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* Cases are up about 10K over last week, deaths are up by 50, hospitalizations have increased by 500, ICU usage has increased by around 120 and ventilator usage has increased by over 50….
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 59,312 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including an increase of 316 deaths since December 10, 2021.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,944,056 cases, including 27,117 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Since Friday, December 10, 2021, laboratories have reported 1,222,722 specimens for a total of 42,033,355. As of last night, 3,783 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 787 patients were in the ICU and 353 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from December 10-16, 2021 is 4.9%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from December 10-16, 2021 is 6.2%.
A total of 18,475,621 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 66,816 doses. Since Friday, December 10, 2021, 467,715 doses were reported administered in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 70% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 63% of Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Yesterday, CDC endorsed its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation expressing a clinical preference for individuals to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) over Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) vaccine. ACIP’s unanimous recommendation followed a discussion of the latest evidence on vaccine effectiveness, vaccine safety and rare adverse events, and the abundant U.S. vaccine supply. ACIP reaffirmed that receiving any vaccine is better than being unvaccinated.
All data are provisional and will change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
* Get boosted now…
The most intriguing unknown—the one in which we might like to place our hopes—is whether Omicron could be milder than Delta. But a milder, more transmissible virus can easily sicken so many people that it ends up increasing hospitalizations and deaths on the whole. Here is some simple math to explain the danger: Suppose we have two viruses, one that is twice as transmissible as the other. (For the record, Omicron is currently three to five times as transmissible as Delta in the U.K.—though that number is likely to fall over time.) And suppose it takes five days between a person’s getting infected and their infecting others. After 30 days, the more transmissible virus is now causing 26, or 64, times as many new cases as the less transmissible one. Exponentials are one hell of a growth hack. If we are banking on the idea that Omicron is more mild to get us through winter, then we had better hope that it’s really, really mild.
Vaccines will lower the proportion of hospitalizations quite a bit in those extra cases, especially because Omicron is infecting lots of vaccinated people. But it’s a long climb down that exponential curve. Moreover, when so many cases pile up all at once, their effects start spilling over into the lives of those who aren’t sick. If Omicron runs through a workplace it may present a temporary inconvenience. But if that workplace is a school, then the school will have to close, disrupting the lives of every child and parent. If that workplace is a hospital, then doctors and nurses are unable to work. This has been an issue in South Africa, where Omicron is already dominant and nearly 20 percent of the health-care staff have COVID. Even if most of these cases are mild, huge numbers of people getting sick all at once will alter everyday reality.
Good luck.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 12:27 pm
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I’m glad this is the last day of school before winter break, and I’m half-expecting my kids may be distance learning for an “adaptive pause” after break, since so many people are going to travel and have large gatherings.
I’ve seen, in harder-hit states, a bunch of universities are doing finals online and locking down dorms etc.
Comment by Suburban Mom Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 12:35 pm
I know it’s not popular (even with Rich) but bring on the mitigations for everyone, not just the unvaxxed right now. Nothing wrong with going back to Phase 4 bridge (from last spring) until the end of the winter or when Omicron eases.
And for the record, I have been fully vaxxed since early last spring and boosted since early October. I may have even cut the line for the booster. And my wife and I still mask up even when most others at the few public places outside work we go are not.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 12:36 pm
Some schools go through December 22nd.
Comment by Dutch Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 12:41 pm
getting really dangerous out there. so many Bears out, games cancelled in soccer, Broadway cancelling shows, some industries thinking of taking a break for a couple weeks. mask, distance, vax as much as you can. stay safe.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 12:41 pm
On the part of Madonia’s show on Springfield’s AM 1450 this morning, either he or someone else mentioned that Springfield was making final exams optional for students due to COVID. Where it could only help your grade rather than hurt you (basically an extra credit test). No specific mention of whether this referred to only Springfield High School, or them plus the other two District 186 high schools (Lanphier, Southeast).
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 12:52 pm
SOS has now extended license and ID card expiration dates to the end of March due to ongoing COVID concerns:
https://www.ilsos.gov/news/2021/december/211217d1.pdf
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 12:57 pm
==so many Bears out,==
Including all three coordinators (Offensive, defensive, special teams). Maybe the substitute coordinators can be non-Nagy and crew people and be real coordinators instead interested in winning.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 12:59 pm
It’s winter, when most people are gathered indoors and the air is very warm and dry. Perfect conditions for the virus to spread even faster. With the new varient, I don’t see the numbers falling for at least a couple months, unless vaccination rates explode (not likely).
Comment by Wensicia Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:00 pm
When people get back (if they don’t stay) from their vacations in FL, AZ, TX, the contrast in how free they are and how we aren’t will get stronger. Aggression is only going to escalate unless the big guy backs off and reps start representing as session kicks in. Game on folks. Ding ding.
Comment by Ed Equity Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:00 pm
===the contrast in how free they are and how we aren’t will get stronger.===
Or maybe the contrast of how sick those states are versus our state may also be apparent. The loud minority is not usually right. Just what restrictions are bothering you now, a little mask? No one is talking lockdown or capacity restrictions, so your tantrum is unwarranted.
Comment by Jibba Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:07 pm
DeWitt-Piatt Bi-County Health Department stopped breaking out the overall total by county in the last report. Had this in the summary: “Active cases are growing exponentially over the past several weeks. At our highest, our two counties registered 253 cases total in early November of 2020. We now are seeing over 300 active cases this week.”
https://www.dewittpiatthealth.com/resources/news-and-updates/article/2021/12/covid-update-12621—121221
Warner Hospital and Health Services just posted this today:
“Please read the message below from our Chief Nursing Officer about recent COVID-19 events.
We are amid the greatest surge of patients that we have seen at Warner Hospital since the beginning of the pandemic. Within the past month, our number of inpatient hospitalizations has doubled. We are experiencing staff shortages on top of statewide bed shortages making it difficult to transfer patients to a higher level of care. One of our recent transfers, took several days and had to be flown to Kentucky for the nearest bed available. The reality of the situation is that you WILL experience longer than usual wait times throughout the hospital and outpatient services. We must allocate our resources and provide patients that have the greatest need with care first. Our patients have grown accustomed to below average wait times, and though we are still ahead of surrounding healthcare organizations we ask that you please exercise PATIENCE with our staff as we battle these challenges. Many of our employees are working extra shifts to ensure that we continue to meet our mission of providing our community with quality, compassionate care close to home. Thank you for understanding!” – Shanena Morris, CNO
Comment by Anon221 Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:11 pm
==No one is talking lockdown or capacity restrictions, so your tantrum is unwarranted.==
I second this motion. It’s highly unwarranted. And for the original poster to even be joking as it is a “game” and to “ding ding” the boxing ring bells is highly disgusting. Covid isn’t a game. And wearing a mask indoors isn’t an infringement on your freedom. A mask is one small thing that each of us can do to try and protect others. That’s it.
Comment by Jabba Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:22 pm
I read the Bears out line and had a brain freeze, and thought, OMG has Colbert’s worse nightmare come true and now hungry bears stalking people has been added to the apocalypse. After watching a deer score a goal and then celebrate (or scratching his nose on the ball and then getting spooked by the net, you make the call) I can believe anything.
Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:34 pm
ed equity,
I go to Iowa, to my vac house regularly. All it shows me is how much sicker Iowa is. Their rates are higher despite having lower population density. They have multiple times had their hospital get overfilled and cancelled “non-essential” services. There will usually only be a handful of people masking at the grocery (fortunately they have curbside now.) This leads me to stay on my property the whole time I’m there. I take down every conceivable thing I might need that is not purchaseable at the grocery (curbside) or the hardware store (same). And we cook in the entire time and do not eat in restaurants.
Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:40 pm
“And wearing a mask indoors isn’t an infringement on your freedom.”
What about for the rest of your life? How do you feel about that? I understand temporarily this is inconvenient but we need to have the permanent discussion because every expert I’ve researched has come to conclusions that COVID isn’t going away and will stay just like the flu and be seasonal.
I don’t hear a lot or pro-maskers discuss this very often. They for some reason think covid will be gone if we all comply with masks and vaccines.
Comment by The Dude Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:44 pm
==After watching a deer score a goal and then celebrate (or scratching his nose on the ball and then getting spooked by the net, you make the call) I can believe anything.==
Even Bambi and her brother John Deere are doing better than the Chicago Bears.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:46 pm
I can’t wait for the R wave like we haven’t seen since Reagan. You guys can’t get our of your own way. It’s endemic. Live with it, you’re not going to get rid of it. Check out all of the data in FL and TX.
Comment by Ed Equity Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:49 pm
==What about for the rest of your life? How do you feel about that?==
Pretty good! Maybe seasonal masking will become as common here as it is in other parts of the world. Masks slow the spread of respiratory diseases. Are you opposed to that?
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:53 pm
===I don’t hear a lot or pro-maskers discuss this very often===
Whatever. Look at the freaking headline of this post. We’re spiraling back up again. That debate you want is for another time.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:57 pm
Wearing a mask for the rest of one’s life still wouldn’t be an infringement on personal freedom. It’s essentially an act of consideration for others around you that don’t have an immune system that understands how to respond to this particular virus yet. Especially while treatment methods and approaches to those who become seriously ill from this virus and those who don’t become seriously ill but still become long haulers. Just because virus will become endemic, doesn’t mean that the medical system can handle the influx of patients that are getting ill from this virus. So in the meantime, I’m gonna put my mask on to try to keep others safe. And if that makes me your political nemesis, Ed, then so be it. This virus doesn’t care one bit about your political affiliation. Again, your lack of empathy for others who have greatly suffered from, will greatly suffer from and continue to suffer from this virus, is disgusting.
Comment by Jabba Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:02 pm
I’d rather wear a mask indefinately and live longer than refuse and possibly die sooner. It’s a no brainer for me, the same concerning vaccinations.
Comment by Wensicia Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:03 pm
Even if you’re boosted, keep vigilant. My friend is boosted and now she is unable to go home for the holidays (an anticipated first trip home in 2 years,) because her roommate gave her Covid. Boosters don’t make you immune.
Comment by Election Worker Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:04 pm
===Nothing wrong with going back to Phase 4 bridge (from last spring) until the end of the winter or when Omicron eases.===
I heartily agree that there is nothing wrong with going back to Phase 4 as a public health response but I think the benefits would be significantly diminished due to the fact that there would be very little enforcement and voluntary compliance is most likely to be seen in people who have already made good decisions like getting vaccinated.
There are some towns, cities, and counties in this state where everyone is dead pressed to contract COVID and no qualified medical professional or public health expert is going to convince them otherwise.
Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:04 pm
==It’s endemic.==
Not yet it isn’t. We’re still in pandemic level transmission and death right now. It’s people like you that are making it that way. Get your shots and put on your mask. Or, shut up and stay home.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:07 pm
==don’t make you immune==
People have gotten the wrong impression about these vaccines from the beginning. While they MAY prevent you from getting the disease the primary purpose of the vaccine is to prevent you from getting really sick and dying. COVID is a respiratory disease. You can’t prevent them. You can only tamp down the severity of it.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:09 pm
===Not yet it isn’t.===
Correct. Looked like we might’ve been headed that way a couple of months ago, but not at the moment. Maybe in a month or two things will change.
Grow up. The worst people are those who whine and moan during rough times instead of toughening up and facing reality as it is. We don’t live in a movie. There is no script. Yesterday’s reality is not necessarily tomorrow’s. And you can’t bring yesterday back by crying.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:12 pm
“What about for the rest of your life?”
That’s a discussion for times when hospitals aren’t at risk of running out of ICU beds. As long as they are, masking is an effort to protect everyone’s health by keeping hospitals from being overwhelmed.
People who break bones and face other emergencies shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they can get care because some people don’t want to wear masks.
Comment by Techie Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:13 pm
==Healthy vaccinated people should not wear a mask,==
Morons who aren’t medical professionals should stop giving idiotic advice.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:15 pm
I’ve been giving some thought to how I plan to live with the virus for the rest of my life. First there is always the hope that the illness will become milder. And thus hospitals will be available for stroke, accident, and heart attack victims. Were that to happen and deaths again get on a level with 2019 then none of my plans will be relevant.
So enjoy outdoor life through late spring, summer and fall. Get all needed medical checkups during that time. Suck up the chill and enjoy later into the winter. Outdoor dining, outdoor events, the travel I want to do, etc. Wear an N95 when I do have to go inside places.
When the highs of winter come, then limit movement. Only from work to home and grocerying. wearing an N95 every time I am not in my own home during that time. Everything else needed gets ordered.
I think I can live with that plan.
Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:17 pm
I’m amazed at people who make themselves gadflies at different government bodies in the Chicago area think they have such great election prognostication skills.
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:18 pm
I occasionally criticize commenters who only read the headline before saying something here. Today, we have some folks who don’t even bother to read the headline before running their mouths.
It’s ridiculous and it’s a great way to get banned for life.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:19 pm
@cermak_rd, omg, Colbert and bears. he’s always extra funny. right now his LOTR rap vid is grabbing my attention.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:21 pm
===I can’t wait for the R wave===
Bet your family can’t wait to hear all about this at the holiday table. Ad nauseam.
Nationally, of course there will be D losses, but the wave you imagine won’t happen in Illinois. Maybe in Illinois a close race or two might trend R. Try listening to other folks…you might be surprised that they have opinions that differ from you, and there might be more of them.
===Live with it===
800K Americans did not. The way out of it is to get the vaccine, not for everyone to drop their masks and accept that they will get sick and maybe die. You got a reason your can articulate that everyone should not have the vaccine?
Comment by Jibba Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:24 pm
Jabba and Rich-
If someone is not sick… what does a mask do? Where is the benefit. If someone here can explain that I will listen.
Comment by Weak Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:25 pm
===If someone is not sick===
As we’ve known for months and months and months, you can have this disease and not know it and still spread it.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:26 pm
I’ve seen the anecdotal evidence to support that headline all around me. Friends of friends or family reporting positive test results. More than I’ve seen combined in months. A conservative friend posting prayer requests for several people in her circle testing positive. Yet no change on her position that wearing a mask, social distancing or vaccinations are politically motivated. I think we are in for a long sad winter.
Our prevention methods aren’t perfect, but they help immensely.
Comment by thoughts matter Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:31 pm
Weak,
I wear a properly fitted N95. It is disposable and replaced once a week courtesy of my job.
That mask does not make me invulnerable but it catches droplets I breath out and it catches droplets others breath out. It catches it not just mechanically but also via an electrostatic component. Less viral load breathed in = less chance of getting an infection that my immunized self cannot fight off. Let’s say I get infected and don’t know it, that’s less virus that I am emitting that others are breathing in.
The same thing is true of surgical masks but less so. They definitely reduce the virus load breathed in. And they catch some of the droplets going out. They should be washed as often as possible to stay effective. They do less against aerosols which is why I am a big fan of making N95s and the like (FF2/KN95 etc.) the standard of masking and making them cheap/free to everyone who will use them.
Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:42 pm
What we see playing out in the NFL and NBA right now is cautionary but provides a reason to be optimistic.
First and foremost we know that the virus is still spreading and that is cause for concern. But it is clearly not merely targeting professional athletes. The reason that we know of so many cases in these leagues is because of regular testing. The results in these sports mirror society as a whole and that’s supported by the elevated case counts.
But we should be optimistic about what we’re seeing. While mandatory quarantines are cause for player frustration, what they aren’t cause for is serious illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. And the reason for that is that vaccine compliance is much higher in these leagues than in the general population. The reason that players are testing positive is because the virus is still spreading. That’s what viruses do. But amongst a population that has been vaccinated and received boosters the effects are minimal and individuals are asymptomatic. We’ve yet to hear of any player suffering a serious illness much less hospitalizations and deaths.
We do need to prepare for the endemic state of this virus and vaccines will continue to be the most effective way to do so. The experiences in the NBA and NFL don’t support additional mitigations, they validate the benefit of vaccines.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:52 pm
==The worst people are those who whine and moan during rough times instead of toughening up and facing reality as it is.==
This, a thousand times this.
Look, folks, it’s really this simple: There’s the way things should be, and the way things are. People who only complain that things aren’t the way they should be just get in the way of people who know that already and are busy dealing with how things actually are. And no one who hasn’t dealt with how things actually are has ever made things how they should be.
Wise up or shut up.
Comment by Flapdoodle Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:55 pm
“the contrast in how free they are and how we aren’t”
Please expound exactly which of your liberties are being infringed upon. No need for a long list. Just one will do.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:59 pm
Weak: Ditto to what Rich said. I hope you are listening. A study published recently had the number of asymptomatic cases at 40%. If someone were to only care about masking up if they themself are feeling sick, that leaves a lot of people out there that spreading the virus unknowingly because they feel completely fine.
link to study here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2787098?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=121421
Comment by Jabba Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 3:16 pm
I fully expect masking throughout the winter. May even switch back to doing lots of takeout. And will do our best to avoid any hospitalization.
Had a fully vaxed good friend pass away unexpectedly. Went in for routine procedure, had a very severe and unexpected allergic reaction to drugs. They fit that stabilized and recovering when he got covid and died within a couple of days. So it can strike anyone wherever possible.
I’m going to climb back on my soapbox and reiterate that the whole pandemic response has been mismanaged from day 1 by both administrations. They did a poor job explaining the benefits of vaccination, and misled the public to believe it was a complete solution instead of a partial one (preventing most deaths) and that masks, etc. are also required to slow the spread.
And here I’m going to disagree a bit with Rich. Yes, we need to get and keep it under control using available means. But we also need to be developing the long term vision on how we learn to live with this disease, both in it’s current and evolving forms. And not oversell / sugarcoat it; right now it is going to continue to be deadly to a certain percentage … and this will continue until everyone susceptible has died. I know, a dark and gloomy vision … but, given the current state of vaccines and treatments, I don’t see any other end.
Comment by RNUG Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 3:19 pm
===you can’t bring yesterday back by crying===
I wish I were a country music song writer.
Be safe.
Comment by Slugger O’Toole Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 3:25 pm
==misled the public to believe it was a complete solution instead of a partial one==
I do agree with you there. We were told that if we got vaccinated our life could go back to normal. It hasn’t for the vaccinated. I felt lied to for a long time because of the way they mismanaged their communications.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 3:56 pm
=== I felt lied to for a long time because of the way they mismanaged their communications===
With all respect, think of what we were facing at the time…the original covid, before delta or omicron. If everyone had been vaccinated a year ago, perhaps covid would be mostly in the rear view mirror. Even now, I am not convinced that covid will be endemic (I’d prefer to wait and see).
To the other comments, I’m just doing what I am able to do to defeat the virus and hoping the breaks go our way. There is no good reason to not mask and get vaccinated (other than medical). If people fail to do even this, you are rooting the virus on and hurting yourself, your family, and country. Thanks for nothing.
Comment by Jibba Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 4:10 pm
I expect to wear a mask throughout the next year, continue to get covid 19 booster shots, and stay home as much as possible.
Perhaps there will be a time in the near future when we will be able to gather in groups safely. But today is not that day.
We need to learn to work together for the common good and commit to being part of the solution to ending this pandemic.
Comment by Enviro Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 4:33 pm