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* Daily Herald…
People living in the suburbs make up 44% of the state’s population, but in August they accounted for just 26% of COVID-19 deaths in Illinois.
That’s the suburbs’ smallest portion of COVID-19 deaths for any month since the pandemic began, according to a Daily Herald analysis of Illinois Department of Public Health records. […]
People living in 96 counties outside the Chicago metropolitan area make up 34.5% of the population and have experienced 36% of deaths.
But that share is increasing.
More than half the state’s COVID-19 deaths in both July and August were from the 96 downstate counties, where less than 40% of the population is vaccinated against COVID-19. That compares to 53% that are vaccinated in the state as a whole.
* And southern Illinois is getting hit hard by people who won’t get themselves and their families vaccinated…
A Tribune analysis of state data shows that southern Illinois’ rate of hospitalizations is nearly as high as it was at its peak last fall: a rate of nearly 41 per 100,000 residents, compared with a rate of 43 just after Thanksgiving.
Its hospitalization rate is by far the highest in Illinois, and more than triple the rate in the city of Chicago.
About 37% of southern Illinois residents are fully vaccinated, compared with nearly 54% in Chicago. […]
Across the region’s 22 hospitals, many are delaying elective surgeries and keeping patients in beds in their emergency departments while they wait for other beds to become available, said Arien Herrmann, regional hospital coordinating center manager for region five, which encompasses the southernmost part of Illinois.
* The Southern…
Memorial Hospital of Carbondale has 22 COVID-19 patients in critical care and all of them are on ventilators. The youngest is 28 years old, SIH said.
Three of the patients have been fully vaccinated and are over age 65. Harre said most of those 22 patients in critical care are in their 20s, 30s or 40s.
“The Delta Variant is really hitting the younger population,” [SIH Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Harre] said. “Once they go on a ventilator, it is really hard to get off the vent.”
With the original COVID-19 virus, most of the patients in ICU at the hospitals were from congregate living situations or over age 65.
* Meanwhile, in Chicago…
Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said the mask mandate that has been in effect for a little over a week is already resulting in positive COVID data for the city.
“We’re doing quite well in Chicago. We’re averaging 473 cases per day,” essentially the same as the daily rate a week ago. Chicago’s daily case rate per 100,000 people stands at 17.5—half the national rate of 39 people per 100,000 per day.
“What I’m pleased about is we’re seeing some real flattening here, I think that is largely a result, actually, of putting the masks back on indoors,” Arwady said. […]
The positivity rate is similarly flat at 4.4%. “We’ve actually not yet gone over 5%, that’s a very good sign, it shows us we’re testing well,” Arwady continued. The average daily hospitalization rate is 22—down 29% from the prior week.
Get your shots and wear your mask.
…Adding… Dr. Tracey Smith at the Illinois Public Health Association…
Hi Rich,
We saw your post this morning about the ongoing situation in southern Illinois. Below is a statement that should be attributed to Dr. Tracey Smith, director of Community Health and Programs at the Illinois Public Health Association:
As you alluded to this morning, there are people throughout Illinois grappling with some very dire situations. Community Health Workers have been on-the-ground for months doing all they can to slow the spread of COVID-19. This includes helping people in isolation and quarantine who might otherwise be disconnected from critical services.
The state’s Pandemic Health Navigator Program, which is managed by the Illinois Public Health Association and funded by IDPH, is still available to anyone who needs help finding basic human needs, such as:
• Getting meals and medications
• Mobility and mental health support
• Safer living conditions
• Work and income resourcesYour readers could help their constituents by sending them to helpguidethrive.org. There they will find a directory of Community Based Organizations and Federally Qualified Health Centers throughout Illinois that provide these services and more.
* Related…
* A new study found half of hospitalized Covid patients had lingering symptoms one year later: “The need to understand and respond to long Covid is increasingly pressing,” said an editorial The Lancet published about the study. “Symptoms such as persistent fatigue, breathlessness, brain fog, and depression could debilitate many millions of people globally.” It added: “Long Covid is a modern medical challenge of the first order.”
* SIH officials say staff is stretched thin taking care of COVID patients
* Hospital data from southwest IL continues to show COVID impacts the unvaccinated hardest
* Petersburg PORTA cancels second straight game because of COVID-19 protocols
* IHSA has no policy for quarantine, exposure, or return to play for COVID-19: Troha said there have been 12 canceled games in week one and even one team, Urbana high school, that canceled their season altogether.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 1:28 am
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So maybe it’s time we end the 60/40 split for infrastructure? Or until everything outside of district 1 decides to get vaccinated?
Comment by Les Nesman Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 1:40 am
I would not count my chickens too early, Chicago.
If you look at the live data map from Mayo Clinic, which includes a prohection for the next 14 days, we are not only far from out of the woods, we are barely getting started:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/map/illinois
Yes, we need to get vaccinated, but getting folks vaccinated now wont bend the curve until Halloween. Folks need to start taking masking seriously, especially if they are unvaccinated, and that is just not happening and not likely to happen.
Keep in mind Southern Illinoisans are not suffering equally.
Nationally, there is a 22 point gap in vaccination rates between Democrats and Republicans.
While Illinois Republicans complain about the “Democrat Map,” The Eastern Bloc is effectively drawing their voters into the cemeteries by reinforcing the belief they should not social distance, wear masks or get vaccinated.
I just don’t see them changing, though. We are watching a national competition between GOP governors to compete for the COVID-Denier vote, and local Republicans are going to keep reflecting that national messaging because they dont have the money to create their own messaging.
If you’ve ever been in the wilderness and heard one wolf howl, and suddenly they start howling from everywhere, it is just like that.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 5:13 am
I should add, if you click on the Mayo Clinic link, select “Forecast”, you will basically see the pandemic moving up from the Kentucky/Indiana border to Central Illinois, while the Collar Counties and Cook don’t start peaking until mid-September:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/map/illinois
“All models are wrong, but some models are useful”, and the Mayo model will change if behaviors do.
Still, I would put more faith in the Mayo Clinic than your friends on Twitter, they are looking at national data sets, and they do not engage in wishful thinking, which both sides of the political spectrum are guilty of.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 5:20 am
==engage in wishful thinking,==
Its denial. And outright idiocy.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 7:44 am
I don’t think Chicago should be patting itself on the back when schools have just reopened. Wait a few weeks first.
Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:10 am
Reading comments in our local paper’s Facebook page this morning concerning our county’s COVID status (warning and high transmission). Quote from one commenter there, “Live your lives. This only ends when people don’t comply.” The sad fact is, and that commenter refuses to acknowledge this, is that they are complying… just with the virus. And, the end has come for too many, too early.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:15 am
Yesterday I visited a large retailer and a convenience store in Effingham. Both had signs posted that masks are required yet I was one of the few customers wearing one. Next to no compliance and zero enforcement. Same as it’s always been. Unless or until businesses are willing to enforce the mandate the numbers won’t improve.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:32 am
It’s a perfect storm downstate. Adherence to guidance was hard enough the first time. Loosening the guidelines, and then tightening them again, is just beyond their comprehension. And now everyone is convinced that Devore and the courts are backing their stance. Local law enforcement has absolutely no interest in enforcing guidelines. Some health departments seem to want to do the right thing, but they’re toothless, not backed by county boards or county prosecutors.
Comment by Southern Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:35 am
I had to stop at the Walgreen’s on MacArthur Blvd. in Springfield on my way to work this morning. Despite the mask mandate–and Walgreen’s always being sticklers for mask wearing in the store ever since early in the pandemic–there was only a sign on the door window saying “Masks Recommended.” Not “Masks Required” per the Governor’s latest order.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:47 am
Meanwhile, the CTU is claiming that CPS is “duct-taping” COVID safety measures in their schools. Stating that problems in testing rollouts and replacing air filters in schools exist.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2021/9/2/22653802/ctu-concerned-cps-gaps-covid-19-safety-protocols-chicago-public-schools
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:49 am
Outside of ramping up mandatory vaccine policies I’m not sure there’s much that can be done at this point. This group is regularly being fed misinformation whether it’s from friends, Facebook, Fox, OAN and far right on-line news. When you close your minds to logic and facts it can be nearly impossible to recognize what’s clearly in your best interest. And the rest of us preaching to this audience only serves to harden their beliefs. The influencers of the conservative movement, and particularly those that profit off of ignorance, could do more to confront this, but they don’t see it in their personal best interest. We should, in almost all instances, be following Pritzker’s lead on how we put the pandemic behind us. But when even the so called moderate members of the ILGOP are referring to him as a king there’s little chance of that happening anytime soon.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:54 am
And yet despite Delta, Pana and Greenview are still going ahead with Labor Day parades. Even though Pana parade organizers ask attendees to adhere to CDC guidelines, but also “encourages each and every participant or spectator to respect the decisions made by those who will be in attendance on Monday.” (Sounds to me like making excuses for the non-mask/non-vaccinated people in attendance).
Meanwhile, Springfield has cancelled their parade again this year.
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2021/09/02/labor-day-springfield-il-happenings-and-closings-around-city/5688197001/
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:57 am
I’m to the point that unvaccinated people should be denied insurance coverage, or at least be charged higher premiums.
Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 9:05 am
I’m not sure that anything can be done or said to convince the unvaccinated to get their shots. Most of my family lives in central/southern Illinois, nearly all are not vaccinated (I am), and I may as well talk to a brick wall.
Days like this, I feel really hopeless about our collective future. The anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers are running the show, blanketing themselves in the false narrative of personal liberties.
Comment by Steve Rogers Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 9:29 am
News-Gazette article says the problem with the Urbana team forfeit of their current season is the lack of experienced upperclass players. There was a problem with COVID cancellations in the spring. This does not appear to be the problem this fall.
https://www.news-gazette.com/sports/urbana-cancels-remainder-of-2021-fall-varsity-football-season/article_500a8ec7-ff87-5253-91ec-847bd195346a.html
Comment by Nearly Normal Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 9:36 am
Hit the unvaccinated in the pocketbook. Increase their health insurance premiums. This is ridiculous.
Comment by workingfromhome Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 9:45 am
==I’m to the point that unvaccinated people should be denied insurance coverage, or at least be charged higher premiums.==
This is coming. Delta Airlines already announced it. And it makes sense. The unvaccinated are going to cause premiums to spike for lots of folks - especially at small businesses, if they can still afford coverage at all.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 9:57 am
Like others have stated, vaccine mandates are our only way out. We’ve reached the point where anti-vaxxers, out of embarrassment or shame, will try ANYTHING else but the shot.
Rather than get in the ark, they’re content to tread water or, when the time comes, pull us in.
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 9:57 am
I’ve really don’t care about the stubborn unvaccinated right now. I am far more concerned with those who would get vaccinated if only. If only they had transportation to the vaccine place. If only they had time to get to it. If only they didn’t have to cross gang or ethnic lines to get to it. If only they had access in their language. If only they had childcare, etc. I really think we could drive up vax rates by another 5-10% if we could get the vax to people with challenges.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 10:04 am
I think another thing that might help would be if we could deliver the vaccine through a medium other than needles (think nasal spray like they have for kennel cough for dogs). I think there might be research going on in that but not soon enough for it to help.
Some of the opposition likely comes from people scared of needles.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 10:06 am
==I’ve really don’t care about the stubborn unvaccinated right now. I am far more concerned with those who would get vaccinated if only.==
I’m downstate in a county with a relatively high vaccination rate that serves as the regional medical center for many counties that are doing much worse. This pretty sums things up for me too.
Mandates aside, I mask up because it’s the right thing to do for kids too young to be vaccinated and the immunocompromised. However, I’m pretty much done with the willfully ignorant and am at the point of compassion fatigue with them. They’ve had plenty of chances to do the right thing and get vaccinated. Any consequences resulting from their choices are entirely on them, although the “personal responsibility” crowd sure seems to look everywhere except in the mirror when the chickens come home to roost.
Comment by Zim Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 10:19 am
Get the vaccine. Wear a mask. If not, you will regret it when you get very sick and there is a shortage of ICU beds. Idaho is near “death panel” decisions on patients because of lack of beds. And this is not just triage for covid patients. It means if you are, oh, 80 and you come in from a car accident you may not be given a bed because they assess your projected life and go for the 40 year old who has the same medical needs. Mask up. VAX up.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 10:21 am
At this point we are stuck. A lot of people keep saying they want to live their lives now. They don’t care if they get sick and die. They just say I could die in a car accident tomorrow. As for vaccines people just don’t want them. They don’t want to be forced to get it. Unless we put it in the water supply and don’t tell anyone then we are going to have to live with it.
Comment by Publius Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 10:32 am
==If only==
With respect, they (or someone they love) managed to get the ten shots required for attending school. Their hesitation to get this one speaks volumes.
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 10:34 am
Jocko, these people have real challenges though (language, no go zones, transportation) I would imagine the city has dealt with those issues for school shots. And the city has done a lot of that kind of thing for this shot too. But the suburbs have similar issues now too and I’m not sure the suburban governments are as competent at dealing with populations with challenges.
I just think that rather than deal with the vaccine ODD crowd, we handle the crowd we can do something about the ones who face challenges to getting immunized.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 10:43 am
===we handle the crowd we can do something about===
Chicago will come to your house and vaccinate you, but the city needs to do a better job of getting that message out.
Part of the problem is that so many service workers can’t afford to get sick for a couple of days after taking the shot. So, at least some appear to be making a short-term bet that they won’t have a much bigger problem down the road.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 10:51 am
We are witnessing social Darwinism. And ironically this is what Southern Illinois wants.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 11:00 am
For me, my thought is workplace mandates, educational mandates, and the ability to make available vaccines en mass and at micro levels (door to door as an example)
It’s difficult for me to believe a very large swath of folks are unable to find or get vaccinated, it’s not difficult for me to see remote areas and especially medical desert areas having difficulty fulfilling the vaccination needs.
Workplace, educational, active outreach…
The days of optional should be waning
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 11:03 am
===A lot of people keep saying they want to live their lives now===
I hear this a lot too and it doesn’t make sense. How is getting a vaccine and masking up keeping them from living their lives? In fact, vaccinated people are allowed to do more things than non-vaxxed at this point.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 11:09 am
=They don’t care if they get sick and die.=
If that’s truly the case, then they should have no problem in refusing the treatment required to keep them alive if they do get sick. I’m seeing a lot of concerned family members who are sharing stories of loved ones that have been hospitalized for weeks and sometimes months in ICU units and/or connected to ventilators. The cost of treatment runs into the tens of thousands and if they’re lucky enough to survive it they’re likely going to have lifelong chronic conditions which are equally expensive.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 11:50 am
==The days of optional should be waning==
Right, AFSCME 31?
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 12:23 pm
I live right in the middle of this Southern mess. Just finished my 2nd dose and got extremely sick and I am still feeling unwell. That said, I would do it again but sooner. There is absolutely no bed availability and NO NURSES. Nurses walking out due to vaccination mandate is almost unbelievable. Most people here are scared by ignorance. Hoping we make it through this without destroying the healthcare system completely.
Comment by Cermak Dr. Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 12:42 pm
It is an interesting development.
Last year, when kids were remote learning,it was said that the absolutely had to go back to school because kids don’t get covid or if they do, it’s nothing but sniffles and for absolute sure they do not spread it to the adults in school
Fast forward to now. They’re spreading it like wildfire (don’t say it’s the delta variant, although that could be a small part of it). Our children were the most protected demographic of all humans. They didn’t go to work, grocery shop, or do anything that adults had to do to maintain the household.. Who knows what the communicable rate would have been a year ago amongst them if they’d all been back in their normal lives? They have been sheltered until now.
As far as communicable spread in areas outside the suburbs, city? My sibling, who lives in DeKalb county claims they don’t spread it (?) because theres so much more room — wide open spaces, not living in close communities. HUH? Their rate of infection (Im sure blamed on the university students) is/has been higher than Chicago and suburbs for some time now. Some just don’t get it that it’s human contact and interaction, not green spaces that spread this virus
Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 1:06 pm
>
This is what may finally push those refusing the vaccine into getting it: make everything fun dependent on being vaccinated. Movies, shopping, bars, restaurants, concerts, all of it. If they are not willing to help keep others safe, they should just stay home.
Comment by Teacher Lady Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 1:32 pm
Teacher Lady, I don’t know about stay home, but they should recalibrate their enjoyment to things that are outside like long walks in the countryside.
Anon,
That dynamic is interesting. If you look at TX, the cities are doing better right now than the rural areas. I think it is for the same reason that the opiate crisis was able to take so much root in the rural areas. Connections. People have more connections and spend more time together. My sister (central IL) says she can’t get her grocerying done in 1/2 hour. It is because she stops and talks to everyone in the grocers. I (Berwyn) can get my grocery done in 1/2 hour (I might have longer wait at cash reg) because I speak to no one other than the clerk (hey at least I’m not a jerk and on my cellphone the whole time). It’s a wholly different set of customs.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 3:50 pm
There seems to be a developing narrative around natural immunity vs. vaccination.
I contracted Covid 19 in March of 2020…and never fully recovered…Will long haulers ever fully recover?…is currently unknown.
I would get vaccinated every week rather than waiting to become infected with this mysterious (potentially life long) infection…for one.
Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 3:50 pm
Unfortunately the masses here listen to the likes of Thomas Devore, Darren Bailey, Chris Miller, Jason Plummer, and Avery Bourne. They hate the government so much they are willing to kill themselves and others out of spite. I say good riddance. We are spending too much on saving those who honestly don’t deserve to be saved. Southern Illinois will be better off with a couple less seditionists and it’s funny to watch them follow their heroes right to their own end.
Comment by Jason Bourne Thursday, Sep 2, 21 @ 8:53 pm
Time for employees and AFSCME to mandate vaccinations, IDPH to arrange for employers to have vaccine clinics at work and a call-in system for someone to call and request for a home visit to give them to those that cant make it to a site.
Comment by Peanut Tuesday, Sep 7, 21 @ 10:22 am