COVID-19 in Southern Illinois: Additional deaths reported in Hamilton, Jackson, Randolph and Williamson counties Wednesday

@JUSTTHEFACTSPLEASE. Considering 65+ is a susceptible age. What is the comparison of times between the states that start at 65 to the ones that start at 75 to get to 65? How big is the delay you speak of? How many more/less die (estimate) in the two different tactics, if any? How many of the 65-75 die waiting for the 75+ vaccines to take place? What is the comparison of how many 65-75 die waiting to the 75+ that die due to your unproven delay because the 65+ are included? What are your facts, JustTheFactsPlease?

The Governor of Illinois endangers the most vulnerable over 75 population by changing the federal CDC recommended 1B  vaccination guidelines from 75 to 65 and up.  This change will require millions more vaccine doses further slowing the pace of administering to our most suceptable elderly. On the contrary many states, as of now, have followed the CDC guidelines vaccinating the over 75 now.

The Governor of Illinois endangers the most vulnerable over 75 population. By changing the recommended CDC 1B guidelines for vaccinations from 75 to 65 years of age requiring millions of more doses be given out ultimately slowing the vaccinating process for those most urgently in need while other states have already begun vaccinating the 75 and up.

Document all the deaths by age group. Listing co-morbity would be useful information as well. Listing the number of deaths by nursing home or veterans homes would also be helpful knowledge for citizens. Both of these places are social distanced, locked down and people wear masks. This would be useful information to citizens.

I have some doubts about reliability of these data.

Case in point:

Union County had 0 new cases, and so far 1103 since the arrival of the novel coronavirus. There has been 21 deaths, and 676 people recovered. What about the remaining 406 cases? They can't be possibly ongoing, as there have been only sporadic new cases during the last few weeks, and COVID19 cases resolve themselves within 3 weeks or so, and yet that huge difference persisted for weeks.

Same for Gallatin, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski add White counties.

The reason it is spreading is because people are not taking personal responsibility. They aren’t wearing masks and they are not keeping distance.

Trump praises Remedesivir, it has been proven to save lives, BUT what you might of missed is tRUMP pulled funding for its research. I wonder what deaths we can attribute to its delay?https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/10/07/921224417/ironic-twist-last-spring-trump-halted-research-key-to-covid-19-drug-hes-now-take

The New England Journal of Medicine

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2029812

Covid-19 has created a crisis throughout the world. This crisis has produced a test of leadership. With no good options to combat a novel pathogen, countries were forced to make hard choices about how to respond. Here in the United States, our leaders have failed that test. They have taken a crisis and turned it into a tragedy.

The magnitude of this failure is astonishing. ....

Question: why has the number of recovered cases not changed from 751 in Williamson Co. in some time ? The So. Ill. or Bi-County? Or is no one getting better.

Olivia Troye, who worked as an adviser to Vice President Mike Pence before quitting the coronavirus task force, says President Trump’s disregard for science is costing American lives. Speaking for the first time on television to NBC senior Washington correspondent Andrea Mitchell, Troye says “it was frightening” when Trump said the virus would disappear “like magic.”Sept. 22, 2020

https://www.today.com/video/former-pence-aide-speaks-out-about-trump-s-frightening-response-to-coronavirus-92303429555

Remember back 25 years ago the Herrin boosters came up with a new slogan? Went from "The Action City" on the billboard out on 148 to "Herrin Has It". Guess they were right. I say just shut the whole county down for however long it takes.

Shawnee nursing home in Herrin has covid positives. Including my mom. I'm scared shitless. I don't see this reported.

I see a lot of comments about Union County numbers. I live in Union County and the majority has been nursing home patients. Others have been workers from Gilster.

According to the Illinois State coronovirus website -https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/county-map-v2 - Union County has the highest death rate in the state at 11.1%, higher even than Chicago's 9.4% and Cook County's 7.9%. Is there an explanation for this that I've missed in your coverage?

I appreciate your posting of the number of active Covid-19 cases by county, number of deaths, and number recovered. I would suggest a fourth column that lists active cases. I derive that number for my county by looking at active cases, subtract deaths, and subtract recovered individuals. The remaining number are the number of active Covid-19 cases in that county. Some counties have a remaining number of ZERO. If my logic is correct, could you consider adding the fourth column. Thank you.

Yet another reminder as to why the Sparta shooting event is canceled this summer. I wish our regional politicians would support the recommendations of health experts. Large numbers of people coming here from other states right now is very troubling. I doubt they will stay distanced or wear masks. Our overall virus numbers are down in Illinois even as southern and western states spike and threaten the ability of their medical communities to respond. We should be thanking our governor, not whining. This is not a partisan issue. It is a humanitarian response for the collective good.

What's going on in Union County? I'd like to see more reporting about the huge spike in cases and deaths from there.

Yes, more tests will equal more positives. But the number of tests conducted nor the number of positives is not the metric being used. The metric is the percentage of positives versus total tests. That’s one of the values being looked at daily.

You are correct, our leaders did not react correctly. However, there was a general distrust to the variety of information being released from China. Also, this is a disease that the medical experts are still struggling to understand all of its intricacies. Not an excuse, just a fact. Its been a learning experience.

There are no “reports” of numbers being shifted from Cook county south. Unless you count the back yard gossips and the deniers.

It would be nice to know from whom and how the virus flows; but that in turn violates multiple laws to include HIPPA violation. But the truth is, what does it do but provide fuel for vile gossip and rumor mongering. Thru tracing and tracking, you will be notified by Public Health if you are suspected of being in contact with a positive patient. Or, they will issue a blanket statement, as the example of someone who could stay home and went shopping.

Several excellent articles have been written on how this virus spreads. Recent article discussed a restaurant environment. It included the buildings air flow, waiter movement, customer activity, etc. Here is but one.

https://www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them?fbclid=IwAR1BZ9RIjOp6arVOW1-olVogUMWlafazRDyfCB4nrqmrO4TRCMvuG4de6FA

The issue within prisons, holding centers, long term care facilities has been and will continued to be addressed by the staff. They have made every effort possible within their powers to mitigate this virus. To make a claim that someone isn’t doing their job is just spitting into their face when you are not on the inside and know nothing.

Again, if you really are worried about the numbers for your town, head to the IDPH web site and you can drill down to the zip code specific information. And the numbers do make sense if you had been tracking over the long haul. Simply, they should not “add-up” until the very end. But of course, if you were really that concerned, you would have already made the effort, instead of flapping.

The Guv has given us the opportunity to reopen our part of the state provided we keep the course. We can indeed move to the next phase of this process. People keep saying we are not like Chicago, and you are only partially correct. The metrics being used doesn’t just look at the total number of cases. It also compares the positives to the per capita of the population. And in too many areas of Southern Illinois, the numbers per capita exceed Chicago.

Many are critical of his plan for reopening the state and it is being voiced by many downstate Republicans. I have a challenge. Download the Guvs plan and then download the White House plan. Compare them side by side. You will ask who copied from whom. Actually neither. Both the Guv and WH used the guidelines from CDC and created their own document. Personal thought, I think a bunch of Republicans are fighting a Democrat Guv. Sadly, they are also fighting their President and his admins document. And for the record, I am conservative.

And, to date, we have been successful in flattening the curve and reaching a small plateau. So do we discard our efforts and let this virus speed up again. Ask Kentucky, which has experienced highest numbers to date after opening up just 10+ days ago.

Dog kennels over haircuts? You are actually comparing one of the most personal experiences, one on one contact in close proximity of a hair cut. See the above referenced article and then discuss air flow of the building. After all, this virus spreads by the air that we breath. And yes, I have experienced the dog issue @ the vet. Never did I get out of my truck. I never went into that building. Someone came out, retrieved my dog, went inside and dog got rabies shot, then brought back out to my truck.

Do we need to save small business, yes. But they must adapt to the current circumstances. Restaurants who never did curb side have adopted; auction houses have gone online; allowed retail spaces have adopted social distancing, masks, and other measures. Will we loose some small business, unfortunately yes. Just like the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, the recession of 2008, and a reality that is very hard to accept. A sad fact, but reality.

More tests equal more reported Cases. Less test equal less reported cases. This is destroying America's middle class. Was that the goal?

I keep hearing reports of Cook County covid cases being moved to Southern Illinois. Other than using the motel in Mt. Vernon I don't see anything.

I think it's important to publish "how" these people got the virus. When numbers are given, with no information, it causes more panic and questions. I think, if people knew, for example, that some have gotten it because they are traveling to and from Chicago, or they are in a nursing home in close quarters with workers and other patients, etc.......it would ease some of the concern.

This is a scary situation.

BUT, it could be a lot less worrisome for some folks if all the information was given rather than partial.

Why does Ullin have 10 of Pulaski County's 13 positives? What is happening in that jail? That has to be the largest occurrance of any county confinement facility in our area. Someone is not doing their job if the numbers reflect what they appear to.

Lets answer some questions.

You can go to the IDPH website and drill down by zip code if you are concerned.

Also, the IDPH website provides the numbers tested.

The numbers for each county do make sense. If you spent the time tracking the data you would understand. But looking at in a simple display, it can get confusing.

No test, including pregnancy test is 100%. Quit trying to spin BUT they are greater than 90% based on guidelines. That's why there is a control test!

Why dont they list the town in the counties? Dont we have the r.ight to know if it's in our area?

These numbers mean nothing without knowing how many tests were conducted. Why is this such a difficult question to answer?!

Finally 1 in Alexander County. I thought we were going to make it without any. Keep social distancing for awhile more. I know Easter was hard but we can do it. We are in this together. Keep praying.

How is Randolph County have 27 recovered already? The numbers "DO NOT ADD UP" with the 14 days quarantine. The question is "Do they know what they are doing?" 93,000 in Randolph county and 41 tested positive.

I'd bet there are more, but when we've contacted the health dept. for the Southern Seven they haven't been as responsive as they could be. I suspect that's going to be the case in a lot of rural America.

Appreciated!

Thank you for the information.

Very much appreciate this information.

Thank you for the county by county totals. I will fwd.

Thank you for providing this information. This is why we need professional journalism media, not social media, to inform us and guide us. Everyone: pay attention!