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Today’s must-read: “A small town in denial comes face to face with the virus”

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Illinois

In late September, before covid-19 swept through southern Illinois like a prairie fire, before nearly every single resident of a nursing home in Du Quoin was infected, before the disease pushed Perry County’s rural health-care system to the breaking point, confidence was in the air.

The county clerk, Beth Lipe, realized the pandemic wasn’t causing any rush for absentee ballots. Of 9,300 applications she mailed out, she got back fewer than 1,000 requests, about the same as any other year.

The staff of the St. Nicholas Brewing Co. on a Friday afternoon set up 10 tables for their evening food and bar service next door in the parking lot of the Du Quoin State Bank. As usual, fewer than half their customers showed up in masks.

Fairview Rehabilitation and Healthcare, on East Jackson Street, had yet to see a single case of covid-19, six months into the pandemic. “I had escaped it,” said the home’s owner, Scott Stout. “We hoped and we prayed.” That month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the nursing home a $19,000 incentive grant recognizing its superior infection-control procedures, one of thousands of such grants across the nation. […]

When [November] began, Perry County, population 20,000, had experienced fewer than 500 coronavirus cases over seven months, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. By Nov. 12, when word came of the first positive test at Fairview, the county had 653 cases. By the end of the month, 1,238. By the end of January, 2,940, or nearly 15 percent of the county’s residents. That’s almost double the percentage of New York City’s caseload. Fifty-six have died.

Go read the rest.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 2:29 pm

Comments

Rest of story seems pay-walled, Rich.

Comment by thisjustinagain Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 2:37 pm
“Stout said he doesn’t know what else his staff at Fairview could have done. “This virus, I don’t think anybody really knows how it spreads,” he said.”

He actually said that.
And he runs a management service for nursing homes.
And he actually said that.
“I really don’t think anybody knows how it spreads.”
Just replay that in your head.

Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 3:20 pm
“We’re prone to that make-believe way of thinking,” Blakemore said.

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 3:37 pm
If after all this time and as much public information as there has been about Covid, he still doesn’t know how it spreads? Covidiot for sure. I’m thankful I don’t have any relatives in his nursing homes.

Comment by Manchester Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 3:37 pm
It keeps going…..
“Stout is angry because he says he needs more staff, but it’s nearly impossible to hire anyone. He estimates that 35 percent of his 650 employees companywide left in 2020. He blames enhanced unemployment insurance. “This day and age, the government’s gone too easy on handouts, and no one wants to work,” he said”

Where to start?
How about I fix what he said about hiring?
What he meant to say was “but it’s nearly impossible to hire anyone for what he wants to pay them.”

“He estimates that 35 percent of his 650 employees companywide left in 2020.”
35%? He has some major issues then.
He needs to either pay more,give better benefits,or treat his staff better and make working conditions better.
Or maybe all of the above.
It’s not rocket science…but this is a guy who said they can’t figure out how Covid spreads.

Then he starts in on the tired talking points about handouts and no one wanting to work.
Sounds like he isn’t very good to work for.
And I don’t think he understands how the current unemployment insurance works at all other than he doesn’t like it.

Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 3:41 pm
Perhaps Scott Stout attended a Professional Development workshop hosted by the Darren Bailey School of Science and Disease Prevention.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 3:57 pm
Maybe Darren Bailey should hold a campaign event in Perry County, IL and talk about this pandemic non effects on people.

Comment by The Old Man Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 4:26 pm
Many in rural america are still in denial and will believe all types of hokum.

It really breaks my heart. I love so much about small town living. We made a choice to leave the suburbs for something better. Bit the last 5 years have made us question our decision. It breaks my heart

Comment by JS Millm Friday, Feb 26, 21 @ 4:26 pm