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* Will and Kankakee counties make up Region 7. From IDPH…
IDPH will track the positivity rate in Region 7 over a 14-day monitoring period to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigation should remain in place. If the positivity rate averages less than or equal to 6.5 percent after 3 days, the region will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan. If the positivity rate averages between 6.5 percent and 8 percent, IDPH will continue to monitor the region to determine if additional mitigations are needed. If the positivity rate averages greater than or equal to 8 percent after 14 days, more stringent mitigations will be applied to further reduce spread of the virus.
Region 7’s average positivity rate was 6.4 percent yesterday - the first time it’s been below 6.5 percent in a while.
* So despite all the craziness by a few Will and Kankakee business owners, the populace and local leaders appear to be taking this seriously…
“Masks, distance, hand-washing, enforcement — it all works, and Will and Kankakee counties are, so far, getting the job done. And we’re all rooting for them,” the Democratic governor said during a Loop news conference.
More…
“Last week, I said that I was hopeful that region 7, that is Will and Kankakee counties, might become a testament to a community’s ability to turn their ship around,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a news conference Wednesday. “I’m very happy to say my hopefulness hasn’t been unwarranted. Yesterday, region 7 brought its rolling 7-day average below 7.0 for the first times in weeks. Today, that number sits at 6.4 percent; the first day below our 6.5 percent benchmark, indicating a reduced severity of community spread.” […]
The mitigations were first put in place on Aug. 26, when the region hit 8 percent for its test positivity rate. If mitigations are lifted, indoor dining in Will and Kankakee counties could resume.
Will County was also removed from “warning level,” after being at that level from IDPH for several weeks.
* Now, if only the Metro East would get its act together…
The seven-county Metro East region has also improved of late, after being the first region in the state to have stricter rules put in place. That region surpassed the state-set 8% positivity rate threshold Aug. 11, and climbed to over 10% at one point, but sat at 8.9%, according to the most recently available data from the state public health agency.
Pritzker called that a “testament to the fact that these doctor-recommended mitigations can work if they are followed.”
The most recently-available state data showed suburban Cook County’s positivity rate at 5.5%, down from 6.3% days earlier, while Chicago’s rate stood at 5.1%.
Some of the other suburban areas were higher than the city, though they’ve seen decreases recently. The region that includes DuPage and Kane counties was at 5.7% and the region to its northeast including Lake and McHenry counties had a 6.2% positivity rate, down from 7% last week.
*** UPDATE *** Today’s average is 6.1 percent, so that’s two days in a row. One more and it’s done.
* Related…
* Hastings appreciates urgent action on behalf of business owners - Will County will receive priority in second round of Business Interruption Grant awards
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 10:40 am
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Many bars and restaurants defying restrictions in metro east. I see them openly declaring they’re doing indoor and bar service. I guess there’s no enforcement being done by locals or state. It doesn’t bode well for the fall/winter.
Comment by El Conquistador Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 10:49 am
Some media outlets are already posting stories on social media asking people about Halloween and of course most replies are saying it should go on as normal. The Governor should be talking with IDPH about whether any restrictions are going to be put in place. And since many people will ignore restrictions, or if the event does go on like normal, some guidance as to best practices. It’s not too early to be planning as events are already being scheduled.
Comment by Grimlock Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 10:50 am
=== The Governor should be talking with IDPH===
I read somewhere that IDPH will be releasing guidance by the end of September. A little patience, please. Sheesh. It’s 6 weeks away.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:00 am
Madison County was at 13.83% a day or two ago
Comment by Bob_Loblaw Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:02 am
Rich, do you know how a typical small business can get involved in these Business Interruption Grants.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:03 am
===Sheesh. It’s 6 weeks away.===
Yes, however the social media posts I’m seeing in Will County are people not only already planning for it, but already announcing they are going to ignore any restrictions on trick or treating.
Local leaders should be getting out ahead of this. The defiance in the region is already spreading on social media before the leaders are getting out of the gate. 2 more weeks is going to be far too late.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:03 am
===however the social media posts===
Facebook is not real life. If it was, not a single person would ever wear a mask.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:12 am
Halloween for kids is actually probably not going to be all that big a deal, at least in terms of outdoor trick or treating. Costumes with masks, you’re mostly outdoors, encounters at doors should be brief.
It is the parties and bars that will be the problem with teens through adults.
Comment by Halloween Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:18 am
If my entire body was infected with a deadly virus…could it be cured by treating one region of my body separately?
Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:28 am
===Facebook is not real life.==
Yet it has real life implications.
The same groups who organized the recent coordinated ‘open the schools’ protests, are spamming event plans for Halloween.
This planning is happening in Will County, right now.
As I posted last week, the local Moose in plainfield had a huge car show with hundreds of people in attendance.
The plainfield village board had a televised meeting earlier this week, where multiple trustees were openly stating they want the village to ignore any restrictions for the region “because its not fair that people can just go to the next county over”. This is what the local leaders are doing - now. In 2 more weeks the idea to ignore guidelines is already going to be ingrained in the local population, and it will be too late.
Ignoring this because it is also happening on social media is not wise.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:38 am
Restaurants/bars are certainly happy that the criteria for relaxing mitigation was dropped from 14 days down to 3 days under 6.5%
Both region 7 and 4 have the updated criteria on the mitigation plan now.
Comment by Stu Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:40 am
===The same groups who organized the recent coordinated ‘open the schools’ protests===
So?
Those protests had some dozens of participants. Not exactly a threat to the world order.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:50 am
…That being said, I can see some *possible* political implications in tight legislative races. But making state and local policies based on FB posts is about as wrong-headed as one can get.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:51 am
As I said, it is not based only on FB posts.
The discussion is also happening in televised board meetings, with multiple elected trustees stating they want the village to ignore state guidelines.
It’s not only FB kooks. But it is also FB kooks, in addition to the local officials.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:55 am
My urgency around this comes from being immersed in these local events.
Last week a plainfield teacher refusing to wear a mask physically attacked store employees, as well as people outside the store. She was arrested on felony charges.
There’s a local problem brewing, and it could easily be contained if local leaders were not openly encouraging this type of behavior.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Sep 17, 20 @ 11:58 am