BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid numbers have continued to explode, with more omicron cases being identified in the state, and both Gov. JB Pritkzer and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot talking about more restrictions being put in place, possibly in the next week as omicron ominously looms. The Illinois Department of Public Health released its latest data today, and as has been the case the past month, the numbers are not good. There are currently 3,513 patients hospitalized due to COVID in the state of Illinois, once again hitting a record as the highest number of patients in a year. In the past two... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois has zoomed into covid “high alert,” with cases slamming the state, the new omicron variant spreading, and talk of more restrictions on the way including requiring proof of vaccinations to enter certain public spaces and workplaces. The omicron covid variant has invaded Illinois, infecting at least one person in Chicago, prompting fears of a wide spread in the third-largest city in the United States. The Chicagoan infected by the omicron variant was both fully vaccinated with two shots and had gotten their third booster dose. They were tested at the hospital and... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois has become a new “hot spot” for covid, according to CDC and Illinois Department of Health data released today, prompting officials to consider new restrictions in the state. The Midwest is experiencing the highest surge in covid over the past month, data shows. Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin “currently have the highest rates of COVID-19 in the country per capita.” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady called Illinois a “covid hot spot” and added, “The Midwest is the current COVID hot spot as temperatures... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid-19 cases are hitting the worst numbers they’ve seen over the last year, and with winter approaching and a new omicron variant rising worldwide, officials are looking at new restrictions for the state. Illinois reported 21,034 new COVID-19 cases since last Friday, along with 87 additional deaths and over 311,000 new vaccine doses administered, according to data released Friday from the Illinois Department of Public Health — an increase of almost 125 percent over the last month. Since the pandemic began, 1,784,900 cases of coronavirus have been reported in... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid-19 numbers are raging out of control despite all mitigations, causing some to call for even stronger restrictions and a potential lockdown and closure of schools statewide. Over the previous three weeks, the state has seen a massive surge of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, according to Illinois Department of Health numbers, and the latest data released today showed a spike beyond those numbers. Illinois has averaged 4,618 new cases of coronavirus per day over the last seven days, according to the latest IDPH statistics, representing an incredible 122% increase... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid-19 cases are starting to rise again as temperatures grow colder and the holidays loom, an ominous sign that statewide covid regulations and mask mandates aren’t leaving any time soon. The Illinois Department of Public Health released numbers today showing that cases are continue to steadily rise, and hospitalizations are starting to spike again. There were over 17,000 new confirmed and probable cases reported last week. The 7-day average for cases is now 2,671. IDPH reported 2,060 new confirmed and probable cases Monday. The state also said over 1,300 people... Read More

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is ready to sign a new amendment that would allow employers to fire workers for refusing covid protocols including mandatory vaccinations, reports say. The Health Care Right of Conscience Act amendment bans employees from using their moral beliefs as a reason to refuse to comply with a workplace’s covid mandates, which could include mandatory vaccinations. The Illinois Senate voted 31-24 to approve the proposal late Thursday night. This measure passed out of the House on a 64-52-2 vote Wednesday. The new amendment now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker to be signed into... Read More

Illinois employers could be allowed to fire employees who refuse to get vaccinated or comply with other covid-19 regulations if a new mandate from Governor JB Pritzker is implemented. The Health Care Right of Conscience Act amendment would not allow employees to use their moral beliefs as a reason to refuse to comply with a workplace’s covid mandates, which could include mandatory vaccinations. State legislators are expected to take up the measure this week. The Health Care Right of Conscience Act has actually been a law since 1998 and was driven by healthcare providers having moral objections... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Covid numbers for Illinois Region 2, which includes the Illinois Quad-Cities, continue to worsen, bringing our area ominously close to potential mitigations, according to data released over the weekend. As earlier reported on QuadCities.com, covid-19 numbers in Illinois Region 2, which includes the Quad-Cities area, have been surging over the past two weeks, putting the area at risk for mitigations and a shutdown of some activities. Region 2 has seen a rise in covid cases for more than seven days, which would put it in danger of having some mitigations reinstated; it has seen three... Read More