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* Gov. Pritzker today…
I want to thank Abbott, which informed us yesterday that facilities in our state which are operating with their machines can now access swabs directly from them, instead of through third parties. Great development.
Pritzker noted yesterday that the federal government had “waylaid” the tests and sent them to private entities.
Again, please pardon all transcription typos.
* More from today…
As Dr. Ezike and I told you yesterday, our rate of rise is looking less and less exponential. That indicates to us that we are in fact bending the curve. There is even some evidence that we may be moving toward a flatter curve. But we need to keep watching the data on a daily basis. Keep in mind our case numbers, and the death toll are still growing. And thus, our fight must continue. And the data will show that those numbers are growing more slowly. And that’s a very good thing.
It’s all of you, the families and individual residents of Illinois, who are making the biggest difference in our fight against COVID-19.
* The governor then went on to highlight and thank groups all over the state which have pitched in during the crisis. Here’s one…
Communities of Southern Illinois came together to launch Marion United, a live stream benefit featuring local artists, musicians and community leaders, sharing hope and encouragement. They raised nearly $200,000 from hundreds of donors money that will go directly to support local businesses that have been impacted.
* The governor started his presser today with a shoutout to this person…
#spritzerswithpritzker #AllInIllinois Thanks for the shout out, @GovPritzker! pic.twitter.com/zWu2Lnvsv1
— adam i. hasegawa 🥃📬📚 (@adamihasegawa) April 9, 2020
Here’s what he said…
To the Forest Park resident who tweets every day that he has faithfully enjoyed a cocktail or a mocktail during this press conference every afternoon since March, 26: Know that your hashtag, #SpritzersWithPritzker, has brought a smile to the governor’s staff, and lots of people seem to appreciate your tweeting the drink recipes too. So thank you.
* On to questions for the governor and Dr. Ezike. For Dr. Ezike: Why are some zip codes, seeing more cases than others?…
First of all, let’s not put all our eggs in the zip code and the tallies that we have there, because we do know that there are many more positive cases than we have actually tested and confirmed. Again, you know, working as hard as we can to get those testing numbers up and increasing that capacity. But nevertheless, for every case that you find there are many others so it doesn’t mean, again we’ve been stressing that significantly, that even if you think you don’t have a case in your zip code that’s probably not actually the case. But we do know that there are areas, communities, neighborhoods where there’s a higher density of people with, whether it’s comorbidity conditions that predispose to serious complications and death.
* What feedback have you gotten from small business owners about how the minimum wage increase in July?…
You know, it’s only been the, the large business organizations like the Chamber of Commerce who have brought this up. The truth is, the current conditions actually indicate to you more than ever before why we need to raise the minimum wage across the state. So, look where we’re all concerned to make sure that we bring this economy back to where it could be should be after we’re able to get past the peak and past the danger that this poses for many people, but that is very frankly it’s unrelated to the rise in the minimum wage, which is a very small raise you know each year it goes up by a little bit, and it’s a very small raise that’s coming in July relative to, you know, the entire raise which happened over a six year period.
* Governor, the rules of unemployment were supposed to change to allow them to apply for benefits, but we’re hearing from many people that IDES has not yet allowed them access to apply. Is there a timeframe on when this will happen, any advice for these people?…
Well there are federal benefits, you’re right, that were provided in the federal bill, but almost no state has this available to them because you’ve got to build a system for that. That’s not just something you can add on to your existing system. So, we’ve hired the necessary personnel, we’ve hired the outside provider who can build the system for us, and it’ll be up in the coming weeks, coming weeks, kind of the timeline. And again, we’ve got, you know we’ve hired the best we can [who are] working as expeditiously as they can. Every state has this challenge so we’re gonna do it as fast as we possibly can.
* What should we expect for the summer, and could we go through this again come fall or winter?…
Yes. In short, yes. The fact of the matter is that we are not going to be truly able to begin to move on until we have a testing, much greater testing contact tracing and treatment. Test trace and treat. We have to have those available that’s even before there’s a vaccine.
* Governor, your counterpart in New York said this morning that they’re working to ramp up testing sites in the African-American community. You are well aware of Chicago situation. What is being done here in Chicago to get more testing in the African American community?…
We’re doing that very same thing. In fact, I was just talking this morning and yesterday morning about a drive-thru site that we intend to put up in the south suburbs in a heavily African American community. We’re looking at other sites, and the placement of testing sites is directly related to who’s getting tested, of course. So we wanted to make sure that we spread those five minute tests are the five to 15 minute tests the rapid tests into communities where we know we have significant issues like the African American community. So those 15 machines that you heard me talk about yesterday that we’re trying to get more testing capability through. We want to make sure that when those tests come in that many of those are placed in communities where particularly African American communities where people are we have more vulnerability than others.
* Do you think the stay at home order will be lifted before April 30?…
Look, you know, we talk a lot about peaking and we talk a lot about how we’re bending the curve, the curve is still upward trajectory. And so just because we’re bending the curve does not mean it’s bending down yet. And so people need to understand that, that it is unlikely that that we will be able to lift this stay at home before April 30.
* What’s been spent on PPE?…
We’re going to be listing the various contracts online so people can take a look at it. I couldn’t tell you what the total is now, but I know that it’s not infrequent that we have to place a $5 million order, or even a $10 million order for PPE. Think about the cost of what is normally an 85 cent or $1 N95 mask is now going for anywhere between four and $7 apiece. So if you need millions of them as we have indicated that we do a million of those at $5 apiece is $5 million. So that’s just N95 masks.
* Governor Baker of Massachusetts has launched a virtual call center of 1000 people to trace contacts of those testing positive for COVID-19. Are you considering any similar contact tracing measures in Illinois?…
Yep, because it’s a great … indicator of what really needs to happen all across the nation and especially as we … move beyond the peak.
* What is DHS’s plan to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in residential centers for the developmentally disabled now that cases are reported, especially given the challenges that population presents, including, not necessarily understanding what’s going on?…
Dr. Ezike: So we believe that, you know, we’re going to be able to limit the spread. As you know as best we can with PPE, with the staff following the protocols and by separating the various residents between those who have COVID- 19 and those who haven’t been. ….Time is becoming relative now, I believe at the end of February beginning of March, they were very proactive. They were immediately following recommendations to start thinking about their facilities trying to identify their space issues trying to figure out how people would be able to be spread out if they needed to isolate and segregate. They, as the governor said, were right on top of it in terms of closing down facilities to visitors I know sometimes people would think that sounds difficult but in a situation such as this where you know that the virus is being brought in by a visitor. That is the aggressive step that has to be taken also doing pre-shift assessments on people who work in the facility. So, they weren’t even proactively looking at instead of moving people back and forth, they were bringing providers that had to assess people in terms of trying to figure out if there would be need for evaluation if it could be done on site instead of transferring to a hospital. So again, a lot of steps were taken, even before they had a single case, they do have some cases and some other facilities now IDPH is working close with them in terms of having a consultant and infection control preventionist working directly with the facilities. And so, we’re keeping a close eye on and partner I think we had a delivery of PPE with thousands of mass surgical masks and N95, that even went should have been delivered today, so we are following closely and they’re doing a great job and we’re going to mitigate as much as we can.
* There have been reports that HHS plans to no longer support community based COVID-19 sites. Many at Walmart parking lots. Is this accurate has the state been told this will these test sites continue? If so, who will pay for the testing?…
So, just to back up a second, HHS, the federal government, set up this organized effort to have drive thru facilities with Walgreens parking lots, Walmart parking lots, and signed a deal with labcorp and quest which are two of the largest laboratories in the nation to do the actual evaluation of the test the swabs themselves would be done at the drive thru. And then those swabs are sent to labcorp and quest. That’s what we’re talking about when we talk about the federal sites that HHS put up. We have a number of those sites in Illinois.
It is true that on April 10, which I think is tomorrow, they will be handing over those sites to the States. Their intention, they didn’t say this upfront but it became clear about a week ago, that their intention was to set these up to make them operational and then to hand them over to the States. And so we are taking over those, we will be providing personnel we’ve asked for as much support as we can get from the federal government in that turnover, because obviously we have a limited number of healthcare personnel available in the state, but we need to do this testing. I think the biggest challenge is that they’re only providing a limited number of swabs, for each of those sites as they have only been using a limited number of swabs themselves, and each of those sites and we’d like to do more.
And so I’ve asked for more swabs from the federal government. We’ll see whether we’re able to get them. But our intention is to do as much testing as we possibly can in their drive thru sites but I just want to make it clear that taking a swab is not doing a test taking a swab is taking a specimen, and then putting it in a vial.
* What advice would you give to organizers of big summer events, concerts, etc.? Should they plan to proceed plan on crowd limits, should they think about canceling?…
I think everybody needs to think seriously about canceling large summer events. From my perspective today, I do not see how we are going to have large gatherings of people, again, until we have a vaccine, which is months and months away.
I would not risk having large groups of people getting together, anywhere. And I think that’s hard for everybody to hear but that’s just a fact that they’re just, you know, even with, you know, testing and tracing and treating as is necessary for us to begin to make changes, it isn’t enough for me to say that it’s okay to have a big festival with a whole bunch of people gathering together.
* Have you heard of the workshare program helping 29 states and Washington DC? A University of Illinois professor says Illinois could get $1.1 billion and avert up to 124,000 layoffs will Illinois join?…
Yeah, it’s an excellent program. I understand that the availability of that program was open, under the previous governor and he didn’t act upon it. We are looking at how we might open a program like that at work share program. And I don’t disagree that you know whatever we can get to support workers to expand the workforce or make available opportunities for people who are laid off. We’re going to pursue.
-30-
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 2:38 pm
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+1 to Mr. Hasegawa. I think I’ve got a new thing.
Comment by Lt Guv Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 3:08 pm
It’s really frustrating that the media is asking questions about IMHE’s positive data without noting the obvious, glaring data error. I also think when they get questions about it, Pritzker or Dr. Ezike should point that out as well.
Headlines like this one from the Tribune - Fewer deaths, earlier peak in new coronavirus prediction for Illinois - are just plain dangerous. And while I’m at it, IMHE, as far as I’m concerned, is no longer a trusted source and are being irresponsible if they’re not quadruple-checking that data.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 3:19 pm
Some groups(cities,park districts, etc) are waiting for the State to order all large events cancelled . Some or perhaps all have contracts that state if group cancelled event then the group must pay said acts(musical act/ performers) full amount of agreed contract. If State orders all events cancelled then groups would not owe said contract amount.
Comment by ISPRETIRED Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 3:34 pm
Re: Large events. I appreciate the Governor’s realistic approach to this, and his understanding that life isn’t going to return to “normal” until there’s a vaccine.
Comment by RIJ Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 3:52 pm
I take it the State Fair will be canceled then.
Comment by Almost the weekend Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 3:52 pm
===Re: Large events. I appreciate the Governor’s realistic approach to this, and his understanding that life isn’t going to return to “normal” until there’s a vaccine.===
This isn’t true at all and if we have to wait for a vaccine we may all be doomed. We have been battling AIDS for 40 years without a vaccine
Comment by Generation X Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 3:57 pm
State Fair has to be cancelled or at a minimum postponed to maybe October. Heck, I may enjoy a fair more when I’m not drenched in sweat before I even walk up to the gate.
Comment by AD Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 3:57 pm
A vaccine is not months and months away, it is 12 to 18 months away by all accounts.
Leave the medical pronouncements to the medical experts JB
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 3:59 pm
=== This isn’t true at all and if we have to wait for a vaccine we may all be doomed. We have been battling AIDS for 40 years without a vaccine===
HIV/AIDS is not the Coronavirus.
If you think they are similar, heaven help you.
To the post,
As always, I appreciate the Governor’s candor.
That says it all for me to today’s briefing.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:01 pm
Define “large.”
Comment by JB13 Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:03 pm
==HIV/AIDS is not the Coronavirus.==
Indeed.
Polio is a better comparison than HIV and back in the day, everything shut down to combat polio. Until there was a vaccine.
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:04 pm
===A vaccine is not months and months away, it is 12 to 18 months away by all accounts===
That has to be the absolute stupidest thing you’ve ever posted here and that’s really saying something.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:06 pm
State Fair has to be cancelled or at a minimum postponed to maybe October.
————-
I would not be surprised if that announcement is made in the next week or so. Both Springfield and DuQuoin. With no reschedule date.
Comment by Leatherneck Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:08 pm
===Polio is a better comparison===
Yep.
You can’t get HIV by singing in a choir with an infected person. Truly stunning ignorance on display.
Y’all need to either up your games or leave.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:09 pm
- Generation X -
Please.
Stop.
Thanks.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:13 pm
=We have been battling AIDS for 40 years without a vaccine=
News flash Genx - you can’t get HIV/AIDS while walking around and having someone breathe on you. Don’t be a covidiot
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:14 pm
Don’t feed the troll.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:17 pm
Really applaud the Guv’s frankness on several topics today. Too many of us have been maybe fooling ourselves ever so slightly with wishful thinking . . . completely understandable, but so very dangerous. So I for one am glad to see JP’s forthright statements, e.g., on large summer events. That’s something I’m involved with and now we can begin taking appropriate, responsible action.
Comment by Flapdoodle Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:30 pm
* life isn’t going to return to “normal” until there’s a vaccine.*
Nonsense. The number of people that still think this is a death sentence is simply astounding. Scandinavian countries are already starting to open up, very gradually of course, but opening nonetheless.
Comment by Junior Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:33 pm
The point about large events is interesting.
On the one hand other countries with test and trace, like South Korea, or not China (no lets not get into how accurate their numbers are), seem to managed to return to some sense normalcy. But I don’t think they’re exactly doing large events either.
I would guess that even once we start reopening things, we might require certain things to operate at reduced capacity.
Comment by Nick Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:35 pm
===Scandinavian countries are already starting to open up, very gradually of course, but opening nonetheless.===
Right now the United States has more cases that the next three reporting countries… combined.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:39 pm
-I would guess that even once we start reopening things, we might require certain things to operate at reduced capacity. -Nick
Great point. I think reduced capacity will become the new normal. I think any business that depends on large crowds; i.e. bars, will likely suffer. No way Cinco de Mayo will usher in a swell of people. Years until we recover-if ever
Comment by PrarieStateLove Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:39 pm
=Scandinavian countries are already starting to open up, very gradually of course, but opening nonetheless.=
It helps when you have a plan to control the spread. We’re a few months tardy in that regard and still lacking basic testing and PPE. You want the Scandinavian plan? Govern like Scandinavia.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:44 pm
* Right now the United States has more cases that the next three reporting countries… combined. *
and we have a larger population than all of them combined, and then some. 4 or 5 times the population of any one of the top 4, and many times the area of land mass meaning far less population density. Yes, in this case, counties do count.
Comment by Junior Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:45 pm
- Junior -
We’re not testing at any rate that can be considered knowledgeable to the full extent of the infection.
Thats the take.
Thinking we know, we know little to the extent beyond the numbers that can be tested.
Your whole premise is that the numbers that are greater than the three next countries is a true measure.
It’s not.
It’s not and it’s still high to raw numbers.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:48 pm
===Scandinavian countries are already starting to open up, very gradually of course, but opening nonetheless.===
Yes, and Sweden is about to take off like a bomb with deaths, due to their lack of physical distancing. A tragedy indeed.
Comment by Groundhog Day Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:48 pm
=Scandinavian countries are already starting to open up, very gradually of course, but opening nonetheless.=
or in the case of Sweden they chose not to really alter anything and cases are starting to get out of hand.
File that away and in 3 months see what Denmark looks like and what Sweden looks like. Will be a good case study.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:51 pm
I was just going to say the same thing, GroundHog Day.
Comment by Former Downstater Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:54 pm
It has been difficult to create a vaccine for HIV because of the high rate of mutation in the very places vaccine antibodies need to be able to latch onto the virus. It is a model of evasiveness.
In contrast, recent studies of the virus that causes COVID-19 have all suggested that it is NOT mutating at a rapid pace. This is very encouraging, when it comes to assessing how soon a vaccine may be created.
We are fortunate that such a contagious virus is structurally stable. The Big One will come when a virus emerges that is relatively lethal, contagious, and so mutable it is as hard to defend against as HIV. Hopefully we’ll be better prepared.
Comment by Comma Chameleon Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 4:55 pm
So what are you saying Rich, months and months is a year and half?
By that measure all large gatherings will be cancelled for the next 18 months, not just this summer.
Totally irresponsible prediction by on non scientist
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 5:03 pm
* Your whole premise is that the numbers that are greater than the three next countries is a true measure. *
My whole premise is based on math and statistics. Because so many people with this display mild or no symptoms, its safe to assume no one has a truly accurate count of those infected because no one has the ability to test every single one of its citizens. Therefore the denominator, case count, is unknown. You could even call it a man-made number because its solely dependent on how much testing we do. Germany, with all of its testing and close proximity to Italy, shows 1 in 632 residents infected. The US shows 1 in 732, not a huge difference given all the whining about Trumps response and our lack of testing.
Comment by Junior Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 5:18 pm
I know we have more pressing concerns but the State Fair and all the County fairs that lead up to it present a huge logistical issue.
By State law we -have- to hold a state fair, unless the legislature holds a vote to change that. That said, the law doesn’t say -when- you have to hold it, or for how long. A small-scale, weekend Octoberfest version without a Grandstand would satisfy the law and would not be bad for Springfield, but all the local county fairs and DuQuoin will be taking a financial hit as well, and especially in DuQuoin, those folks make a major portion of their annual nut on the fair tourism.
A decision on all of that has to be made relatively soon because there are grandstand acts to be cancelled and/or re-scheduled, not to mention a lot of other contracts.
I feel badly for the kids who were raising animals to show this year… The County fair system is like a sports league and the State fair is the championship. There is money to be made and lost for those kids competing.
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 5:25 pm
===Yes, and Sweden is about to take off like a bomb with deaths, due to their lack of physical distancing.===
One of my FB friends who is recovering from COVID had a post from a supportive friend in Sweden. If you think you are hearing gripes from people here in the USA who are disgusted with the lack of urgency, multiply it by 10 for the unfortunate Nordics who are in the crossfire and know it.
Comment by Six Feet of Separation (temporary name) Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 5:40 pm
SARS and MERS are better comparisons than polio, they are both caused by the coronavirus.
SARS emerged in 2002, MERS in 2012.
There is no vaccine for either yet.
Of course, they never really impacted the NBA schedule, so there was never a lot of motivation to develop a vaccine.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 5:41 pm
I appreciate Gov. Pritzker’s frankness but considering we’re months away from July or August and it’s impossible to predict where we’ll be with COVID I wouldn’t be pulling the trigger on any decisions quite yet. If it’s still spreading but slowly, hospitals aren’t overwhelmed, and there’s only a handful of deaths it will be a lot harder to convince people to give up their summer activities and public opinion might start to turn against stringent measures and more people will question if the cure is worse than the disease. One can only hope that by June or July significant testing is in place to snuff out any flare ups, particularly since I’m not confident any vaccine will be ready for widespread rollout within the next year.
Comment by MyTwoCents Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 5:54 pm
I know most people are thinking about music festivals and such when the Governor mentioned large events, but wouldn’t 40,000 people congregating at Clark and Addison to watch a game count as a large event? How about 55,000 at Soldier Field for a football game? If so, there are some very large implications to that statement.
Comment by Benniefly2 Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 6:06 pm
Missouri has already announced schools will not be reopening the rest of the school year.
How much longer before Illinois follows suit:
Comment by Leatherneck Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 6:17 pm
“battling AIDS for 40 years”
Unlike covid19, there are very well known antiviral drugs to combat HIV/AIDS with very good and long term prognosis. This disease is transmitted through an exchange of bodies fluids. FThink Magic Johnson as an example of an HIV/AIDS patient.
There are no drugs or vaccines for covid19. The supposed studies using the antimalarial drug are small, nonscientific, and anecdotal at best. Only have supportive treatment, prayers and tears.
Polio may not a good proxy for covid19. Polio is a result of poor sanitation and is best transmitted via an oral route rather than respiratory. Polio was beat by adhering to good sanitation and a Salk vaccine.
Probably the best proxy to the covid19 crisis was the black plague in medieval times. No one know where it came from or how to treat it. It killed indiscriminately and in large numbers.
As other have said, don’t be a covidiot.
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 6:20 pm
===So what are you saying Rich, months and months is a year and half?===
No, I’m saying a year and a half is months and months, goofball.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 6:25 pm
=== Germany, with all of its testing and close proximity to Italy, shows 1 in 632 residents infected. The US shows 1 in 732, not a huge difference given all the whining about Trumps response and our lack of testing.===
Now do Russia and China…
We’re not testing at any rate that can be considered knowledgeable to the full extent of the infection.
Thats the take.
===we have a larger population than all of them combined, and then some. 4 or 5 times the population of any one of the top 4, and many times the area of land mass meaning far less population density. Yes, in this case, counties do count.===
The point of the exercise is this pandemic is far reaching, unknown, not under any control other than distancing and quarantining known cases.
We’ll have no idea what July will bring…
=== The number of people that still think this is a death sentence is simply astounding. Scandinavian countries are already starting to open up, very gradually of course, but opening nonetheless.===
… as you say… without even knowing what are the real numbers of infection.
Advocating being “Scandinavian countries” is ignoring Norway vs. Sweden.
No need to infect folks needlessly… to “open” society early.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 6:54 pm
@YDD
Indeed. SARS-1 and MERS are better comparisons in some respects. However SARS-CoV-2 is more like polio in terms of transmission and impact on society.
I love this, which is restaurant quality:
== Of course, they never really impacted the NBA schedule, so there was never a lot of motivation to develop a vaccine. ==
Or the NCAA, which is staring into the abyss at the possibility of losing the fall Division 1 footbal season.
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 8:26 pm
“I know we have more pressing concerns but the State Fair and all the County fairs that lead up to it…”
If carnival operators can not open this summer the majority will go out of business- it is a capital and labor intensive business beset with weather issues even in a good summer. Cancel all summer gathering and they will be toast.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 8:30 pm
I have seen speculation that major league baseball might be opened up to be played in empty stadiums for a while but broadcast so fans could watch, advertisers could find an audience and players could stay in form and show their stuff. That would help and be better than a year without baseball. But I don’t see how music festivals and fairs realistically can go on this summer.
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 8:59 pm
You can’t wait until June to decide if you are having a county fair in June. Plans have to be made, attractions have to be booked, deposits have to be paid, contestants have to create, etc etc.
Concerts, etc, the same thing.
Comment by thoughts matter Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 9:43 pm
Another big question: Will those state employees told to stay home/work from home not be called back to work until there’s a vaccine? Which means a return to “big crowds” in the Capitol Complex and other state office complexes.
At this point I am still assuming I will be going back to work May 1 (three weeks from tomorrow).
Comment by Leatherneck Thursday, Apr 9, 20 @ 10:10 pm
Let’s visit the concept of Work Sharing for a moment. This really isn’t a new concept. It was a “new” idea in the mid-80s, and Illinois did try it - I think there might even be a statutory provision, but I can’t recall the exact chapter and verse.
Anyway, if never really took hold as workers who were not slated for layoff were hesitant of ceding hours to those that were. Both sides have to cooperate, and the cooperation was not evident at the time.
It could be that 40 years later workers are now better prepared to reduce their own hours by X percent to allow someone else to work.
We’ll see.
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Friday, Apr 10, 20 @ 8:03 am
I worked at Abbot on contract in the ’90s. Project was a an HIV tester for blood banks an order of magnitude more sensitive than the competition.
They are good people, professional, not cowboys, treated their employees well and were very very careful.
Comment by Streamwood Retiree Friday, Apr 10, 20 @ 8:36 am
I suspect that you will start to see businesses slowing re-opening mid-May to early June but it will be hardly a return to normal. Capacity will be limited and some places like bars may find it very difficult if not impossible to operate given the restrictions. I can’t see any scenario where large spectator events occur this summer. That would include baseball, concerts, fairs, etc. Even if you limited capacity at places like Wrigley to 1/3 - 1/2 you would still have too many people in close contact with one another. Too the extent we have sporting events in the foreseeable future it will likely be without spectators. Even that seems iffy to me at this point. I think the same holds true for football this fall. Returning to “normal” is likely something we won’t see for the balance of this year.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Apr 10, 20 @ 9:30 am