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Dr. Ezike throws cold water on lifting mask mandate by Thanksgiving

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Illinois

Illinois had several weeks of continued decrease in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. However, that quickly changed over the past ten days.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has tracked an uptick in new cases across the entire state. IDPH officials also said that led to more people going into the hospital in certain regions. […]

Gov. JB Pritzker recently said he hoped to ease back the mask mandate for the holiday season, but that may not happen now. IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike said it’s inappropriate right now to think of going mask-free for the holidays. […]

Ezike said many events that may have been held outdoors with warmer weather moved inside over the last few weeks.

“As we’ve moved indoors, we haven’t maybe taken our masks indoors with us. So a lot of unmasked indoor gatherings are likely part of the problem,” Ezike said. “Of course, COVID is so complicated. It’s been throwing us curveball after curveball.”

Ezike said she understands the fatigue around wearing masks and that people want to return to the lifestyle they enjoyed before the pandemic started, but she stressed we’re not beyond this virus. COVID-19 is still spreading quickly in indoor settings.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:02 pm

Comments

Common sense and experience requires us to continue masking a little longer. Of course, neither matters to the party of death and selfishness.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:06 pm
I would keep the mandate all through the winter, not just for COVID but for plain flu and colds too.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:12 pm
===“Of course, COVID is so complicated. It’s been throwing us curveball after curveball.”===

The conspiracy theorists like to point to this as evidence that the goalpost keeps moving to keep the ‘charade’ alive. It’s as if they don’t care to understand science or something…

Comment by Cubs in '16 Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:15 pm
The virus is endemic - we have treatments and vaccines that work. The mask mandates aren’t being followed many places anyway. Not sure why Pritzker is risking turning off voters for a policy that isn’t very effective.

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:16 pm
I think what she says or what anyone says about masks and distance is just talking to a wall. People have made up their mind about masks and vaccines and have tun d put what they do not want to hear.

Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:19 pm
== Not sure why Pritzker is risking turning off voters. ==

Because he cares about the lives of every Illinois resident. Unlike nearly every elected leader of the ILGOP.

Comment by Not a Superstar Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:20 pm
===The conspiracy theorists like to ===

Yeah. And they also believe stuff like this

https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-poster-altered/fact-check-poster-advertising-covid-19-vaccines-and-children-organ-donations-is-digitally-altered-idUSL1N2RZ2AA

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:21 pm
How can it be that places with no mask mandate have less rates? IL is 72% vaccinated, FL is 69%, has no mask rate and yet transmission is much less?

That the rate seems independent of masking is a key data point, one would think.

A month ago, FL and IL had about the same rate, as per the CDC map. Now, with no mask mandate they (and much of the southern area) are better off.

DO the time lapse, you can see the change. Masking seems not to be a variable, or at least not a key one.

I would wish some Journalist would ask her about these data.

Comment by Fav Human Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:23 pm
===a policy that isn’t very effective===

I don’t think the policy is the problem. Besides, what is he supposed to do? Tell everyone to do whatever they want because it doesn’t really matter?

Comment by Cubs in '16 Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:24 pm
=== she stressed we’re not beyond this virus. ===

Problem is so many people are so selfish they don’t care and are happy to just pretend things are normal.

Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:26 pm
===That the rate seems independent of masking===

You do understand weather, right?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:29 pm
@Cubs - I think he should move to relax restrictions unless there is a surge that overwhelms hospitals. Encourage people to get booster shots and first and second doses ans make sure hospitals and doctors are equipped to prescribe the new Pfizer pill that likely will have an EUA by year end.

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:30 pm
@Chicagonk- The point is to be proactive so hospitals aren’t overwhelmed. The virus is so unpredictable that it’s better to err on the side of caution. I believe JB when he says his priority is keeping folks healthy; not worrying about losing a few voters here or there. Besides, the people pushing back the hardest against mask mandates won’t vote for him anyway.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:37 pm
= I think he should move to relax restrictions unless there is a surge that overwhelms hospitals.=

Each time we’ve done this we’ve seen a surge. By this point I would think that we’ve learned that lesson. And if the Pfizer treatment is on-track for year end approval why not wait until that point in time? Waiting another six weeks or so is the very least that we can do for our beleaguered health care workers. After all it is just a mask.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:37 pm
===You do understand weather, right?===

It should be worth recognizing that transmission rates in Southern Illinois started accelerating with hot weather with drove people in doors.

Fall and Spring sports tend to be outside. Winter sports are inside by design and we never know what new variant might be lurking.

Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:37 pm
=Besides, the people pushing back the hardest against mask mandates won’t vote for him anyway.=

And some of them won’t make it to election day.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:38 pm
Are bars/restaurants/venues required to report when a person on staff tests positive for covid?

I tried searching Google for an answer, but to no avail.

– MrJM

Comment by MisterJayEm Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:50 pm
My husband and I have a small circle of friends our age. In that small group, three of us have lost a parent to Covid. A 4th came really close. Why don’t anti-vax, anti-mask people understand death? I wasn’t allowed to see my dad before he passed. Why don’t they understand pain and grief? Their selfishness is prolonging this terrible time.

Comment by Dog Lover Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:00 pm
Just wear a mask. I don’t like it either, but if throwing on a mask when I step inside is the biggest cross I bear, I am doing fine.

Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:03 pm
Illinois is one of five states that requires masks regardless of vaccine status. Not even CA and NY are in that club. Someone isn’t listening to the science.

Comment by Bored Chairman Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:11 pm
===How can it be that places with no mask mandate have less rates?==

FL has had 17K cases per 100,000 people, Illinois has had 13K. You were saying something about masks not working?

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:14 pm
At some point, making the point that the problem may be down the road is going to be a problem.

I get why, but at some point, the whole ‘it might get worse due to X’ is going to be a harder and harder argument to make as fewer and fewer states have restrictions.

How much of the goal is keeping people from getting sick vs keeping people from getting sick enough to require hospitalization? If you get to a point where the positive rate isn’t below x% but due to treatments and vaccination leading to people not getting as sick and the hospitalization rate and utilization rate is below Z% do you change the mask rules then?

I get the logic, but a part of me thinks setting some hard metrics might not be a bad idea at this point.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:19 pm
do women like wearing masks more than men? because unless I’m going some place where the mask comes off, masks mean far less makeup and I’m cool with that. there are several disposable masks out there that are comfortable and fashion fun. you can coordinate colors and express yourself. and slow the spread. mask up.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:32 pm
===I get the logic, but a part of me thinks setting some hard metrics might not be a bad idea at this point.==

Right - all along the Governor provided metrics to point to, but in this post-vaccination phase we’ve been given no metrics, so it should not surprise anyone that people are getting antsy.

Comment by GoBulls Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:33 pm
===You do understand weather, right?===

Rich, please stop using logic. Logic and common sense have no place in this debate. What is important is who yells the loudest and gets the most clicks.

Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:40 pm
Covid fatigue is a real thing.
Lots of folks are just really tired of masks.
I still wear mine most of the time, but I have to admit, I’m not as zealous about it as I was. Fully vaccinated and boostered helps.

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:46 pm
=but in this post-vaccination phase we’ve been given no metrics=

Perhaps it was naïve, but implicit in the prior metrics was the belief that once a vaccine was readily available people would avail themselves of it. That hasn’t happened and as a result the virus has continued to up-end things. And we’ve got extreme resistance to mandatory testing, vaccines, and masking. Absent that resistance we wouldn’t still be having these conversations.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:46 pm
World’s. Worst. Group project.

Comment by Suburban Mom Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:49 pm
=Absent that resistance we wouldn’t still be having these conversations=

Where is this utopian State/Country that did it right with no resistance and has no restrictions now? If we’re waiting for everyone to get vaccinated that clearly isn’t happening at this point. When will be the perfect time to consider an off-ramp?

Comment by Go Bulls Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 3:55 pm
==Where is this utopian State/Country that did it right with no resistance and has no restrictions now? ==

I don’t think anyone assumed that there would be no resistance but I do believe that there was great surprise at the level of resistance to the vaccine. I don’t know what the number is for the “off ramp” but it isn’t a 58% completed vaccination rate which is where the country is right now. I have heard some say that number need to be north of 80% or even as high as 90%. We obviously aren’t going to hit numbers like those so I agree there has to be a decision made at some point as to what number would be sufficient to head towards that “off ramp” because I do agree that more and more people are going to start rebelling the longer this goes on.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 4:03 pm
From “reopening” in early June 2020 thru the full indoor shutdown last winter to more or less full “normal” reopening in June 2021 you might not have agreed with the Governor but at least IDPH usually had metrics on “If cases/ICU/etc = THIS then THIS mitigation will happen”. Might not agree with it but it wasn’t vague at all.

I get the thinking behind “Winter’s coming” and a northern version of the Southern state’s summer indoor surge is a concern but that shouldn’t preclude IDPH giving clear metrics again when masks can be lifted.

This nebulous (but again totally unenforced) State “We’ll know when everyone doesn’t need to to mask up and let you know” system is antithesis of what State did pretty successfully for most of pandemic. It needs to stop.

Comment by ChicagoBars Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 4:17 pm
For the record, I wear a mask, am fully vaxed and boosted a week ago and dont consider wearing a mask an affront to my personal freedoms, liberties or the downfall of civilization. That said, the lack of metrics or a plan for when people wont have to wear a mask is a big miss on the Governors part. We have 80 percent ICU headroom, 2/3 of the state is fully vaxed, kids are starting to get vaxed. The Govs team needs to lay out a plan to remove the indoor mask mandate with goals and metrics like they once did.

Comment by Red Ranger Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 4:24 pm
=I don’t know what the number is for the “off ramp” but it isn’t a 58% completed vaccination rate which is where the country is right now=

Agreed 60% is very disappointing - feels like everyone I know is vaccinated but other parts of the State its just the opposite, and insisting we continue on these mitigation measures indefinitely is not going to change that dynamic whatsoever. There was a bit of an uptick in vaccination rate when Delta surged, but ultimately give people their boosters, protect the hospitals when necessary (

Comment by Go Bulls Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 4:24 pm
Masks are great. People can’t tell if I’m making faces at them when they are being foolish.

Comment by Glengarry Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 4:27 pm
What is the vaxed vs unvaxed ratios in the uptick? Recent stats often showed 90% of covid hospitalizations were unvaxed. If that number is holding then the uptick could be coming from the smaller population that simply will not. Daughter was vaxed and recently got breakthrough so it happens. It did not last long.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 4:43 pm
=== The virus is endemic - we have treatments and vaccines that work. The mask mandates aren’t being followed many places anyway. Not sure why Pritzker is risking turning off voters for a policy that isn’t very effective. ===

1. It is pandemic, not endemic.
2. The vaccines only work if people get them, and right now not enough Illinoisans have been vaccinated for us to achieve herd immunity.
3. Treatments work for now, but might not coninue to work so well if the disease is allowed to run rampant.
4. The anti-maskers are already voting for Darren Bailey, the pro-vaxxers are probably with JB, but if he flip-flops now he is eead politically.
5. Also, saving lives is always the right call.

Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 4:45 pm
“what is he supposed to do? Tell everyone to do whatever they want because it doesn’t really matter?”

@cubs I mean…yes. If a govt. policy (not the medical practice itself) is not effective it shouldn’t be continued for the sake of itself. As already mentioned in other comments, people are going to do what they want at this point. If the mandate can’t be proven effective it should really be reevaluated.

Comment by Carnival Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 5:11 pm
@thomaspaine - Google endemic - it’s a real word.

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 5:18 pm
Let’s keep wearing them. The longer we’re forced to wear these things, the better the chance is of throwing Pritzker out of office. We’re the National anomaly - and soccer moms are revolting.

Everyone here thinks Virginia was anomaly. It’s not.

Comment by DuPage Moderate Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 5:46 pm
@chicagonk -

I know that “endemic” is a word, you just don’t know what it means.

COVID is still spreading, it is still multi-national, it is still a pandemic.

Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 6:02 pm
=== The longer we’re forced to wear these things, the better the chance is of throwing Pritzker out of office.===

Can’t beat someone with no one.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 6:07 pm
==I would keep the mandate all through the winter, not just for COVID but for plain flu and colds too.==

Sure, let’s just do this from now on all year around forever. That’s where it’s going.

Comment by bobrob Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 6:46 pm
===How can it be that places with no mask mandate have less rates? IL is 72% vaccinated, FL is 69%, has no mask rate and yet transmission is much less?===

Could it possibly be that Florida’s weather is much more conducive to spending time out doors, or that Florida’s senior citizen population are much more likely to be vaccinated?

Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 7:01 pm
Few are following the mask mandate these days, especially downstate.

Comment by Michael Westen Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 7:09 pm
OW - Touché. Truer words have not been spoken.

But, if I’m a Dem rep in DuPage or suburban Cook, I’d be very very very worried.

Masks work when used properly - there’s no doubt about that. But the way we wear them, enough is enough. It’s theater and control at this point. I’ve now had three vaccines and would get a fourth if advised - but I’m done wearing masks to protect the dumb.

Comment by DuPage Moderate Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 7:20 pm
===Florida’s senior citizen population are much more likely===

Lotta snowbirds in that count

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 7:41 pm
===I’m a Dem rep in DuPage or suburban Cook, I’d be very very very worried.===

Let alone midterm fears and a Red wave too

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 7:56 pm
The impacts of the recession and lack of in person schooling are starting to be seen in parents school aged children. And that will not be forgiven or forgotten at the ballot box. Dems in suburbs, you better find a way to run a perfect election.

Comment by DuPage Moderate Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 9:19 pm
* Pandemic, not recession.

Comment by DuPage Moderate Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 9:20 pm
@ThomasPaine - You obviously don’t know what endemic means - but carry on.

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 9:32 pm