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* UPDATED x2 * Unclear on the concept

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St. Rep. Adam Niemerg of Dieterich has been meeting with his local school districts who have been catching some flak from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education because the districts want to make mask-wearing optional in the coming school year.

Niemerg said if you can go to the ballgame and not have to wear a mask, why can’t school children do the same in the classroom this fall?

Hmm. Could it have something to do with the fact that ballgames are outdoors and classes are held indoors in often poorly ventilated classrooms? Also, too, the vaccine hasn’t yet been approved for young kids.

* Earlier…

Niemerg said he was also introducing a bill to end the mask requirements in schools.

“We need to be an example to our children that we no longer need to fear each other,” he said.

Says the guy who sponsored or co-sponsored 18 pro-gun bills this past spring. He also signed on to this resolution…

Urges the United States Congress and President Joe Biden to pass the “Fauci’s Incompetence Requires Early Dismissal” or “FIRED” Act to relieve Dr. Fauci of his role.

* Related…

* Dr. Fauci says children ‘more likely’ to get COVID Delta variant

* New Mexico pushing child vaccinations as Delta variant begins to spread in the state

* Expert shares how we can protect children from coronavirus Delta variant: Given that there’s now a more transmissible and potentially more dangerous variant circulating in the country, the focus has turned to young people 12 and older, who are less likely to get vaccinated, and to children younger than that, who aren’t eligible yet for the COVID-19 vaccines. Experts like former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb are now warning that “we’re going to see that children and schools do become more of a focal point of spread” as schools reopen later this summer.

* COVID May Cause Long-Term Brain Loss, Study Says

*** UPDATE 1 *** Just 38 percent of Schuyler County is vaccinated…

A COVID-19 outbreak at an Illinois summer camp has infected dozens of people, health officials say.

The outbreak stemming from The Crossing Camp in Rushville has led to over 50 people being infected with the virus, the Pike County Health Department said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the health department in nearby Schuyler County said the coronavirus exposure happened during a camp from June 13 to 17. The church camp was designated for students from 8th to 12th grade, according to the camp website.

*** UPDATE 2 *** IDPH…

In mid-June, more than 50 teens and adult staff at a summer youth camp in central Illinois tested positive for COVID-19. At least one person was hospitalized. Although all campers and staff were eligible for vaccination, IDPH is aware of only a handful of campers and staff receiving the vaccine. The camp was not checking vaccination status and masking was not required while indoors. All campers and staff went home and were asked to be tested and told to quarantine. As more transmissible and dangerous COVID-19 variants spread, including the Delta variant, largely among people who have not been vaccinated, IDPH continues to encourage all residents 12 years and older to be vaccinated.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 9:45 am

Comments

as long as Niemerg is willing to pay for the healthcare cost for all the kids and their parents, sure

Comment by truthteller Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:00 am
Literally dying to own the libs.

Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:01 am
We’ve been far too tolerate of politicians who’s words and actions have been reckless and an endangerment to public health through the course of this pandemic.

Comment by Pundent Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:05 am
Darren Bailey 2.0

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:06 am
==* COVID May Cause Long-Term Brain Loss, Study Says==

Representative Niemerg is proof positive.

Comment by don the legend Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:09 am
Too bad that Niemerg and the other GQP Covidiots who continue to attack pandemic response efforts don’t understand that they are furthering the need for kids to wear masks. They have and continue to endanger lives with their politicization and resistance to public health measures.

The best way to make masks optional is to get vaccinated.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:13 am
Man that brain loss study has me freaked out. My taste/smell still isn’t right and I had COVID over New Year.

Comment by SWIL_Voter Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:13 am
AP story the other day from the CDC that says nearly all of the current deaths are from unvaccinated people.

This will go down as the ultimate year for the Darwin awards.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:16 am
What’s important and dangerous to note…

The performance art the Eastern Bloc continues to push, and *may* believe some of their ridiculousness, it’s rarely about finding 60, 30, and working with the governor.

It’s as though perpetual victimhood for old, angry, white, rural folks who still believe a 51st state is possible as those pushing it know… it’s mere performance art… to keep folks angry, and to be angry at… science, health, safety, societal norms, and worse of all, racial anger and angst seemingly found around every corner that threatens “their ‘Merica”

So… here we are… again… unclear on the concept, but obviously clear on the intent and value signaling at the cost of science, health, and facts.

I’m glad Illinois’ Covidiot leaders have only performance art, in some states these wants become laws endangering too many to own themselves and feel their anger is justified.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:19 am
It’s all a bunch of whooey ballooey created by those ultra elites and their New World Order. Plus they keep giving people money so they won’t work for low wages and that’ll destroy good businesses that used to get tax breaks, cheap labor and no EPA rules. What has become of God and the America that Jesus grew up in used to walk through? It’s just chaos I tell you chaos.

Comment by Frank talks Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:23 am
I have to go down that way tomorrow for a funeral.

I got my back 2 weeks ago, but I’ll still be wearing a mask.

Really curious to see, and frankly dreading, the idiocy that will be on display.

And they wonder why I’ve spent the last 32 years refusing to move back…

Comment by Lynn S. Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:42 am
There have been clinical trials on the Moderna and Pfizer on children as young as 6 months old, but it may not be until at least the start of the 2023-2024 school year before all the clinical trials are completed. So there will likely be at least two, maybe three, more years of mask wearing in schools, at least through 6th grade.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/covid19-vaccine-clinical-trials-for-kids-5184260

Comment by EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:43 am
My vax

Stupid autocorrect (banned punctuation)

Comment by Lynn S. Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 10:43 am
It appears that this “brain loss” phenomenon is spreadhing rapidly in some areas of the state…

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:08 am
That’s right, Rep Niemerg, better to demonstrate willful ignorance and stupidity than “fear” to the kids.

Comment by VerySmallRocks Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:19 am
“Jesus grew up in used to walk through”

You must be talking about a latino guy. The Jewish guy didn’t grow up here.

Comment by Huh? Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:28 am
This is reported in the Quincy Herald Whig today and happening in West Central Illinois.
https://www.whig.com/education/central-school-board-rejects-resolution-to-disagree-with-state-mask-quarantine-mandates/article_4e2911ec-d55e-11eb-a826-77e2b7662816.html

Comment by Interested Reader Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:31 am
Rep. Niemerg’s strategies are misguided and his whining resolutions are unhelpful, but I do think it is worth the conversation among medical professionals and school professionals to determine whether schools can be opened without masking. Firstly, nearly every student in every secondary school could be vaccinated and so perhaps a threshold of vaccination (like 85% for MLB teams) could trigger the elimination of masking. Secondly, it is possible to foresee a time when new cases are so low (perhaps we are almost there with just about 220 or so per day in IL) that contact tracing and regular COVID testing could help track COVID flare ups and allow students to unmask. I think creative and medically supported ideas should be welcomed.

It is easy to simply say that masks should be worn in schools because kids aren’t vaccinated, but it hard to enforce and make happen when masks are not required almost anywhere else (stores, churches, even indoor stadiums). Without a vaccination tracking application, we have failed to distinguish who should or should not be masked.

Comment by School Guy Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:34 am
Welcome to the Eastern Bloc, where we have our own version of reality.

Comment by up2now Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:35 am
We are already facing a massive increase in the number of our seniors( and others, actually) suffering from dementia, due to the number of baby boomers we still have alive. The fact that we’ve managed to increase our life span over the last 100 years is a large contributing factor.
Now we have the possibility of Covid survivors developing dementia too.
As a family member of people who have died with dementia and having relatives currently living with it… this is scary news.

Comment by thoughts matter Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:40 am
===hard to enforce and make happen when masks are not required almost anywhere else===

Neither are school uniforms.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:43 am
==Welcome to the Eastern Bloc, where we have our own version of reality.==

Rushville and Schuyler County (plus Interested Reader’s link regarding Camp Point Central school district) actually represent the Western Bloc (aka Forgotonnia).

Comment by EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:43 am
===This will go down as the ultimate year for the Darwin awards.===

I might agree with you on that, except my kids aren’t old enough to get vaccinated yet. So while many adults who choose to be selfish may get sick and die, kids and those who cannot be vaccinated will also suffer because of the COVIDiots among us. Collateral damage in service of the selfish behavior of stupid people.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:45 am
There are also several stories this morning about spikes in cases in Missouri. So in addition to watching the Cardinals suck you can pick up a case of COVID

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:49 am
=It is easy to simply say that masks should be worn in schools because kids aren’t vaccinated, but it hard to enforce and make happen when masks are not required almost anywhere else=

Actually, no we have not had issues enforcing masking in school even as the mitigations changed.

Kids are almost never the problem. Adults are the problem.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:51 am
I said months ago, the pandemic will linger for a lot longer and almost become endemic in places in the US. We’re clearly at that point, look at what’s going on in SW Missouri. We just told family this week that we will not be traveling there to see them anytime time soon.

I do think this will eventually send people to “quietly” get their shots. I guess that’s a good thing but I wish they would announce their intentions after trashing the vaccine and all the efforts surrounding it since mid-January.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 11:52 am
==Kids are almost never the problem. Adults are the problem. ==
Adults who are still little brats are the problem.
“Wah, I don’t want to.”

Comment by Streamwood Retiree Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 12:06 pm
===hard to enforce and make happen when masks are not required almost anywhere else===

Have you been to a school or had someone in a public school recently. There are so many rules on even how you dress (without uniforms) in most public schools they manage to enforce.

When did it become bad to be protective of kids? Seriously? When did that become a vice?

Comment by OneMan Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 12:46 pm
Vaccination rates in and around Niemerg’s area: Fayette 23%, Edwards 25.5, Clay 27, Wayne 27, Cumberland 28, Shelby 28, Moultrie 30, Lawrence 30. Others are 30-33.

The Eastern Bloc, where the vaccine is plentiful, but common sense is in short supply.

Comment by Don't Bloc Me In Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 12:47 pm
Sick of these people with no grasp of reality, either intentionally or by blindly following false prophets. Let Darwin rule and they will survive or perish of their own accord.

Comment by Lt Guv Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 1:42 pm
=Firstly, nearly every student in every secondary school could be vaccinated and so perhaps a threshold of vaccination (like 85% for MLB teams) could trigger the elimination of masking.=

This is premised on the belief that folks like Niemerg are in favor of requiring or even encouraging vaccines. I think we know the answer to that.

I would also add that my 12 year old was in school all year with a mask. Wasn’t a big deal at all.

Comment by Pundent Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 2:17 pm
The RKI (the Robert Koch Institute –nothing to do with the American Koch brothers) in Germany has recommended the use of masks in schools next term, mainly due to the Delta variant.

Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 2:49 pm
=== I would also add that my 12 year old was in school all year with a mask. Wasn’t a big deal at all. ===

Anecdotal, and pre Delta varient, so irrelevant.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Jun 25, 21 @ 4:32 pm