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“Winter is Coming” - Pritzker unloads on local officials: “What will it take to make this real for you? … More people will die because you’ve failed to do your job” - Warns of stay at home order “in the coming days”

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Illinois

* Gov. Pritzker praised the leaders of governments in Chicago, Springfield, Sangamon County, Champaign-Urbana and Carbondale today for taking action against COVID-19. He talked about another increase in testing capabilities. And then he unleashed…

Those who have stood up at press conferences to question the data and fuel conspiracy theories. Those who have taken their absurd crusade to the courts and lost nearly every single time. Those who have flat-out told the businesses in their communities to ignore what their local and state public health departments and experts, some of the best in the nation, are telling them what is it going to take to get you to be a part of the solution.

Doctor Ezike and I have stood up here every day, telling you the facts. We’ve had dozens of the nation’s leading experts, present, and give you the info or giving you the information there epidemiological information they’re modeling information. They’ve stood here with us to show you how bad things can get. We’ve given you the data here in Illinois and the best studies from across the nation and the globe. We’ve shown you what this looked like in the spring, and how this wave is already worse than that in many regions of the state.

What will it take to make this real for you?

Do we have to reach a positivity rate of 50% like we’re seeing in Iowa today? 50%. Are you waiting for health care workers to get sick to a point where you don’t have enough staff in the local hospital to cover the next shift? What about if the hospitals become so overrun that you’re sick and you’re dying have nowhere left to turn?

Because I promise you, if you fail to take responsibility in your city and your county, that day is coming closer. And it will be on you.

Meanwhile, the rest of us will still do our jobs. The state will do all that it can to help hospitals surge their capacity and find additional staff. Health care workers will take up their posts on the front lines as they have every single day since this began, but more people will get sick, more people will struggle to breathe and more people will die because you’ve failed to do your job.

While good people do the right thing by wearing masks to keep each other safe, elected leaders in some communities have allowed others to infect their constituents because they’re afraid of the few loud anti-maskers or because the elected leaders themselves are anti-maskers.

In too many of these communities, responsible business owners have followed public health guidelines, only to see competitors flout the rules and prolong the mitigations for everyone else.

There may be a vaccine on the way in just a few months, but a lot of lives can be saved before that happens. And when this is over there will be an accounting by your constituents of who worked to keep the public safe, and who just ignored the science. This is the moment to step up and get it right.

Winter is coming, folks.

I pledged to be honest with you throughout this COVID crisis, and that won’t ever change. We’re running out of time. And we’re running out of options. Our growth in new cases is now exponential. We are seeing current numbers and future projections worse than what we saw in the spring. We’re more practiced at responding to this virus now. So we have significant stockpiles of PPE, we have overflow capacity that’s already planned by our hospitals, and we have much more testing available. That won’t slow the spread of the virus.

Since the stay at home order ended in May, we’ve allowed local governments to make decisions about whether they needed tougher mitigations and enforcement. And we’ve only imposed certain select mitigations at the state level on a regional basis. Those tools worked where people acted responsibly in local communities. But with many community leaders choosing not to listen to the doctors, we are left with not many tools left in our toolbox to fight this. The numbers don’t lie.

If things don’t take a turn in the coming days, we will quickly reach the point when some form of a mandatory stay at home order is all that we’ll be left with every fiber of my being. I do not want us to get there. But right now, that seems like where we are heading.

Please pardon all transcription errors.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:01 pm

Comments

==If things don’t take a turn in the coming days, we will quickly reach the point when some form of a mandatory stay at home order is all that we’ll be left with every fiber of my being.==

If that happens, will State employees and offices that have already reopened and back to work be forced back to remote work? Or will this time we still have to go to work and offices remain open?

Comment by Chatham Resident Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:06 pm
The restaurant association makes a good point that rent/mortgage/property tax relief might be necessary for businesses to make it through this round of COVID-19 fall/winter social distancing.

Comment by Danielle Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:11 pm
Would be easier to believe him if he wasn’t out in huge crowds celebrating Biden’s victory last weekend.

Comment by Diet Coke Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:14 pm
What is the status of the make shift hospital at McCormack Place? Is it on stand by? Is it ready to be quickly re assembled? I have a feeling it may be needed especially the people that were to staff it

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:15 pm
=Get bent Jay Bob=

You first. (Banned word)

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:17 pm
==Would be easier to believe him if he wasn’t out in huge crowds celebrating Biden’s victory last weekend.==

If you can’t tell the difference between outdoor mostly masked gatherings and indoor completely unmasked gatherings, you are exactly who he is talking to.

Comment by Librarian Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:18 pm
==Would be easier to believe him==

Yep. It’s all made up.

For crying out loud, you’re the type of person he’s irritated with. You. Just. Don’t. Get. It.

I honestly am ashamed by a lot of my fellow Americans over how they have dealt with this crisis. Too many people have adopted the attitude of “it’s all about me.” The selfishness is absolutely sickening.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:20 pm
But Darren Bailey said…

Comment by Free Market Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:20 pm
==Get bent Jay Bob==

Some people are a waste of air.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:20 pm
==Get bent…===

… but don’t cut too much or deep in Trumpkin districts, amirite?

Y’all know politics is a big board game, right?

This is a health issue, and the palpable partisan pettiness isn’t saving any lives.

It’s like saying “I infected my family to own the governor”

Adults don’t think like that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:23 pm
Man, the deadenders are really gearing up for their last stand, aren’t they?

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:24 pm
==Get bent Jay Bob==

See you in church…hopefully not for your (or your relatives) funeral.

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:24 pm
I’m so disheartened by these numskulls who thing The Covid isn’t real. Wait until they get sick and end up on a vent (assuming there is one available). Then let’s see how quick they want to run to the courthouse. Geesh… this isn’t forever, but let’s get with the program. Wear a damn mask, socially distance, and wash your hands. How hard is that, really?

Comment by Keeping Track Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:24 pm
McCormick is empty and not coming back. Focused on other facilities.

Comment by Cermak Dr. Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:26 pm
What anti-maskers need to understand is this: if you are on someone else’s property, you are obligated to follow their rules, just as if someone was on your property. If you don’t like the rules somewhere, then go somewhere else. If all the properties you want to go to have the same rules that you don’t like, then I guess you have to either comply or stay home. No one can go to a gas station without shoes and a shirt, yet no one complains. We were at Silver Dollar City last month and I saw two different men vocalize their disagreements to having to wear masks when staff politely asked them to put their masks on. Um, that’s the property of SDC, they have chosen to follow guidelines, so once people set foot on SDC property, they have to follow the rules. Don’t like it? Then don’t go.

Comment by Thankful Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:27 pm
===If you can’t tell the difference between outdoor mostly masked gatherings and indoor completely unmasked gatherings, you are exactly who he is talking to.===

So, mass gatherings where people are shoulder to shoulder are acceptable. Got it. Especially, if most of the people are masked. Got it.

I agree with Pritzker stance, but the victory celebration that he decided to go to blurs reality to those that were not following him. Not a good moment for him or Lightfoot.

It’s a fair comment by Diet. Now, get over it - wear your mask and distance. We do not need a urinating contest right now.

Comment by Mr. Hand Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:27 pm
===So, mass gatherings where people are shoulder to shoulder are acceptable===

No outbreaks directly associated with those sorts of outdoor gatherings that I’m aware of.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:30 pm
Require local elected officials to sign an MOU regarding enforcement before you lift the stay-at-home order, Governor.

Comment by Thomas Paine Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:31 pm
I know in places like Whiteside County some of the local officials and countywide officials have really dug in against Pritzker on this. As a result, COVID 19 numbers are spiking in that NW Illinois county. Combine that with neighboring Iowa’s historic pattern of not enforcing public safety and health and you have a real problem in NW IL.

Comment by west wing Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:32 pm
As I sit here with a mother preparing for cancer surgery, and a mother-in-law in bed with substantial Covid symptoms that may end up requiring hospitalization, I say to everyone that isn’t taking this seriously… “Get bent.”

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:34 pm
For months the anti-maskers have been condescendingly telling those of us who choose to wear masks to stay home if we’re that scared. Following on Thankful’s post, it’s time to turn that around on them. If you can’t follow the rules of a private business and wear a mask properly, then stay out. Those businesses are our havens… so GIT (banned punctuation).

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:37 pm
Rich: “Deadenders gearing up for a last stand” Great sentence working dead and last stand into same sentence and so darn appropriate.

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:37 pm
There’s not place for snark on the part of some commentators here. He’s trying to save lives and ultimately save our economy as well. Get with it folks. We’re about to get hit with a Covid tsunami.

Comment by Shytown Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:37 pm
I don’t even think a lot of people would follow a stay at home order now no matter what.

Comment by Publius Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:38 pm
Maybe it’s time to start framing this in a way people will understand.

If 1% of the people in your town die in a single year, you will have to make up the taxes they aren’t paying locally anymore. That means your property tax, your sales tax, your gas tax, all of it. And probably your water bill too.

Infrastructure in your towns has to be paid for independently of how many living people are there paying for it. The fewer people there are, the more the people who are left are going to be paying.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:44 pm
I am going to miss my 4 yo great-granddaughter’s birthday party this weekend because of other people’s stupidity of not being able to understand this is REAL. I’m including some of the people that will be at the birthday party!

Comment by Union Thug Gramma Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:47 pm
When hospitals get overrun with patients that is going to be a real issue. I feel for those in the food and dining business and it trickles to everyone. However if hospitals cannot get employees in because of covid and patients need in because covid this is a problem of highest order. Possible if a vaccine is really coming then a sort stay in place might give them a chance to get ahead. I think the best way maybe to try and do something voluntarily and have some incentives down the road. I know that sounds crazy right? But folks are not living through this at many levels.

Comment by cler dcn Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:50 pm
=I know in places like Whiteside County some of the local officials =

Health Dept has done it’s best but the rest of the local electeds are part of the problem.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:51 pm
Hurt the local officials where it counts, in the revenue. If they don’t want to fight covid, then cut back their funding and supports. The state can and should spend those dollars somewhere else.

Comment by Funtimes Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:52 pm
Local elections will be in February and April 2021.

Comment by Ares Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 3:55 pm
No, mass gatherings aren’t good, but I saw more maskless individuals getting my car serviced today than I did on the coverage of the celebration. And most of those were cops or counter Trump protesters.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:00 pm
But right now, that seems like where we are heading.===

Seems like we have been there for 2 weeks already. Do it and enforce.

Comment by Jibba Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:01 pm
We’ve had 8 people at my work test positive for covid. They were all separate cases at different times over the spring, summer and fall. Each of them got it because they saw one friend or family member one day when they didn’t have symptoms yet and then they got it too. I really hope that people will forgo Thanksgiving with family members not in their household this year. You probably aren’t going to get Covid from a stranger, you are going to get it from a friend or family member when you think you both are feeling OK and you think its OK to take off the masks.

Comment by JJ Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:19 pm
Governor Pritzker isn’t just a rookie governor, he’s a rookie politician who never worked in government, ever. He and everyone makes it seem like local officials can padlock restaurants and bars. It’s not that simple. There’s still a thing called due process. Citations issued…hearings held…appeals filed…etc. In the end, only a court can order a restaurant to close. And these processes don’t go quickly. They take time and money and local governments don’t have the resources to chase it all day long.

And, these are local people being asked to close places that are owned by friends, neighbors, relatives, etc.

Please, people, get real about this.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:19 pm
===Please, people, get real about this.

Don’t go to those restaurants and don’t put up with the nonsense from those who do.

Keep citing them. They can see if they want to stay open accruing fines or obey the law.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:27 pm
“In the end, only a court can order a restaurant to close.”

I think the health department would argue with that notion.

That said, it stinks to close up places. I love a couple of the local bars in my town, and I know the owners personally. But I don’t know what a better option is than to close down places where many people from many different households congregate for what are non-essential activities.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:29 pm
I appreciate this change in rhetoric.

It is time for mayors and county governments to be held responsible for the unnecessary deaths they’re allowing to occur.

Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:29 pm
===Health Dept has done it’s best===
I’m not sure what County you live in but in Whiteside County, the Health Department, the County Board, the States Attorney are all absolutely to blame for the situation we are in. There is and has been no enforcement which has led us to the situation we are in today. It has been serious here for several months. Today, it is dire.

Comment by Westender Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:31 pm
The election is over, and winter is coming. It’s time to depoliticize. Admitting COVID is real isn’t going to cost Trump any votes. Attacking Trump for failing to contain the crisis isn’t going to help contain it.

The ‘deadenders’ may deserve all the opprobrium I see here, but the public health reality is that we need their cooperation. Even if the vaccines live up to the promise of the Pfizer 90%, they are some time off, and many thousands of lives are at stake in the meantime, in addition to huge economic losses. So both sides need to cool down, and stop complaining about Biden celebrations or Trump rallies. One may have been worse than the other, but that’s not the important issue now.

We need to come up with a way to allow the anti-maskers over to the other side. Frank acknowledgement of how bad things are getting can be part of it. So too is a message of hope: in six months we will be in a much better place if we pull together now, as we will almost certainly have reasonable effective vaccination by then, and treatments continue to improve. But the treatment and vaccine need to be partnered with masks and distancing now.

Comment by Doc Anonymous Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:41 pm
==I think the health department would argue with that notion.==

The health department can order it, but it’s still subject to judicial review/appeal. Once the court issues the order, then the Sheriff and/or local police can execute it, assuming that there is no appeal to higher court(s).

Comment by Anon Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:41 pm
“I honestly am ashamed by a lot of my fellow Americans over how they have dealt with this crisis. Too many people have adopted the attitude of “it’s all about me.” The selfishness is absolutely sickening.” - Demoralized

Makes one wonder if narcissism is infectious…too?

Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:42 pm
Anon - first, pick a handle! Second, no, it’s not that hard: Health inspector, camera, click, evidence, close, fine, let them spend bucks hiring lawyers for cases they won’t win.

In the meantime, lives saved.

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:43 pm
Anon, I agree. It is time to get real. Most local govs and pols have predictable, relatively standard issue: taxes, employment, school, safety, social changes, econ development. Then big stuff hits: massive tornado, major employers close, huge fires. Stuff where tough, sleepless night decisions must be made now. Then there is the 100 year pandemic. How do you prep? There is nothing fair here. If you do not work to stop it, it ain’t going away and it clearly gets worse as we are seeing right now. If local pols are unwilling to make really tough calls like closing places owned by friends, neighbors, relatives to save lives/control a growing illness, maybe they should step away and come back when the choices are return to the easier standard issues.

Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:50 pm
Has the State pulled one single liquor license?

Comment by Shemp Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:57 pm
LGDF is a powerful tool.

Comment by Frank talks Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 4:58 pm
Again, fine the individuals that refuse to wear a mask. Until individuals are held responsible for their actions nothing will change.

Comment by RH Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 5:01 pm
===Health Dept has done it’s best===

I second the pushback on this claim.

Here in Will county, the health department is making claims that it has no authority to do anything.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 5:05 pm
=And, these are local people being asked to close places that are owned by friends, neighbors, relatives, etc.

Please, people, get real about this.=

They wanted the position, it is their sworn duty to uphold the responsibilities. If they lose a few friends, too bad.

As a rural school district superintendent, I have often been attacked for my decisions by the “you are not from here crowd”, happens all the time. I still do what is right.

@Westender, that has not been my experience. I have to work with them because of my job. They are far better than Lee County.

@Ducky LaMoore- I hope your family recovers quickly, and amen to your post.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 5:10 pm
Only a matter of time where this is local, state and federal official response:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcbR1J_4ICg

Comment by Major Biden Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 5:48 pm
==Meanwhile, the rest of us will still do our jobs. The state will do all that it can to help hospitals surge their capacity and find additional staff. Health care workers will take up their posts on the front lines as they have every single day since this began,==

If there is another stay-at-home order, will those State Employees and offices that have already been back in the office (e.g., most notably Secretary of State and other Capitol Complex employees) also be sent back to working remotely? Or unlike the Spring, do you think this time with all the precautions and mask requirements in place, we will still be told to come to work daily? Me thinks the latter this time, unless we’re told to work remotely but due to the huge budget hole we don’t get paid if not physically in the office.

Comment by Chatham Resident Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 6:03 pm
Our immediate relatives have decided to forgo the big Thanksgiving dinner. We will celebrate as individual family units, around 6 or less at a gathering, Meanwhile a cousin whose family is much larger is posting Facebook memes about this could be your last Thanksgiving and liv life to the fullest, don’t be afraid. What she doesn’t get is that it could be her last Thanksgiving directly caused by having that Thanksgiving. Shaking my head

Comment by thoughts matter Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 6:40 pm
Anyone know what will happen with the Township caucus’s that are supposed to go down during the first week of December if JB shuts us down?

Comment by OK Boomer Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 6:42 pm
Hey Oswego Willy fill us in on your educational background to post substantiation for your opinions on this issue.
Just askin.

Comment by Just me Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 6:56 pm
No.

If you get a blog and I ever comment, ask me then.

Be well, stay safe, wear a mask, this isn’t snark, nor is it snide.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 7:03 pm
If there is another stay-at-home order, will those State Employees and offices that have already been back in the office (e.g., most notably Secretary of State and other Capitol Complex employees) also be sent back to working remotely?

Many State employees had the ability to work from home, but were denied by the Administration back in March/April. I’m sure the do as I say not as I do will continue.

Comment by Southern Dude Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 7:13 pm
If you have been paying any attention here you would know I’ve been claiming that “Winter is coming” for months now and now your taking my advice.

JB…Rauner found me from here and pulled me aside…will you?

Comment by The Dude Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 7:20 pm
Winter is indeed coming. To bad there won’t be any dragons and bad final season.

Comment by Glengarry Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 7:45 pm
==Many State employees had the ability to work from home, but were denied by the Administration back in March/April. I’m sure the do as I say not as I do will continue.==

A few questions on this. What agencies and positions were denied the remote work-from-home back in the Spring during stay-at-home order? Was this also under the Governor’s and CMS jurisdiction? Was there union positions denied work-at-home? If the latter, I’m surprised AFSCME hadn’t weighed in on that (unless I missed it).

Comment by Chatham Resident Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 8:02 pm
-A few questions on this—
DOC and DHS had tons of nonsecurity positions that were denied. Crickets from AFSCME…..it was even brought up to split up the departments on week on /week remote or even/odd days so in case of a positive case in an office the entire department would not be out - denied again.

Comment by Southern Dude Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 8:17 pm
Practice social distancing, wear masks, wash hand, etc., etc., but don’t quit living. Be responsible, but we can’t go into complete shutdown and complete isolation for a whole lot of reasons.

Comment by HighSox Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 8:38 pm
=== for a whole lot of reasons.===

And they are?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 8:42 pm
>===So, mass gatherings where people are shoulder >to shoulder are acceptable===

>No outbreaks directly associated with those sorts >of outdoor gatherings that I’m aware of.

Statistically there was no evidence back when they analyzed the BLM protests but there is no possibility for contract tracing to find if there are any outbreaks having to do with outdoor contact at all because the guidelines pretty much preclude detecting it. 15 minutes sustained contact is what they are asking for. So if people do catch it outside from unknown people then it goes into the unknown bin. And when Ontario, Canada released their contact tracing details more than 2/3rds of covid-19 cases were untraceable suggesting the net for catching transmissions is not fine enough.

But I am 100% not up for the whataboutism and et tu fallacies licensing everybody to be an idiot all the time. Everybody has to lock down harder than they have been. I’ve started in the last two weeks because I can see the tsunami coming for Chicago. My point is that we know less than we think we do and things we consider safe are most definitely not. Our various governments and their mitigations have failed spectacular at control. Our individual behavior has also been poor. Both need to step it up. The government needs to stop “delicate dancing” with Covid-19 and start governing. People also need stop making excuses and stop rules lawyering with a virus. We are better than this. We are capable of much more than this.

Comment by srboisvert Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 8:55 pm
Thank you JB!

Comment by Cosgrove Thursday, Nov 12, 20 @ 11:07 pm
==DOC and DHS had tons of nonsecurity positions that were denied. Crickets from AFSCME…..it was even brought up to split up the departments on week on /week remote or even/odd days so in case of a positive case in an office the entire department would not be out - denied again.==

So those DOC and DHS employees still had to go to office work during the initial stay-at-home order? Even though a lot of other employees and departments under the Governor’s jurisdiction are still out and working remotely even today? Crazy.

Comment by Chatham Resident Friday, Nov 13, 20 @ 5:23 am
“So those DOC and DHS employees still had to go to office work during the initial stay-at-home order? ” Some people still work with pieces of paper which must be handled securely.

Comment by Skeptic Friday, Nov 13, 20 @ 8:15 am
HEY PRITZKER - DESPITE OUTBREAKS IN THE ALZINA BUILDING, SOME QUITE SERIOUS, WHY ARE DHS EMPLOYEES IN THE ALZINA BUILDING SPRINGFIELD BEING ORDERED BACK TO THE OFFICE TODAY WHEN THEY HAVE PROVEN THEY CAN WORK FROM HOME. GET YOUR AGENCY HEADS IN ORDER BEFORE YOU SHUT THE REST OF THE STATE DOWN.

Comment by Dhs employee springfield il Friday, Nov 13, 20 @ 9:23 am
FURTHERMORE MR FACIST PRITZKER,
IF I HAVE TO GO INTO THE DHS OFFICE EVERYDAY, I AM MOST CERTAINLY GOING TO HAVE FAMILY THANKSGIVING AND VACATIONS AND RESUME THE REST OF A NORMAL LIFE.

Comment by Dhs employee springfield il Friday, Nov 13, 20 @ 9:37 am