October 2: 2206 New COVID 19 Cases in Illinois

Boone is reporting an increase of 12 new cases of COVID-19. Illinois today reported 2,206 new cases, including 47 additional confirmed deaths.

October 2: Johns Hopkins COVID 19 Report

COVID-19

Updates on the COVID-19 pandemic from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

The Center for Health Security is analyzing and providing updates on the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like to receive these updates, please subscribe below and select COVID-19. Additional resources are also available on our website.

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The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security also produces US Travel Industry and Retail Supply Chain Updates that provide a summary of major issues and events impacting the US travel industry and retail supply chain. You can access them here.

EPI UPDATE The WHO COVID-19 Dashboard reports 34.16 million cases and 1.02 million deaths as of 11:00am EDT on October 2.

Early in the pandemic, there was concern that COVID-19 could have devastating effects on countries in Africa, due to a variety of factors, including importation risk, inadequate public health and healthcare infrastructure, ongoing armed conflict and outbreaks of other diseases, food security challenges, and political and economic instability. When severe COVID-19 epidemics did not emerge, there was concern that testing capacity and surveillance and reporting systems in Africa were not able to fully capture the scale of countries’ epidemics and that large-scale transmission was occurring undetected. However, over the past several months, most African countries have continued to report encouragingly low COVID-19 incidence. Notably, Africa as a whole is reporting daily per capita COVID-19 incidence similar to Oceania. To put that in the global context, the global per capita average is currently more than 6 times the incidence in Africa, and Europe, North America, and South America are reporting 14.5, 16.5, and 23 times the current rate in Africa, respectively.

For much of the pandemic, Africa’s COVID-19 incidence was largely driven by the epidemic in South Africa, which passed its first peak (more than 12,500 new cases per day) in mid-to-late June and steadily decreased since then. Currently, only 5 countries in Africa are reporting more than 500 new cases per day: Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia, Libya, and Ethiopia. These 5 countries represent more than 75% of Africa’s daily total. All other African countries are reporting fewer than 250 new cases per day. In terms of per capita incidence, Cape Verde/Cabo Verde** is reporting the highest daily total, with 157 daily cases per million population. This would rank #14 globally, and it is slightly higher than the US (#16; 129 per million population). No other African countries are reporting more than 100 daily cases per million population, and only 3 more are reporting more than 50: Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco. All remaining African countries are reporting per capita daily incidence below the global average (37.5 daily cases per million), and all but 8 are reporting fewer than 10 daily cases per million population. Other indicators not immediately available, including test positivity and excess mortality, may shed additional light on the pandemic's effects.

**The WHO refers to the country as Cape Verde, and the UN refers to it as Cabo Verde.

UNITED STATES

The US CDC reported 7.21 million total cases and 206,402 deaths. The US is averaging 42,446 new cases and 713 deaths per day. In total, 22 states (no change) are reporting more than 100,000 cases, including California with more than 800,000 cases; Texas with more than 700,000; Florida with more than 600,000; New York with more than 400,000; Georgia with more than 300,000; and Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey, and North Carolina with more than 200,000. Florida’s COVID-19 website has reported more than 700,000 total cases since at least the beginning of this week, but it is not yet reflected in the US CDC data. Notably, Florida’s COVID-19 dashboard reports both “total cases” and “positive residents.” The “positive residents” total just surpassed 700,000 cases, whereas the “total cases” is nearly 710,000—more than 10,000 more cases than are reported in the CDC data. It is unclear which data Florida is reporting to the CDC, but the CDC data appear to align more closely with Florida’s “positive residents” data. Minnesota’s COVID website is reporting more than 100,000 cases, and we expect that to be reflected soon in the CDC data. We also expect Illinois to surpass 300,000 cases; Tennessee to surpass 200,000 cases; and Mississippi to surpass 100,000 cases over the next several days.

The Johns Hopkins CSSE dashboard reported 7.29 million US cases and 208,068 deaths as of 12:30pm EDT on September 28.

PRESIDENT TRUMP TESTS POSITIVE Late last night, US President Donald Trump announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The announcement follows a report that Hope Hicks, one of President Trump’s closest advisers, tested positive earlier this week; however, the exact timing of the infections and potential sources of transmission remain uncertain. According to a timeline published by the Associated Press, Ms. Hicks felt unwell on Wednesday while onboard Air Force One, and she then she later tested positive. President Trump and his staff are tested regularly. In recent days, President Trump has traveled to participate in the first presidential debate, campaign rallies, and fundraiser events.

ISRAEL The Israeli Knesset, its national legislative body, passed several measures this week to combat the impacts of COVID-19. Israeli legislators passed the Special Powers for Dealing with the Novel Coronavirus Bill, which authorizes the government to declare a “special state of emergency” during a period of “national lockdown” that can be renewed weekly for up to 21 days. Under the state of emergency, the government can impose additional restrictions to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk. In particular, the measures prohibit individuals from traveling more than 1 kilometer from their homes. Exceptions include seeking medical care. The government can also place additional restrictions on large gatherings, including religious services and demonstrations, but the events are not banned entirely. Some members of the Knesset have expressed concern that the additional restrictions are unconstitutional, arguing that the lockdown is political in nature. The Knesset also approved an economic aid package to support businesses impacted by social distancing and other restrictions and maintain unemployment benefits for affected individuals. The bill will allow businesses to apply for grants if they “sustained a 25% drop in volume compared to the corresponding period last year.”

UNITED KINGDOM In recent weeks, the UK has reported a sharp increase in daily COVID-19 incidence, and the UK government is implementing new restrictions to reduce inter-household interactions and reduce community transmission. The most recent restrictions will be implemented in the port city of Liverpool, as local case numbers continue to rise. The UK announced similar measures on September 28 for 7 areas in the northeastern part of the country. The announcement notes that 6 of the 7 areas are reporting more than 1,000 daily cases per million population. Schools and businesses designated as “COVID-safe” are not impacted by the new restrictions. The enhanced restrictions advise individuals to avoid contact with people outside of their household or “bubble” when indoors, including restaurants and pubs.

A recent large-scale study found that the trajectory of the UK’s COVID-19 epidemic is beginning to slow, providing evidence that the UK’s current approach is helping to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The study, conducted by researchers at Imperial College London, involved diagnostic testing for more than 84,000 individuals, and the researchers estimate that 0.55% of the entire population is actively infected with SARS-CoV-2, up from 0.13% in a previous study. Notably, however, the researchers estimate that transmission is slowing—with an estimated reproductive number of 1.1, compared to 1.7 in the previous study. The ongoing study aims to test 150,000 randomly selected individuals each month.

INDIA EPIDEMIOLOGY A study published in Science analyzed surveillance and contact tracing data from two South Indian states, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, collected through August 1. This is one of the few studies that captures the epidemiology of COVID-19 in low- or middle-income countries on a large scale. Together, these states account for approximately 10% (127.8 million) of India’s national population, and they contain the most robust healthcare workforces and public health infrastructure in the country. The study provides a detailed look at the timeline and growth of the COVID-19 epidemics in these states, including incidence and mortality.

The researchers found that the majority of cases (71%) did not result in secondary transmission to any of their contacts identified through contact tracing efforts. Based on data collected from more than 600,000 cases and contacts, the researchers estimate that 8% of the detected COVID-19 cases accounted for 60% of the transmission, providing further evidence that super-spreading events play a major role in the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers also identified that transmission among individuals of approximately the same age was highest among children under 15 years old and adults 65 years and older. While the researchers were not able to determine the degree of transmission from children to adults, the study results support that pediatric cases do play a role in the ongoing pandemic. Overall, the case fatality ratio was 2.06%, and generally increased with age; however, unlike the US, mortality tended to plateau rather than increase in individuals 75 years and older. The reasons for this trend are uncertain. Additionally, the median hospital admission time before death was 6 days.

IMPACTS ON CHILDREN The far-reaching economic and societal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have raised concerns in recent months about the rise of child labor in many countries. Due to a combination of interrupted schooling and household financial instability, children are going to work in grueling and dangerous jobs to support their families. While many schools have implemented some level of virtual learning, UNICEF has warned that approximately 463 million children cannot access remote learning due to a range of factors, lack of access to computers, reliable internet access, or other technology. Additionally, approximately 24 million children are projected to drop out of school entirely as a result of the pandemic. These challenges are affecting students in countries and communities at all income levels; however, low-income countries and communities living in poverty are the most severely impacted.

LONG COVID A commentary published in The BMJ: Opinion highlights the increasing importance of long-term effects of COVID-19. The article, authored by researchers across several UK universities, makes the case for using the term “Long COVID” to describe this condition, which can persist in some COVID-19 patients for weeks or months after recovery from the acute stage of the disease or infection. A number of terms have been used to address this condition—including “long haulers,” as we have covered previously. The authors argue that the term “Long COVID” is sufficiently non-specific to account for the many outstanding unknowns associated with the condition—including the timeline and duration, clinical presentation, severity, and cause—and it highlights morbidity as a major concern for COVID-19 patients, as opposed to just mortality. As the authors note, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers need to acknowledge “Long COVID” as a condition, and further study is necessary to better characterize the longer-term effects of COVID-19, which will enhance our understanding of the full impact of the ongoing pandemic.

GLOBAL RAPID TESTING The WHO announced a plan to increase testing capacity across low- and middle-income countries. The plan will distribute 120 million SARS-CoV-2 tests to 133 countries. The low-cost rapid tests, which can provide results in as little as 15-30 minutes and do not require advanced laboratory equipment to process, have garnered considerable attention in recent weeks as they are implemented in a variety of settings. These tests aim to provide critical testing capacity for low- and middle-income countries, particularly in areas without the necessary equipment or trained personnel to perform more traditional diagnostic tests. Initial funding for the program to support the scale-up of production capacity was provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries to provide the funding necessary to purchase the tests. The tests are scheduled to be provided over the next 6 months.

SOCIAL & PHYSICAL DISTANCING A study published in The Lancet explores lessons identified as countries began to ease social distancing measures implemented in response to COVID-19. The researchers evaluated efforts to scale back social distancing measures in 9 high-income countries—5 in the Asia Pacific region, and 4 in Europe. They documented and categorized the approaches used in each country’s recovery plan, including key metrics used in determining when to proceed to the next step. The authors conclude that effective transition from COVID-19 restrictions did not rush to return to pre-pandemic practices, but rather, worked to establish a “new normal.” Effective policies incorporated the principle of physical distancing into recovery phases and supported individuals and businesses in effectively modifying behaviors to reduce risk while resuming some level of normal activity. Additionally, countries must be able to recognize when it is necessary to increase restrictions in response to unacceptable levels of community transmission.

As countries continue to ease social distancing restrictions and increase social and economic activity, the age distribution of COVID-19 cases is shifting toward younger portions of the population. This shift has led a number of experts, elected officials, and pundits to blame associated resurgences in community transmission on younger individuals. Younger individuals are perceived to be responsible due to increased activity at restaurants and cafes, pubs and bars, parties, and other social gatherings as well as a perceived aversion to maintaining appropriate physical distancing. Recent survey data published by the Life with Corona network suggests that young adults are undertaking recommended protective actions to mitigate transmission risk. While the researchers identified an association between increased age and increased participation in protective measures, the actual difference in the degree of participation between age groups was small.

October 1: 2166 New COVID-19 Cases in Illinois

Boone County is reporting an increase of 11 new cases of COVID-19. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 2,166 new cases, including 25 additional confirmed deaths.

What voters should know about state’s graduated tax proposal

What voters should know about state’s graduated tax proposal

By Doug Finke
The State Journal-Register

Posted Sep 27, 2020 at 12:01 AMUpdated Sep 28, 2020 at 8:27 AM

Perhaps the biggest race in the upcoming general election doesn’t have any candidates running.

It is the race on whether or not to approve an amendment to the Illinois Constitution to bring a graduated state income tax to Illinois for the first time in its history.

It could be the defining moment in Gov. JB Pritzker’s tenure, something he pledged to bring to the state when he ran for the office and something he’s made a central component during the first half of his term.

Both proponents and opponents argue it will have a profound impact on Illinois’ economic future, with one side saying it is for the good and the other saying the opposite.

Here’s a rundown of what you need to know.

What is a graduated income tax?

It is a tax that applies different tax rates to different levels of income. The federal income tax works this way. People with higher incomes pay higher tax rates.

In fact, most states that have an income tax use a graduated tax system. There are 41 states that have a state income tax. Of those, 32 have a graduated income tax. Only nine, including Illinois, have a flat tax.

What is a flat tax?

Under the Illinois system, all individuals pay the same tax rate regardless if they make $20,000 a year or $20 million a year. Proponents of the current system argue that this promotes economic development and helps discourage lawmakers from raising the income tax. If the tax is increased, the increase must apply to everyone, not just a small group earning a larger income, which makes an increase less likely, they argue.

Proponents of the graduated tax contend it is fundamentally unfair for everyone to pay the same rate regardless of income level. They contend it has promoted income disparity in the state.

Can’t the General Assembly simply make the change?

No. The flat tax is written into the state constitution. It can only be changed by the voters.

There are two ways the amendment can be approved. If 60% of the votes cast on the amendment proposal are “yes,” it will be approved. It will also pass if a majority of all of those voting in the election vote in favor of it.

What will the tax rates be if the amendment is approved?

The General Assembly has already approved the rates that would go into effect if the amendment is approved. Remember, the rate for individuals is now 4.95%.

The new rates would be: 4.75% for income up to $10,000; 4.90% for income between $10,001 and $100,000; and 4.95% for income between $100,001 and $250,000. Those numbers apply for both single and joint filers.

For single filers, the rate is 7.75% for income of $250,001 to $350,000, and the rate is 7.85% for income of $350,001 and $750,000. For joint filers, the rate is 7.75% for income of $250,001 to $500,000, and the rate is 7.85% for income of $500,001 to $1 million.

The top rate is 7.99% for single filers making more than $750,000 and joint filers making more than $1 million.

The corporate rate would increase from the current 7% to 7.99% regardless of income.

One thing to remember is that the rates apply to those different levels of income, except for the highest earners. Thus, even for someone who makes $100,000 a year, the first $10,000 of income is taxed at 4.75%.

For individuals who make more than $750,000 a year and joint filers who make more than $1 million a year, the entire amount of their income is taxed at 7.99%.

Will I pay more under this amendment?

Pritzker and other proponents of the graduated tax have said that 97% of Illinois income tax payers will pay the same as or less than they now pay. Only the top 3% of earners will pay more, they said. That means people with incomes above $250,000 a year.

Pritzker’s office has set up an online calculator that people can use to determine how the amendment will affect their taxes. It can be found at https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/fairtax/Pages/default.aspx

That’s a big selling point, right?

For the proponents, it certainly is. But it is also a major reason why the opponents think it is a bad idea.

The opponents contend wealthier residents will be tempted to abandon the state and take their tax dollars with them. They also argue the higher rates on upper incomes will damage economic growth in the state. Finally, they argue that lawmakers will find it easier to raise taxes in the future because they can do it on a smaller number of earners rather than everyone. Inevitably, the opponents argue, those increases will also hit lower income levels.

Supporters of the amendment argue that it is never easy for elected officials to raise taxes making those fears are unfounded. Since no one can predict the future, it comes down to which voices you trust the most.

Will retirement income be taxed by the amendment?

No. Most retirement income isn’t taxed in Illinois now and that won’t change if the amendment is adopted. Amendment opponents are airing an ad showing a woman identified as a retiree saying the amendment will provide “new powers” to the state to tax retirement income. It won’t. The state could tax retirement income now, but it doesn’t because legislators know that is a hugely controversial and unpopular issue.

AARP Illinois supports the amendment.

“No matter who has said it or how they have said it, the simple truth is that switching to a graduated income tax does not allow the state to tax retirement income,” the organization says on its web site. “And it does not make it easier to tax retirement income in the future. AARP Illinois adamantly opposes taxation of retirement income and we would not support the graduated income tax if it did.”

Will the graduated tax raise more money?

Yes. For a full fiscal year the graduated income tax is projected to bring in $3.4 billion. If the amendment is approved, the new rates would go into effect January 1 which is midway through the state’s fiscal year. Thus, the full amount won’t be realized immediately.

Pritzker has warned that without the extra income from the graduated tax, the state will likely have to cut spending or raise income taxes across the board. Many Republicans and other opponents of the amendment contend the state spends too much money as it is and budget cuts would not be a bad thing.

Contact Doug Finke at doug.finke@sj-r.com, (217) 788-1527 or twitter.com/dougfinkesjr.

Above is from:  https://www.sj-r.com/news/20200927/what-voters-should-know-about-statersquos-graduated-tax-proposal?rssfeed=true

Mitigating begins Saturday

After two-point positivity rate jump in two weeks, resurgence mitigation imposed on Region 1

Tuesday, Sep 29, 2020

* Press release…

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are announcing COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in Region 1, the northwestern most counties in Illinois, beginning Saturday, October 3, 2020. The region is seeing a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate of 8% or above for three consecutive days, which exceeds the threshold set for establishing mitigation measures in the region under the state’s Restore Illinois Resurgence Plan. This announcement follows last week’s warnings to local leaders that additional mitigation measures would be implemented if the region continued to see an increase in cases. Region 1 includes Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties.

“The concerning uptick in Region 1’s positivity – jumping more than two percentage points in two weeks even as the majority of Illinois continues to see downward trends – demands increased efforts to stop the spread in our northwestern counties,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As other regions have demonstrated, stricter mitigations will lead to safer communities when people mask up, keep their distance, wash their hands and respect public health. It is my hope that the residents of Region 1 can turn this situation around quickly, and Dr. Ezike and I continue to coordinate with local officials to make that happen.”

“COVID-19 spread can increase very quickly, as we’ve seen in some regions in the state, now including Region 1,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “As the pandemic continues, so must our fight against it: Please, don’t hold or attend large events or mass gatherings, wear your face covering, and keep six feet of distance between you and others.”

In the past week, Region 1 also had an early indication of increasing hospital admissions for COVID-like-illness. Although this increase has not yet reached the threshold level, it indicates more severe illness is increasing and IDPH will continue to monitor the region’s hospital capacity.

Mitigation measures taking effect October 3, 2020 in Region 1 include the following:

Bars

• No indoor service
• All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m.
• All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside
• No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
• Tables should be 6 feet apart
• No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
• No dancing or standing indoors
• Reservations required for each party
• No seating of multiple parties at one table

Restaurants

• No indoor dining or bar service
• All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m.
• Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart
• No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
• Reservations required for each party
• No seating of multiple parties at one table

Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings

• Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity
• No party buses
• Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable

These mitigations do not currently apply to schools.

IDPH will track the positivity rate in Region 1 to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigations should remain in place. If the positivity rate averages less than or equal to 6.5% for three consecutive days, then Regions 1 will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan. If the positivity rate averages between 6.5% and 8%, the new mitigations will remain in place and unchanged. If the positivity rate averages greater than or equal to 8% after 14 days, more stringent mitigations can be applied to further reduce spread of the virus.

Region 4, the Metro East, remains under additional mitigation measures as well. Although the 7-day rolling average test positivity rate is less than 8%, it remains above 6.5% and has increased in recent days.

IDPH continues to monitor each region in the state for several key indicators to identify early, but significant increases of COVID-19 transmission in Illinois, potentially signifying resurgence. Indictors include an increase in the region’s positivity rate with a simultaneous increase in either hospital admissions for COVID-like-illness or a decrease in hospital capacity, or three consecutive days of greater than or equal to 8% test positivity rate (7-day rolling average). These indicators can be used to determine whether additional community mitigation interventions are needed for a region to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

A full list of mitigation measures pertaining to some businesses and industries may be found on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) website at www.dceocovid19resources.com/restore-illinois.

Above is from:  https://capitolfax.com/2020/09/29/after-two-point-positivity-rate-jump-in-two-weeks-resurgence-mitigation-imposed-on-region-1/

September 29: 1362 New COVID 19 Cases in Illinois

24 additional fatalities in Illinois.  10 new COVID 19 cases in Boone County.

Region 1 (DeKalb, Rockford area, Sauk Valley) one day from COVID-19 mitigations; state positivity rate drops to 3.6%

One more day at or above 8% will trigger additional mitigations for Region 1

By JOHN SAHLYFollow12:14 PM

Nam Y. Huh

Caption

As a public service, Shaw Media will provide open access to information related to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) emergency. Sign up for the newsletter here

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,362 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 23 additional deaths Tuesday.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate decreased slightly to 3.6%. The state received the results of 45,624 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Tuesday afternoon.

Illinois now has seen 291,001 total cases of the virus and 8,637 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 5,566,276 tests since the start of the pandemic.

• Region 1 (DeKalb, Rockford area, Sauk Valley) one day from COVID-19 mitigations; state positivity rate drops to 3.6%
• Worldwide death toll from coronavirus eclipses 1 million
• Region 1 (DeKalb, Rockford area and Sauk Valley) hits 8% fail-safe as IDPH announces 1,709 new virus cases

As of late Monday, Illinois had 1,535 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 363 were in intensive care units, and 151 were on ventilators.

Regional update: Additional restrictions can be placed on any of the state's 11 health regions if the region sustains an increase in its average positivity rate for seven days out of a 10-day period.

A region may also become more restrictive if there is a seven-day increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19-related illness or a reduction in hospital medical/surgical beds or ICU capacity below 20%. If a region reports three consecutive days with greater than an 8% average positivity rate, additional infection mitigation will be considered through a tiered system of restriction guidelines offered by the IDPH.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen two days of positivity increases and one day of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased slightly to 4.8%. Currently, 40% of medical/surgical beds are available and 49% of ICU beds.

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen two days of positivity increases and two days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate remained flat at 5.4%. Currently, 32% of medical/surgical beds are available and 44% of ICU beds.

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen one day of positivity increases and four days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate remained flat at 5.2%. Currently, 29% of the region's medical/surgical beds are available and 31% of ICU beds.

The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) has seen eight days of positivity increases – meeting one of the criteria for stricter mitigation measures – and four days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate increased to 8.3%, the highest rate of any of the state's 11 regions. Currently, 41% of medical/surgical beds are available and 50% of ICU beds.

This marked the second consecutive day the region's positivity has hit at or above the state's fail-safe of 8.0%. If it is at 8.0% or higher on Wednesday, the region will be subject to additional COVID-19 mitigation measures from the IDPH.

The North-Central region (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties) has seen two days of positivity increases and one day of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate increased slightly to 5.4%. Currently, 44% of medical/surgical beds are available and 45% of ICU beds.

Chicago has seen three days of positivity increases and four days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 4.4%. Currently, 26% of medical/surgical beds are available and 32% of ICU beds.

Suburban Cook County has seen three days of positivity increases and two days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate remained flat at 5.1%. Currently, 27% of medical/surgical beds are available and 36% of ICU beds.

To see how other regions across the state are doing, see the full IDPH dashboard here.

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Is Mitigation on the Way?

Boone County officials prepare to re-enter COVID-19 mitigation this week

NEWS

by: Michele Rave

Posted: Sep 28, 2020 / 05:09 PM CDT / Updated: Sep 28, 2020 / 05:09 PM CDT

BOONE COUNTY, Ill. (WTVO) — Boone County has one of the highest COVID-19 positivity rates in our area.

On Monday, the Board of Health discussed the next steps for them as they try to help local businesses.

Boone County health officials are preparing to go into mitigation this week or next. Forward Boone County as well as the Belvidere Chamber are doing what they can do aid local bars and restaurants if they are not allowed to have indoor dining.

There is no time limit for this phase. In fact, to get out of the mitigation process, Boone County has to hold a 6.5% positivity rate for three days. Reducing that rate is essential to getting back to normal.

“Providing some online resources to help some of our small businesses download some apps where they can have the public order online, do curbside pickup,” explained Amanda Mehl, the Public Health Administrator for the Boone County Health Department.

“So, if we do end up limiting and closing indoor dining and going back to more of the drive thru, walk up and pick up order options while we’re in mitigation we can assist our small businesses with those online options as well.”

Forward Boone County is encouraging businesses to attend their online discussion about what the mitigation steps will look like. The discussion is Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

Join the meeting online at  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83499557500 or dial-in at  1.312.626.6799  Meeting ID: 834 9955 7500.

Above is from:  https://www.mystateline.com/news/boone-county-officials-prepare-to-re-enter-covid-19-mitigation-this-week/