BREAKING NEWS: Shutdowns of performances, events and schools have begun to hit Illinois as covid numbers rage “out of control” and the omicron variant begins to make its spread across the state, as Gov. JB Pritzker hints at more restrictions and shutdowns to come. “This is setting up to be a very deadly COVID Christmas and New Years,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said Friday in a video press conference. “Hospital bed availability has reached a critically low level, demand on resources is high and the wait times in local emergency departments... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid numbers soared to record highs yesterday, with almost 12,000 new cases of the virus, record hospitalizations and deaths, and with more omicron cases being identified in the state, both Gov. JB Pritkzer and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot are talking about more restrictions being put in place. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 11,858 new confirmed and probable cases of covid over the last 24 hours, a record high for 2021, and the highest since Dec. 1, 2020, when 12,542 new cases were reported. The state is now averaging more than 8,000 new cases per day,... Read More

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: As Illinois covid-19 cases skyrocket, the omicron variant begins to spread across the state, and hospitalizations explode, Gov. JB Pritzker admitted that he is looking at stronger restrictions for the state. “We’re looking at everything that has been done over the last few years, always, but what we’re really focused on is making sure that people are following the masking requirements indoors,” Pritzker said during a press conference. “Thank you to all of you who are doing that.” When a reporter pressed Pritzker on stronger restrictions being implemented... 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 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, up 30 percent over the past week, have exploded and are up more than 70 percent in the last three weeks, according to the latest numbers from the Illinois Department of Public Health. IDPH numbers released today show the state is averaging 3,560 new cases of COVID per day over the last week. That is 72% more than the 2,069 new cases that the state was seeing each day on Oct. 27. Hospitalizations are also rising quickly statewide, with 1,627 patients currently hospitalized with covid statewide, an increase of 36 percent in the last three weeks. There are... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid-19 numbers exploded over the last week, roaring up almost 30 percent, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Despite a statewide mask mandate and other mitigations in place, Illinois Department of Public Health recorded a 29% increase in cases from the week prior, with numbers jumping from 17,462 to 22,600 cases in one week. Illinois health officials also reported 129 additional deaths and over 439,291 new vaccine doses administered. Since the pandemic began, 1,735,586 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state, according to the latest data... Read More

If you refuse to be vaccinated or comply with workplace covid mandates, you could be fired from your job in Illinois, according to a new law in the state. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed into law an amendment to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act allowing employers to penalize employees if they refuse to follow workplace rules about covid, including mandatory vaccinations, testing, and other mandates. The Illinois Senate voted 31-24 to approve the proposal; the measure passed out of the House on a 64-52-2 vote. Pritkzer signed the amendment into law Monday. The Health Care Right... Read More

An Illinois Junior High, Edison Junior High School in Rock Island, has been closed effective immediately due to a major spike in covid-19 cases, the Rock Island School District announced today. Edison will close for an adaptive pause due to an increase in positive cases of Covid-19, the announcement said. In an e-mail, the District didn’t mention the number of cases but did say there was a rapid spike in the number of both students and staff having contracted and in quarantine from covid cases and potential exposure. The decision to close the school was made after consultation with the Rock... Read More