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* UPDATED x1 * IDPH encourages Metro East local governments to ratchet up response

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* Background is here if you need it. IDPH press release last night…

The Illinois Department of Public Health is closely monitoring a rise in cases in the Metro East region, COVID-19 region 4, as the region surpasses 7 percent positivity rate as of today, July 20, fueled by 7 consecutive days of positivity rate increases. Under the plan to combat a resurgence of COVID-19 announced by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health last week, a region will automatically move to the first tier of mitigation steps following three consecutive days averaging greater than an 8 percent positivity rate.

Randolph and St. Clair counties are currently the primary contributors to the rise in positivity rate in region 4 of the new mitigation plan, but there are concerning trends and behaviors throughout the region, which also includes Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, and Washington counties. Several of these counties also border and are home to residents who travel frequently to Missouri where less stringent mitigations have been in place.

A number of the individuals who have tested positive have informed public health officials that they engaged in some of the same activities. Specifically, four individuals told public health officials that they participated in events or were close contacts of participants in events involving the party bus company the “Shakin’ Shuttle”

Public health officials are also concerned with reports of large gatherings without social distancing taking place in the region. Specifically, Hidden Lake Winery in Aviston is reported to have hosted several large events, contrary to public health guidance.

Public health officials are also responding to an outbreak at Chester Mental Health Center in Randolph County, where 6 residents and 41 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 since June 25. The Department of Human Services is working closely with local health departments and officials to help prevent further spread and keep residents and staff safe.

“Businesses that disregard public health guidance are putting themselves and their communities at risk and threatening the progress we’ve made for the vast majority of businesses that are safely reopening,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I urge county and local officials in the Metro East region to take action in response to those who refuse to help keep people safe and to consider broader mitigations before the state is required to take action. As I’ve said, local officials are our first line of defense when it comes to concerning trends in their communities, but IDPH is ready to take immediate action if the data requires it.”

“This virus is still out there and it is the responsibility of all of us, local officials, businesses, and every day Illinoisans, to take the actions we know will keep people safe,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “We know from the data that large gatherings and groups of people in confined closed spaces can lead to a spike in cases, and we have seen some examples popping up right now. IDPH will work closely with our local health department partners to respond to these concerning trends and will not hesitate to restore mitigations to prevent a full resurgence of COVID-19.”

Under the new mitigation plan announced last week, additional mitigation steps will be reinstated in a region following a sustained rise in the positivity rate along with either a sustained increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions or a critical reduction in hospital bed capacity. A sustained rise in the positivity rate is defined as an increase in the 7-day rolling average for 7 days out of a 10-day period. In addition, if a region hits three consecutive days of an 8 percent average positivity rate, automatic action will be required.

The first tier of mitigation steps can include suspending indoor bar service, reducing indoor dining capacity, reducing elective surgeries and procedures, placing additional limits on gatherings and room capacity, expanding remote work, as well as potential further mitigation steps relating to recreational activities, retail, and salon and personal care based on data received.

As always, local officials remain the first line of defense in the fight against COVID-19. Local officials can and should enforce public health guidance from the state. Local officials are also encouraged to put in place additional public health guidance that expands upon guidance from the state and meets the needs of their unique communities. IDPH works closely with local health department across the state and is always eager to be a partner in that effort.

*** UPDATE *** That’s a big quarantine…

The Clinton County Health Department has asked at least 160 residents to quarantine after large gatherings where people did not wear face masks, according to agency officials.

Sean Eifert, the health department administrator, said people infected with the virus traveled to bars and other businesses the weekend of Saturday, July 11, but he declined to publicly identify the locations.

The health department believes it tracked down all residents who had “close contact” with the infected people at the gatherings, according to agency spokeswoman Louise McMinn. She said close contact is being within 6 feet for 15 minutes. […]

Eifert said the health department is not publicly identifying the places where the exposure occurred at this time because of the potential “economic fallout” for businesses associated with the coronavirus and liability for the health department. He said the department may decide to name the businesses if customers or workers outside of the “close contact” group test positive.

Just saying, not saying, but the above-mentioned Hidden Lake Winery is in Clinton County. The county GOP central committee meets at the winery every month.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 9:58 am

Comments

Madison County’s reopen plan which defied the Governor’s order passed on a widely bipartisan basis with the tacit support of Reps Bristow, Stuart, Hoffman, and Reitz and Sen Crowe. I say tacit because they signed a letter urging the Governor to reopen more quickly the same day the county plan passed

Comment by Bob Loblaw Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:10 am
Will the Governor shut down local schools and enforce remote learning? Will the State provide assistance to school districts that haven’t developed a comprehensive online learning plan for 2020-21?

Comment by Sardine Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:11 am
Some of our Universities are heading for disaster. One contract tracer assigned to WIU.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:23 am
Won’t do a bit of good.
The Covidiots get energized by scoldings and shamings.
But it’s St.Clair I worry about.
Poverty
These folks don’t have choices.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Essential workers are the lucky ones
if
They have a decent job.
Otherwise its a frantic hustle to survive.
The poor region of the metro east are going to
explode. This will then spread it to the privileged who pick up taco bell or take out.
Our leaders don’t ever want to acknowledge
The symbiotic system we are in.
They sure will soon though

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:23 am
Be interesting now since Trump is now vocalizing his support for wearing a mask.

Comment by Almost the weekend Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:23 am
Unfortunately the residents of Region 4 will view this as a punitive action by the Governor instead of taking responsibility for their own inaction.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:28 am
I’m confused at this point

What exactly is the goal now

Zero cases ?

Are we still flattening the curve ?

At what point will we be allowed to go back to normal ?

Does anyone realy know

Comment by Beth Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:36 am
===At what point will we be allowed to go back to normal ?===

Are you a child?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:37 am
shakin’ shuttle?

Is this a bus that takes groups to party venues or a bus that acts as a party bus (with drinks etc.?) I’m just wondering if the connection with corona is the fact that it is mass transit or if it is more related to it being a bar.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:37 am
===I’m confused at this point===

Your honesty is refreshing, thanks.

Maybe you should sit this out and wallow in your confusion.

I’ll send ya a dozen disposable masks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:41 am
Metro East served by the St. Louis media market covering ridiculous statements from a MO governor who thinks it’s no big deal if kids get Covid in school. He thinks they’ll go home and get better with no other ramifications. With leadership like this, how will we ever return to some sense of normalcy?

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:43 am
Who books a party bus to a Winery during a COVID 19 outbreak?

Comment by pool boy Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:45 am
Beth,

Actually if you read the post, it mentioned the criteria. Not having 7 days of rising cases and a positivity rate below 8%. That is not 0 cases. And with good old midwestern values of solidarity, friendliness, and common sense, it should be attainable.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:49 am
* Are you a child? *

Its a legit question, not only is total eradication of the virus not possible, it was never a reasonable goal for resuming some semblance of normalcy.

Comment by Gene Gene Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:49 am
===Obviously you dont have an answer ===

Nobody does. Stop acting like a child. And put on a mask while you’re at it.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:49 am
- Beth -

Hold your breath or stomp your feet if it will make you feel better.

Ask the doctors and nurses working 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week, some isolated from family, their children.

Ask *them* when you can go to Appleby’s so you can feel good.

You sound more “Karen” than - Beth -

I fed ya. Congratulations.

Wear a mask.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:49 am
=Unfortunately the residents of Region 4 will view this as a punitive action by the Governor instead of taking responsibility for their own inaction.=

This. The same idiots partying like it’s 2019 in Missouri and at wineries will be the same ones who kvetch the loudest when the restrictions come back, unable or unwilling to realize that their actions were the direct cause.

Comment by LakeCo Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:51 am
Your comments show tour ignorance

I wear a mask and I could care less about Applebee’s

Comment by Beth Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:52 am
Beth,

Thanks for providing a tour ignorance.

Comment by Bigtwich Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:58 am
===Who books a party bus to a Winery during a COVID 19 outbreak?===

Same people who get the bus and bar hop between the wedding and the reception with elderly relatives, only to find out later one of the groomsmen has Covid.

Same parents of both Breese, IL high schools who just couldn’t bear their children couldn’t be denied a prom. So they hold it at the local winery. Said owner of winery goes on social media and claims Covid-19 disappears on November 4th.

We’re dealing with Covid-19 deniers. There is no fixing that. Check out the Clinton County Republican Central Committee facebook page. They’ve gone full conspiracy theory on us. The Madison County Republicans aren’t much better.

Comment by Highland IL Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 10:58 am
The winery in question has a sister winery in Maryville called Bella Vista. We went there and were appalled at their cavalier attitude toward COVID basics. The one net bragged about her nursing background. Apparently that doesn’t include any understanding of the basics of virology.

Comment by Stormsw7706 Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:06 am
Tough crowd today. Maybe it is time for another, How you doing?

Comment by Reggaeman Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:09 am
I am in a media market with Iowa. Kim Reynolds is pretty terrifying. She is suing Muscatine over their mask mandate. Dems should run Muscatine mayor against her if there are any survivors.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:10 am
===Check out the Clinton County Republican Central Committee===

lol. They meet at that winery every month.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:12 am
When can we go back to normal? When there is a sustained, coordinated national response.

Also, when our numbers are more like this…

New cases, yesterday:

Germany: 642
UK: 580
Japan: 454
France: 350
Australia: 267
Italy: 190
Portugal: 135
South Korea: 26

IL alone had 1,173 yesterday. The US had 62,879.

Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:13 am
very interesting thoughts yesterday by a couple of posters. Mitigation vs suppression. I thought the dialog was civil,respectful and well thought out. More of that please.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:14 am
The Iowa governor is truly ridiculous when both University of Iowa and Iowa State University are requiring all students to mask up when they return to campus. Hopefully, Iowa will flip back blue in the upcoming November election…

Comment by @Not a billionaire Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:18 am
It will most likely end sometime early in 2021, maybe earlier if we are super lucky, as we get a mass effective vaccine manufactured. Making some sacrifices to save thousands of lives until we get to there, sounds to me like a good idea.

Comment by ZC Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:18 am
Life is about adapting and changing. Right now there is a new normal.

Comment by pool boy Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:19 am
@ Gene Gene,

You keep saying we can’t eradicate this virus.

Please explain smallpox.

I’ll close out for now and wait for you.

Thanks (banned punctuation).

Comment by Lynn S. Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:20 am
The spike in cases in the Metro East region surely must be due to the BLM protests in Chicago, rite?

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:25 am
lynn. We have never eradicated the flu.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:37 am
Covid-19 isn’t the flu.

Ignorance to that isn’t bliss.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:39 am
Or another illness often caused by a coronavirus…the common cold.

Comment by LakeCo Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:40 am
and when we do have a vaccine for covid, I expect an efficacy of the flu shot.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:41 am
to the update. Sounds like AG Raoul wrote their presser.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 11:57 am
Madison County had 65 deaths as of June 3, but has only had 6 since then. I keep hoping that trend continues but you certainly have to worry with all the cases reported in the last couple of weeks that it won’t.

Comment by AndyIllini Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 12:25 pm
==You keep saying we can’t eradicate this virus.
Please explain smallpox.
I’ll close out for now and wait for you.==

Smallpox was around for thousands of years. The first vaccine was invented in 1796. We continued having outbreaks until the middle of the last century. Smallpox is not a good example to use when trying to state that the Covid-19 virus will be gone in less than a year - which it won’t.

It’s not going anywhere until people decide to be responsible adults who don’t listen to nonsense, who wear their masks, practice social distance and accept a vaccine when a safe one is perfected.

Comment by thoughts matter Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 12:29 pm
Without masks and distancing, any mitigation or suppression is impossible unless done under total lockdown. Everything else is semantics, and we are verging on having neither right now in metro East.

I heard the Mississippi governor the other day use actual math to prove that it was impossible to reach herd immunity in less than a year, during which time the ERs would be overwhelmed the entire time and hundreds would die daily. It was refreshing and sobering at the same time. He said to wear a mask. Mississippi.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 12:33 pm
The parts of the Metro East I hang out in appear quite conscientious when it comes to mask-wearing and social distancing. Don’t paint us all as a bunch of ignorant hillbillies.

Comment by Collinsville Kevin Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 1:13 pm
=== At what point will we be allowed to go back to normal? ==

“Are we there yet?”

Until there is a widely utilized vaccine, this is normal.

That probably wont be for a year atleast, but it might also be never or it might be sooner.

=== Dont paint us all as a bunch of ignorant hillbillies ===

i can assure you there are a lot of otherwise smart people not wearing masks or engaging in social distancing.

In fact, it takes a certain level of basic scientific and mathmatical knowledge to convince yourself that all of the experts are wrong.

Psychologists sometimes describe this as the Dunning-Kruger effect, an illusory belief in one’s own competence and a diminished perception of the competence of people of high ability.

I am glad you are playing it safe and smart. Chances are you are choosing out-of-home activities where others are doing the same, so there is also an observational bias.

Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 1:55 pm
=The parts of the Metro East I hang out in appear quite conscientious when it comes to mask-wearing and social distancing. Don’t paint us all as a bunch of ignorant hillbillies.=

There’s also been very high numbers in the black communities in the metroeast, which is in no way to let the more predominately white communities off the hook, as many of those towns are spiking as well. But the idea that this is limited to conservatives who don’t like the governor isn’t completely grounded in reality.

Comment by AndyIllini Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 2:00 pm
“Are we still flattening the curve ?”

Nope. Starting to hook back up.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 4:11 pm
So let me get this straight…… STATE employees at a STATE agency in Randolph County, whose department director reports to the Governor, seriously inflate the county’s infection rate through failure to follow COVID protocols. And the Governor’s response is to threaten rolling back openings in Randolph County, closing restaurants, bars, barbershops, and hair salons? This is leadership? No wonder those “Pritzker S**ks” signs continue to multiply in southern Illinois yards.

Comment by Motambe Tuesday, Jul 21, 20 @ 8:07 pm