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Boston’s historic and beloved St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the political breakfast that precedes it have both been canceled due to fears of spreading coronavirus at mass events.
“In collaboration with Congressman (Stephen) Lynch, Councilors (Michael) Flaherty and (Ed) Flynn, Senator (Nick) Collins, Representative (David) Biele, and David Falvey from the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is being canceled,” Mayor Martin Walsh announced in a statement Monday, just six days before the parade was due to step off on Sunday. “This decision is being made out of an abundance of caution to ensure that we are doing what is needed to keep the residents of Boston safe and healthy.”
Both Walsh and Gov. Charlie Baker — who is cutting short a Utah ski trip to return to the state — had resisted canceling events for weeks, and there was no word Monday on whether the Boston Marathon set for mid-April will go ahead. Several other major races worldwide have been scaled back or canceled.
The St. Pat’s decision came as the number of presumptive coronavirus cases in Massachusetts jumped to 41 cases on Monday, essentially doubling over Saturday night and then again Sunday night. The virus has sickened more than 100,000 worldwide and killed thousands prompting cancellations of the St. Patrick’s Day parades in Ireland’s two biggest cities of Dublin and Cork, according to reports.
* Same newspaper…
Students will be asked not to return to Harvard University after spring break and instead continue classes remotely, according to an announcement Tuesday morning.
The decision was announced in an email this morning by Harvard University President Lawrence S. Bacow.
* One more…
The coronavirus toll linked to a Biogen management meeting in Boston has now jumped to 32 people infected in Massachusetts — with an investment bank in New York City alerting hundreds more about the viral risk.
Cambridge-based Biogen confirmed Monday they have warned both Manhattan investment bank Cowen & Co. and Boston’s State Room venue about company managers who have COVID-19 who may have come in contact with others.
About 175 Biogen managers coming from all over the world — “Yes, from Italy,” a company spokesman confirmed — gathered for a major meeting of the biotech giant held at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel Feb. 26-27. Italy, at that time, was beginning to see the virus spread.
Chicago is also known for its conventions, its numerous institutions of higher learning and its St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
* Chicago Tribune…
Even as Boston canceled its St. Patrick’s Day parade, Ireland announced festivities across the island would be halted to try to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus and Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation for Illinois because of the disease, Chicago officials said Monday they currently have no plans to call off the two major mid-March parades that draw massive crowds of revelers downtown and to the Southwest Side.
The city’s official parade is set to kick off at noon Saturday. The South Side Irish Parade takes place on Sunday along Western Avenue in the Far Southwest Side Beverly neighborhood. Each can draw crowds well into the hundreds of thousands if the weather’s nice. […]
“While there are currently no plans to cancel St. Patrick’s Day activities or other large events planned at this time, the City of Chicago is actively monitoring conditions and will recommend additional strategies as needed to prevent the spread of the virus,” Stratton said in a statement. “We continue to refine our citywide COVID-19 response plan in consultation with partners at the CDC, IDPH, CDPH as well as the parade organizers to ensure an operational plan is in place to protect the health and safety of our residents and visitors.”
Asked whether there’s talk of halting the South Side parade, Ald. Matt O’Shea, 19th, responded: “Absolutely not! The 42nd annual South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade will step off on Sunday March 15th at 12 p.m. #WashYourHands.”
* From the Illinois statute books…
The Department of Public Health shall investigate the causes of dangerously contagious or infectious diseases, especially when existing in epidemic form, and take means to restrict and suppress the same, and whenever such disease becomes, or threatens to become epidemic, in any locality and the local board of health or local authorities neglect or refuse to enforce efficient measures for its restriction or suppression or to act with sufficient promptness or efficiency, or whenever the local board of health or local authorities neglect or refuse to promptly enforce efficient measures for the restriction or suppression of dangerously contagious or infectious diseases, the Department of Public Health may enforce such measures as it deems necessary to protect the public health, and all necessary expenses so incurred shall be paid by the locality for which services are rendered.
I didn’t realize until last night that Illinois had such strong epidemic laws. IDPH could shut down the parades if Mayor Lightfoot refuses to pull their permits.
* Atlantic…
When the influenza epidemic of 1918 infected a quarter of the U.S. population, killing tens of millions of people, seemingly small choices made the difference between life and death.
As the disease was spreading, Wilmer Krusen, Philadelphia’s health commissioner, allowed a huge parade to take place on September 28th; some 200,000 people marched. In the following days and weeks, the bodies piled up in the city’s morgues. By the end of the season, 12,000 residents had died.
In St. Louis, a public health commissioner named Max Starkloff decided to shut the city down. Ignoring the objections of influential businessmen, he closed the city’s schools, bars, cinemas, and sporting events. Thanks to his bold and unpopular actions, the per capita fatality rate in St. Louis was half that of Philadelphia. (In total roughly 1,700 people died from influenza in St Louis.)
In the coming days, thousands of people across the country will face the choice between becoming a Wilmer Krusen or a Max Starkloff.
Your thoughts?
*** UPDATE *** Hmm…
NEW: After teleconference with city and parade organizers this morning,sources say: #SouthsideIrishParade:
“Parade is still on as of now. Will make a decision by Friday if things get worse.”
(Not 💯 if that’s the case for downtown parade, but likely)— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) March 10, 2020
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 9:46 am
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I got twenty bucks they both get cancelled.
Comment by Rutro Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 9:49 am
At this point I’m more worried about the weather. The bars will continue to have their parties…so why cancel the parade? #washyourhands #DrinkJameson #voteyourpalmcard
Comment by Southsider Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 9:54 am
For the love of God and self preservation- cancel them.
Comment by King Louis XVI Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 9:55 am
This is not 1918 and there isn’t nearly the same risk of ‘bodies piling up.’ But #washyourhands is the weakest imaginable public health tactic
Comment by illinoyed Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 9:55 am
They should cancel the St. Patty’s day parade. That event is precisely what health officials are saying we should NOT do at this time.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:00 am
To the post,
Boston, and Massachusetts, is looking at a larger picture outside the days ahead but to the weeks ahead if they (Boston and Massachusetts) doesn’t change it’s ha it’s for this period of time. Is the thinking… It’s better to declare a state of emergency to slow things then to declare a state of emergency too late and watch things *try* to subside helplessly?
People are going to gather on Saturday, and even Sunday. The question is do you, as a government, permit such things in hopes that nothing can prompt a spike?
IDPH will have serious questions upcoming as the pressure from places like Boston see things differently.., today.
Me?
“No parade? Wicked Bad News. Guess they’ll spend the day getting drunk down by the harbor after parking the car at Harvard Yard“
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:00 am
The Illinois statute goes back to the era of tuberculosis, when local mayors were too greedy, corrupt, selfish, or politically inept to make the oftentimes politically unpopular decision to close taverns and bordellos that posed a substantial threat.
Times have not necessarily changed that much.
If the parade moves forward, people will presume it is safe to attend, and hundreds of thousands of people from not just across the city but across the region will become vectors for the disease.
Mayor Lightfoot has a duty to protect the citizens of Chicago and she is failing, so far, not even bothering to show up for yesterday’s press conference.
Governor Pritzker has a duty to protect not just the citizens of Chicago but the region, and he must not fail. If the mayor cowers, he must be brave. If the mayor fails to lead, JB Pritzker must step forward.
Chicago’s bars will take a hit, but they will recover.
The dead cannot be unburied.
Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:00 am
“…and all necessary expenses so incurred shall be paid by the locality for which services are rendered.”
If they’re smart at the state level, that threat should be a strong bargaining chip to convince local action. Better an early cancellation and city/state coordination, compared with being stuck with a bill if the state has to step in.
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:00 am
So if one person gets infected at either parade and its not a pile, lets march on? The math looks like there will be people who are infected attending the parade, they haven’t been tested, but…march on?
Comment by Rutro Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:01 am
The responsible thing to do is cancel. The reason is that we have a quickly narrowing window in which to stop the corona virus from ravaging our country.
South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore have shown us how to do it:
1. No mass events
2. Social distancing
3. Good hygiene: frequent hand washing for everyone; masks for those who are sick
4. Mass testing to find clusters
5. Self-quarantine if one is ill
Otherwise, we are going to be overwhelmed. We are not even necessarily as prepared as Italy and their hospitals are getting overwhelmed in the north.
MDs per 1,000: Italy 4.0, USA 2.6
Hosp beds per 1,000: Italy 3.2, USA 2.8
The Trump administration only cares about measures to juice the stock market. State and local governments will have to lead and not wait for federal guidance.
Universities are doing the smart thing. Pearl Jam postponed its tour. Even game shows like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune will no longer tape in front of live audiences.
We can slow this down, but time is running out.
Session should be cancelled for at least the next two weeks. The state must lead.
Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:02 am
I was absolutely shocked to see Dublin and Boston cancel their parades. I guess I can now see the downtown parade cancelled, but I’d be staggered if the South Side and Northwest Side communities caved to the rising tide of the perpetually alarmed and careful. Just not in the DNA when a good party is on the line.
Comment by Ace Laredo Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:05 am
I imagine somebody somewhere is starting to keep track of the posts on social media of “It’s no big deal”, and correlating them with location. As time passes, the spread of the virus can probably be predicted fairly accurately using this data.
It appears that the breakdown in how people are responding is breaking down on political lines - sadly, but not surprisingly.
Some of the suburban locations are frankly bizarre. You’d think there was an award for who is the best ‘typhoid mary’ by many of the responses.Some of the most concerning posts involve people actually wanting to catch the virus and ‘prove’ how tough the person is by continuing to go about their lives as if nothing has changed.
Some suburbs are more likely to be the main points of spread in the next couple of days/weeks.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:05 am
Comparing the current situation with a pandemic from 100 years ago is ridiculous, horses were still a viable mode of transportation and antibiotics didn’t exist. Events don’t need to be cancelled, people still have a choice on whether or not to attend.
Comment by MeatandTaters Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:08 am
In a perfect world, close everything down for 3 weeks.
But the world’s not perfect, and shutting down doesn’t work for students who depend on school meal programs, workers who can’t miss a day, public transit workers on whom workers depend, 1st responders, grocery store workers and those who transport food and medicine, healthcare workers, and so many more.
Parades, yes. We can postpone or cancel a parade.
Comment by Ashland Adam Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:08 am
Shut down the parades/celebrations. Containment is so very important.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:08 am
Willy -
Many people will, no doubt, decide to go out drinking any way.
But many will, no doubt, see the cancellation of the parade for what it is: a clear message that gathering in large numbers is a bad idea.
Cancelling the parade will save lives. It flattens the curve so that the epidemic grows more slowly, hopefully not overwhelming our health system quite so fast.
Maybe postponing the parade until Mid June would make everyone happier?
Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:09 am
This beerfly aka coronavirus is something else. I’m all for precautions as always. I hear it’s not as bad as the spanish flu as far as statistics, however, I’m in no rush to prove it. Better to not catch it and not find out how bad it really is.
Comment by Levois J Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:09 am
If the mayor is taking this threat seriously she’ll cancel the parades.
Comment by WSJ Paywall Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:11 am
“…people still have a choice on whether or not to attend.”
Despite cynicism, people do look to their government to leadership in times of crisis. If our local leaders are saying “this is serious and needs to be taken seriously” on one day, and then are marching and smiling in a parade the next day, people will assume that everything is fine and that will guide their choices. Leadership matters.
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:11 am
I looked up that IDPH statute yesterday when a thread was discussing the ability of governments to forcibly quarantine people for public health reasons. It also covers that and provides how they can go to court and get a quarantine order.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:12 am
=== But many will, no doubt, see the cancellation of the parade for what it is: a clear message that gathering in large numbers is a bad idea.
Cancelling the parade will save lives. It flattens the curve so that the epidemic grows more slowly, hopefully not overwhelming our health system quite so fast.===
It’s not my call, It’s the Mayor’s call or IDPH
I just stated the case of how Boston and Massachusetts seem to see it, and I like the Boston accent, so i has some fun with it.
=== IDPH will have serious questions upcoming as the pressure from places like Boston see things differently.., today.===
That’s really the ball game now.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:14 am
“…antibiotics didn’t exist.”
You know it’s a virus, right? /s
Comment by Moira Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:16 am
I think I take any of my posts from yesterday back. Chicago has not had an above average virus response. We’ve just been lucky so far.
Having two massive citywide parades seems like such a bad, bad idea right now.
Comment by ZC Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:16 am
@ Ace; Exactly the call, good party v. mass infections? I’ll be sorely disappointed if the local pols wait for IDPH. Time to be a leader. Lightfoot/O’Shea-Looking for an adult decision.
Comment by Rutro Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:18 am
The flu kills an average of 2,400 IL residents every year, an average of 1,830 Chicago/Cook/suburban Cook residents, but we don’t hear much about that . . .
Comment by Things to Ponder Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:19 am
Moira
Yes dear, I’m aware of that, it was a general statement in how advanced healthcare is now compared to then.
Comment by MeatandTaters Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:21 am
=== The flu kills an average of 2,400 IL residents every year, an average of 1,830 Chicago/Cook/suburban Cook residents, but we don’t hear much about that . . .===
Italy, as a nation, is on total lockdown.
You think that’s… foolish?
Whew.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:21 am
===antibiotics didn’t exist.===
Antibiotics do absolutely nothing for a viral infection, only bacterial infections.
See. This is exactly why this is going to spread like wildfire in the US. People by and large just have no understanding of how this works.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:22 am
The “no big deal” people seem to talk in terms of individual cases, the prevention thereof, and the relatively low mortality rate. Even through that lense it seems bad, potentially millions of deaths, but the alarm I feel is bigger than even that. The rapidly approaching disaster seems to be more generally about the systemic economic and healthcare impact of dealing with millions of new sick people at once. Even if the vast majority of cases are “mild” we’re still going to have millions and millions of people trying to see the doctor and staying home from work. Even if my family doesn’t get it, how long will we wait to see a doctor for other illnesses and injuries? How reliably can I expect my local grocery store to be open? How reliably can I expect them to have product on the shelves? How will these impacts compound?
Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:25 am
I would think Boston and Dublin cancelling their parades would give Lightfoot the cover she needs to cancel Chicago’s. What I fear we are seeing from her is a combination of being afraid to alienate white voters (see her strong stance on Columbus Day) and her default “dig in your heels and show no weakness” stance.
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:25 am
Cancel both and do a practice run on emergency operations. Police and fire already lined up to work, cancelation plus life drill is enough to stress sickness and disease is serious.
Comment by Anon for Now Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:25 am
Is there guidance on what constitutes a mass event? I have 200 people coming to an event next week and around half of those people are coming from the St Louis region. It seems like the decision is in my hands, which is concerning. I’m not qualified to make a public health call
Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:27 am
Poland has cancelled all mass events. They have 17 confirmed cases. But, they have a lot of people who just came back from winter break skiing in Italy.
They are using science to try and keep it from getting worse.
Please Fox-bots: stop telling us how many people flu kills every year. Covid-19 is more highly transmissible and has a higher case-mortality rate.
Also, as the Fox demographic skews older: it’s older people who are most at risk from this virus. It’s in your own self-interest to take this seriously.
Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:27 am
===antibiotics didn’t exist.===
I agree with TheInvisibleMan about how stupid that comment is. However, unlike today, there was a vaccine…
“By October 21 [1918], Chicago had received 100,000 doses of flu vaccine, and inoculations began. Whether this helped is debatable. But over the next weeks, flu deaths rapidly dropped. The war ended on November 11, and the Spanish flu was forgotten in the excitement.”
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-blogs/in-1918-killer-flu-hits-chicago/81dfbba1-d863-4f8d-a682-93954d650413
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:29 am
We don’t yet know what the annual average fatality count will be for this new virus. It’s still too early to be jumping on the ‘the flu kills x’ bandwagon.
Just look to Washington state and the various cruise ships to access the danger of being in close quarters around people with this virus. Especially for the elderly and infirm.
Is it just as dangerous to be close to people outdoors? Who knows? I know I won’t go to any large gathering in a large city. I will probably attend a movie in Springfield - on the East side with the smaller theatres. Just my opinion.
Comment by thoughts matter Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:31 am
@things to ponder
What’s your point? Thousands need to die in order for it to be taken seriously, and even then it’s “no big deal” because people die with the flu every year? Does it have to have a certain body count to be taken seriously by the “it’s no big deal” crowd?
Comment by Duke of Normandy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:33 am
OW - You did use a Midwest accent when you wrote about Bahston though, hahbah, yahd, pahking the cah at Hahvad yahd. (Tough to write with a Midwest autocorrect.) And don’t forget when you turn or change lanes “Use yah blinkahs”
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:35 am
To the update;
=== NEW: After teleconference with city and parade organizers this morning,sources say: #SouthsideIrishParade:
“Parade is still on as of now. Will make a decision by Friday if things get worse.”===
Huh?
What… “if more people get sick…”… “then”
This is not the way to run a railroad.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:36 am
“yes, dear”
Irrelevant commentary with a side of gender-based condescension, gotta love it.
People can decide for themselves if they want to go to events, but it’s not just about those of us who might enjoy a party. Our elderly and immunocompromised friends and loved ones are counting on us to make good choices as a society, dear.
Comment by Moira Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:37 am
- West Side the Best Side -
Wicked good advice, if you need me, I’ll be in Back Bay having a Sam Adams
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:38 am
With spring break coming up, it may be wise for the state’s universities to extend spring break with online instruction. The last thing you want is for the virus to enter campus residences before symptoms start to show as students return.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:38 am
==Antibiotics do absolutely nothing for a viral infection, only bacterial infections.==
When I discussed the corona virus with my personal physician in respect to concern for an elderly relative, my doctor was quick to point out that while the initial contagion is viral what is of greatest concern is often the secondary infection deep in the lungs which is usually bacterial. So antibiotics do matter a great deal in treating this, especially in the elderly and compromised.
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:39 am
We seem stuck in a cycle where we push prevention after the first local cases when we should be pushing prevention and containment at that point. My employer is saying official policy at this point is don’t cancel events, they’re monitoring absentee rates, and they’ll adjust guidance if They see an uptick in absenteeism. This seems very myopic
Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:41 am
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-reader-questions-doctor-answers-20200310-iehjjp6ovnhuricqla4avcpfya-story.html
Bottom line: if its its out of doors, you should be fine. If you’re a health risk, or at risk- stay home.
Comment by West Sider Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:44 am
She is already too late in cancelling it and if she doesn’t do it by early afternoon, IDPH should do it for her by the end of the day.
Shocking and irresponsible.
Comment by crazybleedingheart Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:46 am
As far as I know, Springfield’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is still on for Saturday. However with the weather forecast indicating temps in the upper 30s plus rain, the bars downtown will be crammed with people. No thanks. I will be enjoying my Irish stout from the comfort of my own home.
Comment by Captain Who Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:47 am
As Willy said, the point is to flatten the curve.
https://www.vox.com/2020/3/10/21171481/coronavirus-us-cases-quarantine-cancellation?utm_campaign=elizabarclay&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
A parade in Philadelphia in 1918 was a big vector for spreading the flu:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/philadelphia-threw-wwi-parade-gave-thousands-onlookers-flu-180970372/
IDPH (and many state health agencies) have very strong powers to curtail events in the case of a pandemic largely because of events at beginning of the 20th century. It’s a matter of being willing to use those powers.
Comment by Archpundit Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:49 am
Perhaps the difference between Boston and Chicago is that our St. Patrick’s parades are scheduled just a few days before the primary election?
Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:52 am
West Sider, nice job quote mining. The doctor’s answer was much more nuanced than that. Here’s the whole quote:
====
Q: Similarly, is it a good idea to travel to Chicago for St. Patrick’s Day festivities?
A: Certainly indoor gatherings are more worrisome than outdoor gatherings. There’s more ventilation, and you’re less likely to touch something that might be contaminated. There are concerns for people with risk of getting really sick — the elderly, people with chronic medical conditions, immunocompromised people — that they should stay away from large gatherings of any kind. I really can’t disagree with that. It may be a bit of overkill. But this is all out of an abundance of caution. But for the young, healthy person, to go to an outdoor gathering, I would still consider it safe.
====
Should the city close the festivities to all but the young & healthy? Should the city allow the parade, but cancel the indoor gatherings? Doesn’t really work that way, does it?
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:52 am
Pearl Jam tour cancelled
Ohio St and Harvard moving all classes to online.
Ivy League conference basketball tournament cancelled.
Comment by Seats Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:55 am
Hilarious-Everyone got too hammered and they cancelled the ss parade for two years. Pandemic-Lets see how it goes?
Comment by Rutro Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:58 am
My recommendation: Give everyone a 4-pack of Guinness and tell them to stay home and watch the parade on TV. Have the local TV stations play a recording of last year’s parade. Pay the folks who didn’t work a stipend to cover lost wages.
The side benefit is no one is driving with alcohol in their system.
This type of gathering is completely optional.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:58 am
Why would Mayor Lightfoot allow 100,000 people to gather, drink and potentially accelerate the spread of Corona. Cancel all parades.
Comment by common sense Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:00 am
==People can decide for themselves if they want to go to events==
I’m sure Native American tribal leaders from the 1760s would love to ‘take back’ their decision to accept linens from the colonists. /s
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:04 am
===Duke of Normandy===
Geesh,I’m saying we lose thousands of people every year to the flu and it’s like okay? why don’t we put out the warnings, hand sanitizer, and ‘wash your hands’ signs to prevent those deaths too? Somehow those people at risk don’t count and don’t get media attention?
Comment by Things to Ponder Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:04 am
===I’m saying we lose thousands of people every year to the flu and it’s like okay?===
If you’re clueless to understand the difference here between the Coronavirus and the flu, you can’t be helped.
I fed you. Good luck.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:06 am
Why would the State of Illinois allow Metra cars packed full of tens of thousands of revelers travel to/from Chicago’s self-interested regional transmission event?
Comment by crazybleedingheart Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:07 am
@oswego willy
No, Italy should have locked down their borders long before now. Saying, we already lose thousands to the flu and it gets little to no attention.
Comment by Things to Ponder Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:08 am
=== No, Italy should have locked down their borders long before now. Saying, we already lose thousands to the flu and it gets little to no attention.===
Are you just looking for attention? Those two sentences and thoughts aren’t at all congruent.
Thanks.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:10 am
I think it’s a sure thing that everything will be shut down eventually. Parades, schools, sporting events.
It’s just a question of whether we act soon when there’s a chance to keep the numbers of sick and dead low, or whether we act late, when the numbers are already spiking.
Comment by Just a Reader Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:13 am
Cancel the parades. Otherwise Lightfoot could have her version of the Blizzard of ‘79 that took care of Blandic.
Comment by anonamoose Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:18 am
I would guess Boston Marathon is next. That is what only a month away?
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:19 am
==== Saying, we already lose thousands to the flu and it gets little to no attention.
It gets lots of attention. A yearly vaccine for one. This is a huge help though more people getting the shot would help even more.
The difference here is the rate of infection is a problem that hospitals cannot handle without flattening the curve. A normal flu year or even a high rate of flu year like this is generally manageable with current resources. However, Covid-19 has a high rate of transmission and that means it is fairly likely to overwhelm hospital resources.
Comment by Archpundit Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:20 am
Wonder there are constant references to flu deaths. Hey lets toss in gun death and suggest a round up.
Comment by Annonin Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:20 am
===… Blizzard of ‘79 that took care of Blandic.===
(Sigh)
The blizzard, in January, was followed weeks later by the election.
Mayor Lightfoot will not face the voters in weeks, months… years…
Still, the political fallout is possible, just not electoral revenge for years.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:21 am
I’ll paraphrase good old George Santayana: Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.
Dr. Allison Arwady, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health was at the presser yesterday. She needs to be the one guiding her boss and others on what responsible public health decisions look like in the face of a pandemic. Btw - Sox home opener is 3-26.
Comment by fedup Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:23 am
To all the ‘whatabouts’, here is what John Hopkins medicine has to say
“Since COVID-19 is caused by a NEW virus, people do not have immunity to it, and a vaccine may be (translation ‘IS’) many MONTHS away. Doctors and scientists are working on estimating the mortality rate of COVID-19, but at present, it is thought to be HIGHER than that of most strains of the flu.
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:25 am
JB and Lori: you wanted the offices and the responsibility that goes with them to make the big calls.
You aren’t going to lose them if you cancel a couple of parades early in your terms.
This is a moment for leadership, not vacillation.
Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:26 am
Cancel the parades.
Put lives of your citizens first.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 11:38 am
===“No parade? Wicked Bad News. Guess they’ll spend the day getting drunk down by the harbor after parking the car at Harvard Yard“===
It’s gawt smaht park. It pahks itself
Comment by Bothanspy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:07 pm
I can understand officials feeling reticient to cancel such big events, feeling, understandably something along the lines of “we aren’t there yet” but more important than that, I think the public needs a clear message that this thing is real and we need to cool it with optional public outings for a while- at least the crowded kind.
Comment by In 630 Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:17 pm
This is all a plot to reduce the pension liability by reducing the number of pensioners.
Also cuts down on the homeless population.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:17 pm
I think for those who are in contact with at risk people such as seniors, sick, etc. they should definitely avoid mass gatherings. However, I’m not seeing major risk to otherwise healthy people being reported by health officials. To me, if filks are covering their mouths when they snsnesnsneesnsnesnsneezsnsnesnsneesnsnesnsneeze cough and we all avoid touching our face, clean our hands, and other best practices then we should be ok. Oh, and don’t be racist too please. Thanks.
Comment by Veil of Ignorance Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:22 pm
I think they should and will be canceled — or many people will socially distance themselves. A friend just posted photos of O’Hare at noon today and it’s nearly deserted.
Comment by yinn Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:27 pm
Census door to door is pretty limited right now. The Census date is April 1st and that is when you are supposed to respond to the card.
April is when census takers visit college campuses and other group home settings including senior centers, and long term medical facilities so that will be a big question.
Comment by Archpundit Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:27 pm
===I think for those who are in contact with at risk people such as seniors, sick, etc. they should definitely avoid mass gatherings
This isn’t an individual behavior issue, it’s a population problem. To lower the curve to make this manageable for the health system you need to keep the rate low. Regardless of whether you have direct contact with seniors or other vulnerable populations, reducing contact is important to the effect on the population as a whole.
The US is used to making decisions based on the individual and that is generally good, but one of the few areas where the law gives the state immense power is in regards to public health crises. If you think about this kind of pandemic as an individual issue you will get a lot of people killed. If you think about it as a population problem, you can save a lot of lives.
Comment by Archpundit Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:37 pm
“No mass events”
So you are suggesting to cancel the primary election next week? Groups of people congregating at polling places. Sick mingling with the healthy, spreading their germs.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:38 pm
Anthony Fauci, head of National Institute for Infectious Diseases, stated this weekend on the teevee that mortality rates for influenza is 0.1%. All available info states that coronavirus mortality rate is somewhere between 2.3% and 3.4% (figures seem to depend on whether source is information from China vs. non-China sources). Doesn’t sound like a large numerical difference, but that is a big difference in lethality.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 12:51 pm
Cancel the parade…people can still celebrate at their local Irish Pub…if a parade worth thousands of people isn’t a mass event, then what the hell is?
Let’s err on the side of caution for several weeks…I’d rather deal with this now and cancel events than do it in the summer…
China has indicated that infections are going down as compared to a few weeks ago…they’ve been dealing with this since December, four months…there are no do overs if this illness is allowed to spread…
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:00 pm
One can choose to not attend the parade. There’s no need to rely on government, when one can simply skip the parade.
Comment by Tom Willis Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:19 pm
I am with Moe, Willy, and others. Cancel as much as you can. I’m hoping the “conference call” approach simply helps float the idea in public opinion, which is (I hope) coming around to the mathematical concern about upcoming hospital bed and respirator capacity.
Filling the stands for Sox, Cubs, and Fire (!) opening day is unwise and (I predict) likely to be banned.
Comment by WH Mess Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:21 pm
“One can choose to not attend the parade”
Not really. These parades are work related events for many.
Comment by Centennial Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:33 pm
==There’s no need to rely on government==
If government services (vaccines, clean air & water, sewers & sanitation) have kept you alive this far…why abandon them now?
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:34 pm
===One can choose to not attend the parade. There’s no need to rely on government, when one can simply skip the parade.
Actually this is exactly the time to rely on government. Individual actions have collective consequences in pandemics.
Comment by Archpundit Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:38 pm
=== One can choose to not attend the parade. There’s no need to rely on government, when one can simply skip the parade. ===
Public health is not about one patient or one patient’s behavior; the purpose is to change the behavior of entire communities for our mutual benefit.
It’s why there are public health campaigns to discourage people from smoking, and public health laws that make unsafe practices illegal.
If the city hosts the parade, they will be sending a message that it is safe to attend.
Hundreds of thousands of people like you who do not understand the societal risk will attend, dramatically accelerating the spread of the disease.
Then, in 6-8 weeks when your mother gets sick, there will be so many other sick people that there will be no hospital bed and certainly no ventilator for your mother, who will die.
And if not your mother, then my mother or someone else’s mother. Certainly lots of mothers.
Only eight weeks until Mother’s Day, kids.
Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:43 pm
Wonder if they’ll still dye the River.
Comment by North Shore Joe Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:50 pm
Someone responded on here yesterday about coronavirus concerns in the Capitol Complex. Including when the GA is in session, plus school field trips and “lobby days.”
I agree with the poster from yesterday who advised curtailing or cancelling any field trips, and especially lobby days, for at least the time being. Maybe for at least spring session. The “citizen lobbyists” can send postcards and letters in support/opposition to their bills of interest instead.
Comment by Leatherneck Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:51 pm
I’m doing my normal day to day activities & am not living in fear of the corona virus. However, the parade is the polar opposite of all the medical recommendations. Social distancing, avoiding crowds, etc. so it has to be canceled. Only traditional Chicago greed could allow it to happen. If there is a spike of cases after the parade, elected officials will pay a huge political price even if it’s unrelated.
Comment by Jeff Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:54 pm
To parade or not to parade, that is the question,
Whether it is nobler in the mind to hold pressers
Than suffer the slings and arrows of political fortune.
Comment by Frank talks Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 1:57 pm
A parade employee can call in sick.
Comment by Tom Willis Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 2:13 pm
Mom and I understand the societal and personal risks. We’ll stay home.
Comment by Tom Willis Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 2:17 pm
Cancel the parades and be very concerned about all large gatherings, especially in close quarters. People are talking about fatality rate when what should be talked about is contagion rate, i.e., how many people a single carrier of a virus infects. Somewhere on https://www.statnews.com I read that the standard flu infection rate is about 1.1 while the infection rate for the COVID-19 virus is 2.2 people. One person infects 2.2 others, each of them then infects another 2.2 people, and so on. Which means it takes only ten iterations to go from one infected person to over 2500 and twelve to reach over 12K. So yeah, let’s have all those parades and events because what could go wrong as long as people wash their hands afterwards, right?
Comment by Flapdoodle Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 2:41 pm
What about the campaign rallies? They’re full of people in big or small rooms. We don’t know who’s infected and certainly not how many are, evenad carriers.
Comment by Tom Willis Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 2:56 pm
===What about the campaign rallies?
No need for government action, right? This is really a sad bit of whataboutism. Yeah, they should be cancelled as well and some are being right now.
Comment by Archpundit Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:13 pm
North Shore Joe: Pretty sure the River will be dyed green as per usual by the Plumbers Union…
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:32 pm
=== Should society be placed in bubbles…===
Ask Italy.
Thanks.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:20 pm
== Should society be placed in bubbles akin to the 1976 movie?==
Yes that’s exactly what’s being suggested. Sheesh.
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:21 pm
So, if a parade’s not safe…..what about being crammed into the bar at Hackney’s on Lake?
Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:24 pm
Bacterial or viral pneumonia?
Looks like it’s both:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-08/coronavirus-nears-fatal-tipping-point-when-lungs-are-inflamed
Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:26 pm