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Covid hospitalizations break all-time record

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Illinois

* As we’ve discussed before, in November of 2020, Illinois hit its all time peak of 6,175 covid hospitalizations. As of last night, that number was 6,294.

1,086 ICU beds were in use last night, which is not a record, but ICU beds are a lagging indicator.

This post will be updated because Gov. Pritzker is giving a press briefing.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 1:03 pm

Comments

It’s bleak, but only because of the unvaccinated. If you are vaxxed and boosted, you may get Covid but it is extremely likely to be very very mild. Have seen this happen in countless cases lately. So why put yourself at risk of hospitalization and death. Just get the damn shot already.

Seriously, what in the world are you waiting for? There have been literally hundreds of millions if not more than a billion people vaccinated. The shots are fine. No biggie. Ya know what’s a biggie? Taking up a hospital bed so others who need them can’t. Just get the damn shot already (twice for emphasis).

Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 2:05 pm
@Chicago Cynic -

Respectfully, that’s not correct.

Of the 15K Illinoisans who died in 2021 from COVID, 1500 roughly were fully vaccinated.

10% of deaths is not insignificant, and while statistics certainly favor the vaccinated overwhelmingly, people who are fully vaccinated still face some significant risk of hospitalization or death, especially if over the age of 65.

Given the high number of unvaxxed, low number of boosted, and high transmission/penetration rate of infections, hospitalizations and fatalities are going to be significant if folks do not social distance and wear masks, but instead insist on attending large, indoor events and venues.

Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 2:19 pm
It’s sad reading how many people are being hospitalized with COVID and there are people who still wont get vaccinated. I’m listening to some of this court hearing DeVore and Teachers vs State. DeVore has made COVID sound like a common cold. Now he’s going on with his rant about the Governor having NO Constitutional authority to make any executive orders.

It’s crazy and scary to think anyone would even take something like this to court.

Comment by Club J Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 2:41 pm
=people who are fully vaccinated still face some significant risk of hospitalization or death, especially if over the age of 65.=

And have underlying health conditions, and/or haven’t received a booster.

The reality is that the number of fully (incl. boosted) vaccinated individuals with no underlying health conditions that die from Covid is incredibly small. We need to continue to focus on this as overwhelmingly a pandemic of the unvaccinated because that’s what it is. Frankly it is dangerous not to do so as it bolsters the ridiculous argument that a vaccine doesn’t make a difference. It clearly does. And while it may not be a 100% solution it is as close as we could possibly hope to get.

Comment by Pundent Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 2:43 pm
Thomas Paine — link to stats, please?

Comment by Soccermom Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 2:43 pm
=== … people who are fully vaccinated still face some significant risk of hospitalization or death, especially if over the age of 65.===

Which is why, pre-Andrew Wakefield & Jenny McCarthy, everyone got vaccinated, to protect those that are immunocompromised. When was the last time a person over 65 got Measles / Polio?

Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 2:47 pm
Time to redefine fully vaccinated as 3 doses and possibly 4. Even though there are deaths of doubly vaccinated folks, it still represents a 0.020% of the vaccinated population.

Comment by illinifan Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 2:51 pm
==Time to redefine fully vaccinated as 3 doses and possibly 4.==

So I assume that the second booster (aka 4th shot) is already OK? Even Dr. Fauci wondered in recent days if it’s still too early to make that call despite Omicron:

https://www.deseret.com/coronavirus/2022/1/1/22861242/dr-fauci-fourth-covid-shot-possible

Or will it be possible for us to get a 4th shot anyway even if it isn’t officially approved? By trying to sign up for a booster even if we’ve already gotten ripened. Hopefully the 4th gets approved by April, six months after my early October booster.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 3:11 pm
==Or will it be possible for us to get a 4th shot anyway even if it isn’t officially approved?==

No, it is not ok.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 3:17 pm
The polio vaccine took five years to develop and administer. Illinois had COVID vaccines being administered en masse one year after the first outbreak, with the first booster within 20 months, and additional boosters if needed. The successes among the vaccinated far, far outweigh the scattered failures, especially when accounting for the lessened effectiveness very old. The failures are lessened evn further by masking and social distancing, and not pretending like nothing ever happened.
Science ain’t perfect, but it works.

Comment by Ares Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 3:19 pm
===No, it is not ok. ===

There’s no shortage and they’re rolling ‘em out in Israel. C’est la vie

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 3:20 pm
Demoralized,

I don’t know why you are saying it’s not OK. The government is charged with population level disease control, not individual health decisions. Like Rich said, it’s OK in Israel which seems to indicate that there is not a huge downside and there is no shortage right now where you would be robbing someone of a vaccine.

Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 4:22 pm
Years ago, I had to go to my doctors office every week to get two allergy shots. I did that every week for 2 years. Getting a shot was as common as getting a gallon of milk. It was just another trip to make during the week.

I have lost all patience for the silly excuses people have about not getting vaccinated, whether it is a complete misunderstanding of how they work, or the amount of shots being given.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 4:24 pm
We will look back on this as one of the greatest public health successes in history. It is nothing short of amazing that a vaccine for a new virus was developed, tested, approved, and deployed in under a year. And despite all the disinformation, partisan nonsense and fearmongering, we have managed to create a vaccination system and fully vaccinate almost 206 million people in a year. That is astounding.

This could have been much better. But it also could have been much, much worse. And let’s remember that other nations have struggled mightily as well.

This has been hell. But let’s remember that a solid majority of Americans have gotten vaccinated and have joined in the fight to stop this thing.

Comment by Soccermom Monday, Jan 3, 22 @ 5:41 pm