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* 2,537 people were hospitalized in Illinois because of COVID-19 on December 1. That number was 3,513 as of last night. Here’s Jake Griffin…
Illinois Department of Public Health records also show 748 of those hospitalized with COVID-19 are in intensive care beds.
According to IDPH figures, the last time the state saw more than 3,500 COVID-19 patients was exactly 11 months ago.
Since IDPH last reported updated COVID-19 figures Friday, 105 more deaths from the virus have been recorded throughout Illinois and 19,515 new cases have been diagnosed. […]
The state also recorded nearly 500,000 test results over the past three days as well, including 233,784 results returned Saturday, the most ever in a single day for the state.
The state’s seven-day case positivity rate has dropped to 4%, the lowest it’s been in two weeks. Three days ago it was at 4.3%, IDPH records show.
352 people are in the ICU, the most since January 20th. Statewide, just 12 percent of ICU beds are open.
* So many deaths and so much destruction of our medical infrastructure could’ve been prevented…
On the very day that an eager nation began rolling up its sleeves, Dec. 14, 2020, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 300,000. And deaths were running at an average of more than 2,500 a day and rising fast, worse than what the country witnessed during the harrowing spring of 2020, when New York City was the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak.
By late February total U.S. deaths had crossed 500,000, but the daily death count was plummeting from the horrible heights of early January. With hopes rising in early March, some states began reopening, lifting mask mandates and limits on indoor dining. Former President Donald Trump assured his supporters during a Fox News interview that the vaccine was safe and urged them to get it.
But by June, with the threat from COVID-19 seemingly fading, demand for vaccines had slipped and states and companies had turned to incentives to try to restore interest in vaccination.
It was too little, too late. Delta, a highly contagious mutated form of coronavirus, had silently arrived and had begun to spread quickly, finding plenty of unvaccinated victims.
* ABC 7…
Last week at St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee, 34 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, the highest number since the pandemic began.
“Patients we have in the hospital are due to the fact that we have many community members that are not vaccinated,” said AMITA Health Regional Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kalisha Hill. “99% of the patients in our hospital in both Joliet and Kankakee that are COVID Positive are unvaccinated.”
And yet some workers at the town’s hospitals are suing because they don’t want to be vaccinated. Ridiculous.
* NY Times
As the coronavirus pandemic approaches the end of a second year, the United States stands on the cusp of surpassing 800,000 deaths from the virus, and no group has suffered more than older Americans. All along, older people have been known to be more vulnerable, but the scale of loss is only now coming into full view.
Seventy-five percent of people who have died of the virus in the United States — or about 600,000 of the nearly 800,000 who have perished so far — have been 65 or older. One in 100 older Americans has died from the virus. For people younger than 65, that ratio is closer to 1 in 1,400.
*** UPDATE *** Not unexpected…
The Supreme Court has rejected two challenges to New York's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers. The challengers sought religious exemptions to the mandate. The court denied the challenges in one-sentence orders on the shadow docket. Thomas, Alito, & Gorsuch dissent. pic.twitter.com/Zz8qsKgDe9
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) December 13, 2021
* Other stuff…
* We Know a Lot More About Omicron Now: Consider this your highly imperfect guide to our highly imperfect understanding of Omicron.
* Monday’s Blackhawks Game Postponed Due to COVID-19 Outbreak With Flames
* Chicago Bulls’ Next Two Games Postponed Due to COVID-19 Outbreak
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 2:10 pm
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So numbers are going up but good old DoIT has made it mandatory for everyone to come back into the office full-time like there’s no covid19 going around. It’s okay though because even if you are exposed to it you know like your kid has it you good to keep coming in and not have to wear a mask at your cube as long as you are vaccinated.
Comment by ConfusedWorker Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 2:29 pm
“99% of the patients in our hospital in both Joliet and Kankakee that are COVID Positive are unvaccinated.”
Not sure what else those who are unvaccinated need to hear at this point.
Comment by The Doc Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 2:37 pm
Back to remote learning… https://dewittdailynews.com/local-news/608516
Comment by Anon221 Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 2:38 pm
The longer this has been going on the more complicated it gets. The upside is hopefully we are learning things faster. Vaccination is good but I don’t think will completely ever get us out of this unless the research comes up with a break through….no pun intended. I do think there are some reason to be cautious of vaccinations. Good stuff but do not want to rush at the expense of lives. The real data suggest older folks probably don’t want to take any chances it is not letting up.
Comment by clec dcn Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 2:38 pm
==So numbers are going up but good old DoIT has made it mandatory for everyone to come back into the office full-time like there’s no covid19 going around. ==
Our office has been back at work full-time, all staff back, in our agency since June 2020. With masking, precautions, etc.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 2:45 pm
We had a chance to control this through the shut downs, masking and vaccination but we blew it. Now we are going to live with this until it mutates to something mild (hopefully). If not and it becomes more virulent I am figuring every 6 months I will need to update my vaccination.
Comment by illinifan Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 2:48 pm
“…unless the research comes up with a break through.”
Do people seriously not understand that the vaccine is the breakthrough?
“99% of the patients in our hospital in both Joliet and Kankakee that are COVID Positive are unvaccinated.”
If a vaccine for cancer was discovered, and it was 99% effective, we’d still have people saying that if the vaccine for cancer didn’t cover 100%, they weren’t going to rush to get it.
Now excuse me while I scream into the couch cushion.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 2:51 pm
I don’t necessarily agree with this, but Colorado Governor Polis (D) has declared the COVID emergency “over” and has let the state mask mandate lapse. Polis went on to say that at this point if you get sick from COVID “it’s your own darn fault.”
I tried to buy a box of masks at Walmart today, they didn’t have any and said they didn’t know when they might get some more. I asked about the ones they hand out at the entrance and they said those come from corporate and are just for handing out to customers.
Comment by Trying to be Rational Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:01 pm
==I do think there are some reason to be cautious of vaccinations.==
You realize 90% of Fox Network is vaccinated, don’t you?
Comment by Jocko Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:05 pm
==I asked about the ones they hand out at the entrance and they said those come from corporate and are just for handing out to customers.==
Is the box unattended? Could you be able to sneak a few more masks out?
Maybe try Walgreens, CVS, etc. instead. There may also be places where individuals make homemade, laundry-safe masks.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:13 pm
Each of our metrics have some data validity issues. The positive test metric/new cases are highly dependent on people getting screened in the first place. If one’s symptoms are mild or not apparent/noticed they’re not getting tested.
If you’re an against vaccinations or think this is a liberal hoax or whatever, you might refuse to get tested until you were sick enough you obtained medical care.
There are people out there with COVID-19 who are experiencing symptoms who are going about their business and making others sick without getting tested. Hospitalizations and deaths aren’t impacted by covidiot factors
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:17 pm
I agree with Governor Polis’ approach & wish Pritzker would say the same. As far as finding masks, I have had success with a local pharmacy.
Comment by Blake Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:20 pm
My child is a front line health care worker. Covid cases are up, but the severity of the cases are much less than before. Vaccinations help reduce the severity, to be sure.
Lots of influenza A going around. And that is a big driver for hospitalizations and ICU numbers.
From a health care perspective, hospitals build their ICU’s with the plan that the beds will be occupied at a 70-80% rate, year round.
Comment by Downstate Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:20 pm
===I agree with Governor Polis’ approach & wish Pritzker would say the same. ===
Polis says the crisis is over. That’s your take?
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:26 pm
===And yet some workers at the town’s hospitals are suing because they don’t want to be vaccinated. Ridiculous.
My wife’s grandmother caught Covid from an unvaccinated aide at her nursing home as did several other patients. GMIL has led a long life and is 97 and vaccinated, but the impact of the infection probably means she won’t walk anymore. Baffled that all health care workers aren’t required to be vaccinated.
Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:32 pm
I keep a box of masks in the car, a box in the truck, and a box in the house. One of my boxes is empty. In the short run I am putting some in a ziplock bag for the car. Next time I’m by CVS I’ll stop and see if they, or Walgreens, have some.
Comment by Trying to be Rational Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:32 pm
PSA If you’re in downtown and need a booster, the federal court building (circa Dearborn and Adams) is having a free clinic all week - open to public and no appointment necessary.
https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_news/booster%20clinic%20FINAL.pdf
Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:32 pm
==Polis says the crisis is over.==
With respect OW, I’m not sure that’s exactly what he said or meant. I think the basis of what he said was that there really wasn’t anything more that he could do as the Governor (ergo the end of the “emergency”) and that it was up to people to get vaccinated now.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:33 pm
===Lots of influenza A going around. And that is a big driver for hospitalizations and ICU numbers.
Weird, because the overall rate is low. It’s increasing as one would expect at this time of year, but anecdotes aren’t data.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm
Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:34 pm
==made it mandatory for everyone to come back into the office==
There is absolutely no reason not to go back into work. We have vaccines now. We know that they keep you from getting seriously ill. So, COVID should’t be a reason to stay home. The reason why the original stay at home orders went into effect was because we didn’t have anything to combat COVID. We don now.
Now, if you want to have a conversation about work from home in general, then that is a legitimate conversation to have.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:35 pm
==I don’t necessarily agree with this, but Colorado Governor Polis (D)==
There’s your next presidential candidate from the gubernatorial ranks.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:36 pm
==Thomas, Alito, & Gorsuch dissent==
These three have made it pretty clear that people should be able to use religion to get out of doing pretty much anything they don’t want to do so long as the basis of their objection is for a religious reason.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:38 pm
I can understand the desire to pronounce the crisis over, but ultimately our behavior has a lot more to do with that then any proclamation. And our healthcare workers don’t have the luxury of simply saying it’s time to move on.
Comment by Pundent Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:47 pm
Polis has made the wise choice to find the proper place of avoiding Covid neurosis that contributed to Democratic underperformance in November.
Comment by Blake Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:52 pm
Axios…
=== Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said in an interview the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines spell “the end of the medical emergency” as it relates to the virus, and he will not implement a statewide mask mandate in response to the Omicron variant.===
Now, if this was walked back, then why would I want to side with a governor who really has no idea where it’s a crisis or what constitutes handling a crisis.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:53 pm
=== Polis has made the wise choice===
Polis believes the crisis is over.
Masking or whatever mitigating issues to saving lives is the discussion
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:55 pm
===Democratic underperformance in November.===
I dunno what this means, but if politicizing a global pandemic and cheering a weaker response, that’s not probably not how this administration in Illinois will go about it.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:58 pm
===in November===
Never re-fight the last election. Democrats seem to do that all the time and it’s silly.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 3:58 pm
== Baffled that all health care workers aren’t required to be vaccinated ==
My wife that works in health care in settings with elderly patients agrees with you 100%, she points out that she had to have and prove she has had various vaccinations for years and doesn’t get the hesitancy.
I used to (the program is suspended) volunteer at a local hospital and had to prove to them via vaccination records and testing that I was vaccinated for various things as well.
It’s a bit like being a computer professional that has objections to electricity.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 4:14 pm
I found disposable masks ( 50 count box) at Menards. Not where you might think they would be. Wander back into the tool aisles, etc. ask a worker
Comment by thoughts matter Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 4:55 pm
@OneMan
Your last line gave me a chuckle. My aunt and uncle in Pennsylvania are friends with an Amish electrician. No joke.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 7:30 pm
OneMan and Proud Papa Bear certainly brightened my day.
Comment by Norseman Monday, Dec 13, 21 @ 11:16 pm
The main reason I can’t get on board with Polis’ philosophy right now is that the vaccine is not yet available to children under the age of 5. Once it’s literally available to everyone, then I tend to agree with his general idea, while I might quibble some with his phrasing.
Comment by wildcat12 Tuesday, Dec 14, 21 @ 8:45 am