Chicago Public Schools announced that teachers would not be locked out of their virtual classrooms as negotiations with the teachers’ union continue on a return to personal learning.
Meanwhile, appointments for Cook County’s second major COVID-19 vaccination site, Triton College in River Grove, open Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.
Here are the latest COVID-19 headlines from around the state:
2 more regions in Illinois ‘on track’ to move to phase 4 mitigation Wednesday: IDPH
Two other Illinois regions are “on track” to move to Phase 4 mitigation this week if they continue to follow the trend in the right direction, health officials announced Tuesday.
Regions 8 and 9 – which include DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties in the Chicago area – are expected to ease restrictions further as early as Wednesday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“If all mitigation measures continue to improve, Regions 8 and 9 will move into Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan Wednesday,” the department said in a press release.
The move would bring all but one of Illinois regions back to Phase 4 of the state’s reopening guidelines after the state began allowing the regions to move forward in mid-January.
Illinois reports 2,304 new COVID-19 cases, 47 additional deaths on Tuesday
Health officials in Illinois reported 2,304 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, along with 47 additional deaths attributed to the virus.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Tuesday’s new cases bring the state to 1,130,917 cases of the virus in the state, with 19,306 deaths attributed to COVID since the pandemic began last year.
IDPH also noted that Regions 8 and 9 are on track to move to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan on Wednesday.
In the past 24 hours, 60,899 test specimens were submitted to state laboratories, bringing the total statewide tests conducted to 16,161,454.
The seven-day positivity rate remained the same on Tuesday at 3.9%, its lowest since October. The positivity rate in subjects tested during that period is 4.9%.
Monday night, there were 2,447 coronavirus patients in Illinois hospitals. Of those patients, 533 were currently in intensive care units, while 265 on ventilators.
Several Chicago suburbs are moving into phase 4 mitigation on Tuesday, health officials say
Cook County suburbs transitioned to Phase 4 coronavirus control rules on Tuesday, allowing several Chicago suburbs to ease restrictions even further, the state health department announced.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Region 10, which includes Cook County suburbs outside the city of Chicago, has met the statistics needed to move to the less restrictive rules on Tuesday.
Region 10 marks the eighth region in the state to return to that level since the state began allowing the regions to move forward in mid-January. On Monday, Region 7, which includes Will and Kankakee counties, moved to phase 4, while the city of Chicago entered a modified version of the phase over the weekend.
Chicago launches COVID vaccine deals through Zocdoc, officials will announce
Chicagoans seeking appointments on coronavirus vaccines will soon be able to schedule their visits through an online portal in partnership with Zocdoc, the city announced Tuesday.
The Chicago Department of Health Commissioner is expected to announce the partnership at a 1:00 pm press conference Tuesday. (Watch live here at 1 p.m.)
The so-called Zocdoc Vaccine Scheduler will be free and “designed to streamline vaccine planning,” the city said in a press release.
“While the supply of vaccines is currently very limited, agreements will continue to be made as more vaccines are allocated to providers. Chicagoans are still encouraged to make a vaccine appointment with their primary care providers, if they have one, and also through local pharmacies or their employers, if available, ”the press release states. “But the Zocdoc Vaccine Scheduler will serve as a free, public resource for Chicago residents who would otherwise have difficulty finding and obtaining a vaccine.”
Chicago’s South Side Irish Parade canceled for the second year
The 2021 South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago “will not hold its traditional march along Western Avenue,” event organizers announced Tuesday, marking a second year of cancellation for the iconic parade due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Due to ongoing public health concerns from COVID-19, the City of Chicago has announced it will not issue permits for parades or major gatherings in the first quarter of 2021,” the parade organizers said in a statement Tuesday.
Organizers said the parade committee is exploring alternative ways to celebrate the community’s Irish heritage “while respecting the health and safety of all.”
Read more here.
6 Chicago Walmart locations manage COVID-19 vaccinations
Six Walmart locations in Chicago are administering COVID-19 vaccinations, the company says.
The locations where vaccines are currently available are, according to the retailer:
- 7535 S. Ashland Ave.
- 4650 W. North Ave.
- 4626 W. Diversey Ave.
- 2551 W. Cermak Rd.
- 8331 S. Stewart Ave.
- 10900 S. Doty Ave.
Walmart is one of several retailers that provide COVID-19 vaccinations to Illinois residents. The company began managing recordings at more than 150 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs in a dozen states late last month, including Illinois and Indiana.
Read more here.
CPS, CTU Prevent teacher exclusion, distance learning continues during the cooling-off period
After “ substantial progress ” in negotiations between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union on Monday, the district announced on Monday evening that teachers will not be banned from Google Suite, with virtual learning for students for at least the next two days.
According to an email from CPS, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, students will learn remotely while negotiations continue, with a teacher disqualified for now.
“Today we have reached another important milestone in our efforts to personally teach our students in the Chicago Public Schools system,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS Director Dr. Janice Jackson in a statement. other outstanding issue and has made substantial progress with a framework that we hope will address the remaining issues. We advocate a 48 hour cooling-off period which will hopefully lead to a definitive resolution of all outstanding issues. “
The news comes after a Sunday ultimatum from Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who said the CPS would be willing to “take action” if teachers did not report to their class on Monday.
Amid often tense negotiations, teachers had voted in January to return to distance learning, even with pre-K and cluster learning students already back in class. That vote was cast in response to the CPS’s call for teachers to return to K-8 classrooms on Jan. 25, while those students returned to those classrooms on Feb. 1.
CPS officials said over the weekend that if teachers did not return to school on Monday, they would be considered “absent without leave” and not be authorized to learn remotely until they report to their class.
Read more here.
Appointments open Tuesday for New Cook County COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Site
Appointments for Cook County’s second major COVID-19 vaccination site in the suburbs, Triton College in River Grove, opens at 9am Tuesday morning.
Appointments can be made at vaccine.cookcountyil.gov. Those without Internet access or who need assistance can call 833-308-1988 Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Under Phase 1B, the current phase of the vaccination rollout in Illinois, people 65 and older are eligible, as well as “first-line essential workers,” including first responders, educators such as teachers and support staff, and supermarket employees.
More information about appointments can be found here.
Illinois is adding 41 new COVID-19 vaccination sites statewide
The state of Illinois has added 41 new COVID-19 vaccination sites since Jan. 26, according to a press release from government officials on Monday.
More than 3.2 million residents of the state are eligible for Phase 1B vaccinations, including people 65 and older and “frontline workers”. Among those in that category are: first responders, education workers such as teachers and support staff, as well as employees of supermarkets and postmen.
In total, 310 vaccination sites have been opened in the state.