As some regions in Illinois begin to report coronavirus data below the state’s requirements for mitigation measures, some are questioning whether restrictions in their regions could be relaxed ahead of the holiday season.
According to Gov. JB Pritzker the answer is probably no.
“As you know, a few weeks ago, out of concern about the idea of getting a wave here, we basically stepped back from removing regions from Tier 3, hoping to reduce the number in the state. could decrease significantly, “Pritzker said Thursday.” They’re coming down, not massive numbers, but they’re moving in the right direction. And we are hopeful that things will continue in the right direction. But as Dr. Ezike said, you know, if you’re still talking about over 8,000 cases, say, in a day, that means, like you said before, that as you project forward, there will still be quite a few people dying as a percentage of that. And so just deeply concerned that we’re getting the numbers back to a level where, you know, we’re seeing a lot better numbers, even our positivity rates, although they’ve gone down, are still nowhere near the WHO recommended 5%. ”
The death toll from the Illinois coronavirus pandemic surpassed the stark milestone of more than 15,000 lives lost on Friday as the state confirmed a further 181 deaths and 7,377 new confirmed and probable cases.
According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Friday’s figures bring the total number of cases of the virus to 886,805 and the number of deaths to 15,015 statewide.
The seven-day progressive positivity rate on all tests conducted during that period is currently 8.0%, down from the day before, while the positivity rate for residents tested for the virus is 9.7%, say civil servants.
Hospital admissions related to the virus fell again to 4,690, with 1,023 of those patients occupying IC beds and 589 on ventilators, health officials said.
Pritzker said on Friday that while the numbers “seem to be heading in the right direction,” state officials “are concerned that the numbers have not fallen as quickly as we would have liked by now.”
He has noted that potential holiday gatherings across the state remain a concern.
“They should know we follow science. Like I said when I talked about this a few weeks ago, not just Dr. Fauci, but all of, you know, a whole bunch of doctors that we rely on for their good Advice. As we move forward with this new coronavirus, we say we should be very concerned about the gatherings people might have around the holidays, ”said Pritzker. “And that’s why we made the decisions we made.”
Pritzker recognized that such restrictions could be lifted after the holidays, if the area does not see any wave and regions remain below the threshold.
“Certainly our intention is that as we get through this holiday season, we start looking at, you know, with no holidays ahead, right after the new year to reduce levels for several of our regions,” he said.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, for a region to go back to Tier 2 mitigations, a region must experience less than 12 percent test positivity for three consecutive days, along with more than 20 percent available intensive care unit and hospital bed availability and decreasing COVID hospitalizations in seven of the past 10 days.
Many have expressed optimism about the start of coronavirus vaccinations in Illinois, including Pritzker, who said earlier this week that vaccinations “mark the beginning of a process that will allow us to fully reopen the state.”
But how long that process will take remains unclear.
“The length of time, you know, if you talk to the experts, they would say the manufacturing process will take some time so they can deliver them as quickly as possible,” said Pritzker. “But months will pass here as we work on the ACIP / CDC guidelines, first for health professionals and people in long-term care facilities, and then the many others who are in the various stages … until we get herd immunity. That’s what we’re all aiming for the state of Illinois and the United States of America. ”
The first vaccinations against the coronavirus were given in Illinois on Tuesday, first in Chicago and then at a hospital in Peoria.
Pritzker and Illinois Director of Health, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, were there to observe the vaccinations in Peoria and called it a “very important day.”
“Everyone has reason to be excited that we are at the beginning of the end,” said Ezike.
However, she noted that the first vaccines are just the beginning.
“It’s very important for everyone to understand that you need both vaccines,” she said, referring to the booster dose people will need in the weeks after their first injection.
The Pfizer vaccine requires two injections three weeks apart.
“It is an important step, but there is one more step,” she added. “I hope all people watching this can trust that this is a vaccine you should take too.”
In Chicago, the first doses were given to health professionals at Loretto Hospital just minutes earlier.
The day, “Vaccine Day,” said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, “we have finally and finally officially taken our first steps on our long road to vaccination with COVID.”
Chicago’s top health official said the first vaccinations “marked the beginning of what will be the end of COVID-19” in the city, but warned the public that it will be some time before the pandemic is over.
Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said she believes it will likely be another year before the coronavirus is “in the rearview mirror.”
“We’ve been on this for almost a year now and I think we’ll probably be on it for another year by the time we really get to the point where this is in the rearview mirror,” she said. “But it’s within our power to control this virus. You know what things work – please keep doing them.”