and potentially some kind of covering of your mouth and nose would also potentially be helpful as well.
* Gov. Pritzker on masks…
I want to add to something that Dr Ezike said that while the question about is it effective to wear a mask. I’m sure it’s more effective than not wearing a mask. But it does not replace staying at home. Staying at home is the best mitigation strategy, please stay home. […]
In fact, I think that there’s some evidence to show that it can be effective. A are we thinking about changing policy again, we’re evaluating these things every day.
* Are you considering taking action to delay the deadline for the second installment for property tax payments currently around August 1, or do you think that is one deadline the state cannot afford to push back?…
That is not a state function to, just to be clear. … These are functions of local governments and county government, the state does not collect property taxes and those decisions have been made by local governments county governments.
* Director Ezike, can you please explain the numbers in a more clear fashion for people on the cases at Stateville…
We have tested 127 individuals, 80 of those samples were sent to a university lab, another 47 were sent out elsewhere, of the 80 that we were able to get back, we had 36 were positive, which gave us about a 45% positivity rate. We have 19 individuals who are hospitalized and at multiple different hospitals throughout the state. And we’re continuing to monitor other individuals that are still in the facility
* 12 of the cases in Kankakee County are from the Shapiro Developmental Center. What do you say to the families…
Not only do we have a very strong PPE policy, but we also provide significant amounts of PPE. Look, there is no doubt and you’ve heard this from our medical experts that sometimes congregate facilities are difficult because of the very nature of people living in the same facility. And who have felt like you know we are actually running it reasonably well, doing the right things at the right time sometimes you know that this virus is so it’s an invisible virus you know you just don’t know where it’s going to come from we’re doing everything we can to try to separate people out, who may have contracted the virus to detect it. You just heard, General Neely talk about, you know, taking temperatures and checking people’s medical situation before they enter a facility we’re trying to do that in as many places as we can.
So you know we’re doing the best we can. We’re certainly trying our best to take care of our, our seniors our children, people who are you know in our care as prisoners too. So we’re addressing it as best we can and again. In each of these situations, our number one concern is the welfare of the people who are in our care.
* We may not have as many confirmed cases downstate, but already clusters of cases at a senior home and Taylorville outnumber the available number of ICU beds at the hospital in town. What is your administration doing to coordinate the response in rural areas with critical access hospitals and should county officials make those numbers of available ICU beds public?…
As we move towards the peak of this, we are going to be filling up ICU beds across the state. It isn’t the same in every area, there are critical access hospitals that may have fewer ICU beds. There are other hospitals and other areas of the state that may have more availability just as a percentage of what they’ve got. […]
We’re trying to make sure that we’re either offloading the non acute people who are in the hospital, the patients in the hospital or we’re providing additional facilities for people to have ICU capability.
* Are you considering calling the General Assembly to meet someplace else, or to meet virtually?…
The General Assembly leaders are talking about how they might be able to accomplish a general assembly legislative session.
It is something that I think may be very important to do. It’s hard to do, there are 177 members of the General Assembly and we’re asking people to stay home and not congregate in groups of more than 10. So some Governor’s might think this is a dream that you can’t get your legislature together, but we have things that we need to get done in the state of Illinois. So I’m hoping that we’ll be able to figure out how we might be able to get them meeting. And I know that the leaders are thinking about that as well.
* How would you recommend churches handle Easter Sunday services?…
Well, I would suggest that many people need to attend services online, that the churches should try their best to provide a connection on the internet. It may be the best way in order to make sure that you’re abiding by the stay at home rule, which is so vitally important. I understand how important worship is and especially in these moments, but it can be done virtually, and I would suggest that people should never, you know, despite the desire on Easter to get together to celebrate together to worship together. I would still tell people, please stay home please stay home and contact your pastor to find out if they have services online that you can participate in or at least view it.
* Have you been in contact with the legislative leader leaders and budget committee chairs to talk about a revised FY21 budget, and what if any major changes from your original budget proposal, do you think the state will need?…
Well, I don’t think I could list all the changes that would need to be made to the original budget. Our budget proposal was put together in January, presented in February, weeks and weeks before the coven crisis came upon us, or at least we were all aware of how serious it was.
I have had conversations with various members of the General Assembly and leaders, just to begin, we are obviously working to figure out what is the revenue shortfall, what are the challenges that we’re going to go through, when do we think that we’ll begin to see revenue return. And trying to make estimates of that as you can imagine, at this moment are very difficult when I couldn’t tell you two days ago that we were going to extend the stay at home rule that we put in place. So, we’re still working on it. There’s no doubt that it will be a vastly different budget.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 986 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 42 additional deaths.
- Carroll County: 1 male 80s
- Cook County: 1 male 20s, 2 males 30s, 2 males 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 50s, 3 males 60s, 2 females 60s, 5 males 70s, 3 females 70s, 3 male 80s, 4 females 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 female 100s. (5 incomplete data)
- DuPage County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s
- Kane County: 1 female 90s
- Lake County: 1 male 50s
- Sangamon County: 1 male 90s
- Will County: 1 male 60s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 60s
Massac and Vermilion counties are now reporting cases. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 6,980 cases, including 141 deaths, in 56 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
The Joint Commission on Administrative Rules met in the Stratton Building in Springfield despite federal recommendations banning large gatherings and Gov. JB Pritzker’s own executive orders
Commission Co-Chair State Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) said the lawmakers had no choice but to meet and extend emergency rules before they expire in the coming weeks in order to avoid possible legal battles down the road. […]
One of the most pressing set of emergency rules JCAR needed to vote to extend were ones approved by the Illinois State Board of Education in November after Tribune/ProPublica Illinois investigation into the use and potential abuse of isolation rooms in school settings for children who are deemed disruptive in classroom settings. The new rules prohibit the use of locked seclusion rooms and stop schools from using prone restraint. […]
“We would open things up to all sorts of legal debate about us renewing a rule after it was already expired,” Cunningham said. “Do we have ability to extend rule that already expired?”
The other emergency rule they extended was to collect parking tax revenues.
JCAR can meet, but the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform can’t.
Only 8 of JCAR’s 12 members attended, but a handful of staff were also in the hearing room. The public was not allowed into the room.
* Here’s something from Hannah’s story that I had missed…
A spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office, which controls the Capitol Complex in Springfield — said the Capitol, the Stratton Building and the Howlett Building are closed to the public, though lawmakers, members of the media and state employees with identification are allowed in.
The SoS office closed the Capitol Complex to large groups on March 12. The entire complex was closed to the public on March 17.
The Illinois National Guard is sending 30 service members to help with medical care at Stateville Correctional Center, where one inmate has died from the coronavirus and at least 32 more have tested positive.
The service members are medics from the Illinois Army National Guard’s 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team based in Urbana and will be setting up medical tents, triaging and providing medical care for inmates at the Crest Hill-based correctional center, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
Lt. Col. Brad Leighton, a spokesman for the Illinois National Guard, said the medics should arrive by the end of the week. […]
The medical help is intended to assist inmates who need care but not hospitalization. The medical tents will be “fully operational there before the end of the week,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said.
* Speaking of which, the ING’s Twitter account remains on point. More agencies need to be doing rumor patrol…
There is false rumor being sent through social media. It is a "notice" using the National Guard logo and a DoD seal. It claims that the NG is being federalized to enforce a nationwide quarantine and that people should stock up on a two-week supply "of everything." NOT TRUE!
The Illinois National Guard announced Monday that Governor JB Pritzker had activated about 115 additional Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen in support of COVID-19 response operations.
About 80 of these additional Illinois National Guard members will help with communications and reporting between county health departments throughout the state and the State Emergency Operations Center. Another 30 Illinois National Guard Airmen will assist in the establishment of a medical facility at McCormick Place.
A virtual press conference hosted by Chicago politicians was cut short after someone hijacked the conference call and started streaming pornographic images.
On Tuesday morning, Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), and Illinois State Reps. Theresa Mah and Ann Williams held a private press conference with organizers, health officials and reporters on popular teleconferencing platform Zoom.
The leaders aimed to call on Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. JB Pritzker to close metal scrappers polluting Chicago neighborhoods including General Iron in Lincoln Park and the Sims Metal Management in Pilsen, particularly because of the respiratory nature of COVID-19.
But 16 minutes into the Zoom chat, that push was interrupted by a person who said: “Yeah, I don’t care.”
As confusion set in, a pornographic video that included images of a woman who was not fully clothed began playing on the video call.
I work alone from home when the General Assembly is not in session and I’ve never used Zoom or anything like that until last week when several pals and I connected over some cocktails to celebrate a birthday. All of this is new to me.
As large numbers of people turn to video-teleconferencing (VTC) platforms to stay connected in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, reports of VTC hijacking (also called “Zoom-bombing”) are emerging nationwide. The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language.
Within the FBI Boston Division’s area of responsibility (AOR), which includes Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, two schools in Massachusetts reported the following incidents:
• In late March 2020, a Massachusetts-based high school reported that while a teacher was conducting an online class using the teleconferencing software Zoom, an unidentified individual(s) dialed into the classroom. This individual yelled a profanity and then shouted the teacher’s home address in the middle of instruction.
• A second Massachusetts-based school reported a Zoom meeting being accessed by an unidentified individual. In this incident, the individual was visible on the video camera and displayed swastika tattoos.
As individuals continue the transition to online lessons and meetings, the FBI recommends exercising due diligence and caution in your cybersecurity efforts. The following steps can be taken to mitigate teleconference hijacking threats:
• Do not make meetings or classrooms public. In Zoom, there are two options to make a meeting private: require a meeting password or use the waiting room feature and control the admittance of guests.
• Do not share a link to a teleconference or classroom on an unrestricted publicly available social media post. Provide the link directly to specific people.
• Manage screensharing options. In Zoom, change screensharing to “Host Only.”
• Ensure users are using the updated version of remote access/meeting applications. In January 2020, Zoom updated their software. In their security update, the teleconference software provider added passwords by default for meetings and disabled the ability to randomly scan for meetings to join.
• Lastly, ensure that your organization’s telework policy or guide addresses requirements for physical and information security.
Speaking from his backyard deck in Springfield, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Wednesday that Gov. J.B. Pritzker is calling the CEOs of major airlines to organize an airlift to haul personal protection equipment from China to Illinois.
Durbin also said Pritzker told him about an Illinois company with COVID-19 supplies to sell — yet was “playing hard to get” while seeking a better price from another state for this equipment now referred to in shorthand simply as PPE. […]
In an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Durbin said, “I talk to the governor almost every day and yesterday he said he felt like a shipping clerk. He was calling the major airlines that he knew the CEOs to be available, asking and begging them to help Illinois secure goods from China, PPE from China. […]
Durbin said the Illinois company was profiteering on the disaster and that was “unacceptable.”
Work to turn the shuttered Sherman Hospital site in Elgin into a facility for non-acute COVID-19 patients will take place as quickly as possible, officials said.
“We are in a race against time right now to see what we can get done in next three to four weeks as a relief valve for existing hospitals,” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Col. Aaron Reisinger said Tuesday.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District has been assigned to work on the rehabilitation of three hospital sites, including the one in Elgin and MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, Reisinger said.
* Cities have the right under the state disaster declaration to restrict access to any geographic area within their boundaries…
Some Chicago police officers Tuesday were assigned to check the identification of anyone who wanted to enter four historically violent West Side blocks in an effort to tamp down gang gatherings.
Under the order, issued by Harrison District Cmdr. Darrell Spencer, only people who live on those blocks would be able to enter them.
Several police officers said they were hesitant to follow those orders out of concern that the directive was not constitutional. […]
“Following 89 dispersal orders in the 11th District on Monday alone, the Department temporarily closed certain streets as part of a strategic and public health effort to disrupt the open-air drug market in the area and prevent excessive gatherings of people,” Guglielmi said in a statement. “During this time, only residents who reside on the streets are permitted to enter while others are directed to alternative routes.”
It’s akin to sealing off areas that have been slammed by a hurricane. Whether it’s wise to do it in this instance is another story.
* Press release…
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today joined Governor JB Pritzker to announce a new ‘Arts for Illinois Relief Fund’ to provide financial assistance to artists, artisans and cultural organizations impacted by COVID-19. The fund is a partnership between the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois and the broader philanthropic community. Arts for Illinois Relief Fund is administered by Arts Alliance Illinois in partnership with 3Arts and Arts Work Fund. To date, more than $4M has been committed from public and private sources to seed an upcoming statewide campaign that will provide additional funding to meet the growing and critical needs of the state’s creative sector.
Grant applications for artists, artisans and cultural organizations open today. The City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) has contributed $1 million to the relief effort, along with leadership gifts from Walder Foundation and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Fundraising activities will be co-chaired by First Lady MK Pritzker and First Lady Amy Eshleman, with support from other civic leaders. Individuals, corporations and charitable foundations are encouraged to donate to the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund by visiting www.artsforillinois.org.
* I’ve posted this UFCW press release before…
Local 881 workers must be designated as first responders for the remainder of the COVID-19 crisis. Governors in Minnesota, Michigan, and Vermont have taken this position, which will make retail workers eligible for free childcare, provide coverage for all coronavirus treatments, tests, and medicines if diagnosed or quarantined, and ensure that they have adequate access to PPE.
These minimum benefits come at a pivotal time as our members are working to sustain the food supply when demand is high, and schools are closed. Like the rest of us, grocery store, pharmacy, and food processing workers have children who are no longer attending school and are themselves at risk of getting sick. Everything must be done to ensure they can work and come home safely to their families.
I’ve been asking the governor’s office about it and received a reply yeserday afternoon…
The Governor is deeply grateful for the dedication our grocery store workers have displayed during this crisis. He is working with advocates and industry to ensure we’re implementing best practices to keep workers and consumers safe. National shortages in PPE have resulted in tough decisions being made between bad choices and less bad choices. The Governor is urging the federal government to step up, utilize the Defense Production Act, and work to end the national shortage of PPE we’re all dealing with.
Scientists are starting to roll out new blood tests for the coronavirus, a key development that, unlike the current diagnostic tests, will help pinpoint people who are immune and reveal the full scope of the pandemic.
The “serological” tests — which rely on drawn blood, not a nasal or throat swab — can identify people who were infected and have already recovered from Covid-19, including those who were never diagnosed, either because they didn’t feel particularly sick or they couldn’t get an initial test. Scientists expect those individuals will be safe from another infection for at least some time — so the tests could signal who could be prioritized to return to work or serve as a frontline health worker.
Two US companies have launched a rapid antibody test for the coronavirus, which can be used to detect if a person’s immune system has Covid-19 or has recovered from it.
BD, a large medical technology company, and BioMedomics, a North Carolina-based clinical diagnostics company, announced a new point-of-care test that can detect evidence of past or present exposure to the virus in as little as 15 minutes.
BD plans to make a million tests available in the coming months, distributing through its partner healthcare supplies company Henry Schein.
Without a vaccine, the only way we can start getting people back to work after the peak is to find out who may be immune.
We need reliable tests and we need to get production scaled up fast. That’s why the Defense Procurement Act is so important in times like these…
Invoking the Defense Production Act is hardly a rare occurrence. As recently as last summer, the Department of Defense used it to obtain rare earth metals needed to build lasers, jet engines and armored vehicles.
The Defense Department estimates that it has used the law’s powers 300,000 times a year. The Department of Homeland Security — including its subsidiary, FEMA — placed more than 1,000 so-called rated orders in 2018, often for hurricane and other disaster response and recovery efforts, according to a report submitted to Congress in 2019 by a committee of federal agencies formed to plan for the effective use of the law.
The law, which was used frequently by previous administrations as well, does not permit the federal government to assert complete control over a company. The federal government can, however, use it to jump ahead of other clients or issue loans so a company can buy all of the supplies it needs to complete the government’s order by a specific date. A rarely used authority of the law also allows the administration to control the distribution of a company’s products and determine where such materials go.
Wednesday, Apr 1, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
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The number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois could exceed 19,000 a little more than a week from now, according to a new analysis by experts at Rush — but that’s far less than the 147,000 cases the state could have seen by then if residents had not retreated to their homes. […]
The Rush calculator, which includes four growth models, projects how the number of Illinois cases might increase over the next week or so, depending on how fast the illness spreads. It also includes forecasts as far as 30 days out, but Hota said those more distant forecasts are far less reliable.
According to the calculator, Illinois could have expected to see 146,581 cases by April 9 if cases had continued growing at the fast pace seen earlier in March.
In the earlier stages of the illness’s spread, Rush University Medical Center saw a doubling of cases every two to three days, Hota said. But the growth rate in new cases has slowed, and the medical center is now seeing a doubling every five to six days.
However, testing is still spotty and private labs are overwhelmed and unable to provide timely results.
For the first time in its quarter-century history, the University of Illinois Flash Index will not be published for March because the COVID-19 pandemic has compromised the components of the index. The index, which stood at 105.7 in February, is derived using receipts from the state’s sales tax, personal income tax and corporate income tax.
“The sudden, unprecedented near-shutdown of economic activity from the coronavirus is clearly causing huge, but as yet unmeasured, economic damage,” said economist J. Fred Giertz of the U of I System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs, who has compiled the monthly Flash Index since 1997.
“The shutdowns and the stay-at-home orders clearly have had an immediate impact on economic activity that would show up in declining state tax receipts,” said Giertz. “However, the state’s response in granting deferrals in tax payments will further depress revenues for March.”
Due to the unexpected closures of businesses caused by the pandemic, the state provided extra time to pay sales taxes, and has conformed to federal changes that moved the personal and corporate income tax filing deadlines to July 15.
The value of the Flash Index has been the availability of nearly contemporaneous information about the economy from tax receipts, but the pandemic turned this advantage into a liability for the index, Giertz said. Adjustments have been made for ad hoc problems that have arisen in the past, but they were much more minor, affecting only one of the three kinds of tax receipts, he said.
“The saying ‘It’s different this time’ is almost always wrong. But this time, it’s accurate,” Giertz said. “The economic effects of the suddenness and severity of the current crisis are unprecedented and will take some time to understand fully.”
Dr. Tom Pliura, an independent physician, has obtained thousands of COVID-19 tests and will be offering tests to the public at a drive-through test site in Champaign starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The tests will be available to anyone, he said. […]
Pliura, a LeRoy-based doctor and lawyer who owns CampusTown Urgent Care at 631 E. Green St., C, said he has 8,000 tests available to start, and can get 8,000 more. He’ll be working with two private labs, Quest and LabCorp, which will be processing the tests and turning around results — he expects within three-to-four days, he said.
That was such an odd story. How did he get those tests? And shouldn’t those tests be going to hospitals and first responders or where they are most needed? Plus, private testing labs are being widely criticized for taking on more tests than they can quickly process. The backlogs are enormous and growing, so how could he expect results in three or four days?
“In the interest of serving our local community, First Christian Church initially partnered with a local health care clinic to provide a mobile test site for COVID-19. After further conversation with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and medical officials, we have been advised to postpone this partnership.” […]
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator Julie Pryde said the church staff asked for her professional advice about going ahead with the drive-through, and she advised waiting until several questions that have been raised are answered.
“First of all, there is just no unfettered access to testing in this country,” she said.
“Among questions are tests done outside the guidelines, insurance coverage for testing and what people may wind up paying. Just because Dr. Tom Pliura has promised he won’t bill anyone without coverage doesn’t mean the private labs processing the tests won’t, she said. “There’s no reason they can’t hold off until the questions are answered,” she said.
Experts say we may be as little as two days away from finally leaving the March Age. The next epoch is provisionally being called “April,” and is also expected to last 5-10 million years.
