STATE SEES FEWER DEATHS, BUT JOBLESS CLAIMS HIT NEW HIGH
Illinois’ COVID-19 death toll reaches 157; another 178K-plus file for unemployment
Illinois health officials on Thursday said another 16 people have died from the coronavirus, with another 715 newly confirmed cases statewide.
The latest numbers were lower than the record-high 42 deaths recorded a day earlier, but even though the new count was lower, state officials have warned that the state has not yet seen the peak impact of the pandemic.
And a record number of claims for unemployment benefits submitted last week suggest the peak of the economic downturn could be a ways off, too.
In total, 157 people have died from COVID-19 in Illinois. The new patients bring the state to 7,695 cases, with the virus now reported in 61 of 102 counties, Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said alongside Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Twelve of the latest deaths were in Cook County, including a man in his 30s and a man and woman in her 40s. Also among the dead was Chicago Police Officer Marco DiFranco, the first fatal case to hit the 14,000-person department.
“As I’ve said throughout this process, building out hospital capacity is only part of our approach to COVID-19,” Pritzker said, referring to field hospitals in the works at McCormick Place and the shuttered Westlake Hospital. “We also must slow the spread of the virus. If we don’t, there could never be enough hospital capacity to treat all of those who would become ill.”
Record jobless claims
With residents ordered to stay at home for another month, the state is also reeling from an unprecedented number of unemployment claims since the shutdown began.
Initial unemployment claims in Illinois filed the week of March 28 rose 56% from the previous week, reflecting massive layoffs from the economic shutdown due to the coronavirus.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security counted 178,421 initial claims for jobless benefits for the last full week in March, compared with 114,114 for the week ending March 21. And it’s nearly 10 times more than the claims filed the week of March 14.
That strife is one reason a group of small-business owners are calling on Mayor Lori Lightfoot to tap TIF money to provide “survival grants” of up to $50,000 to help thousands of owners and employees stave off ruin.
The proposal would require applicants to have a dollar-for-dollar match of the requested grant money in hand. Business owners would also be required to use the cash infusion to retain at least 50% of employees over the next 60 days.
Since grants are not repaid, small businesses avoid increasing their debt.
“This is the moment in Chicago’s history to set the TIF program on the right course,” said Roger Romanelli, executive director of the Fulton Market Association.
Aid on the way
To help “mom and pop” businesses, nonprofits and community service organizations hit hard, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle pledged to provide technical assistance to help them tap into funding provided in the federal relief act.
Local governments feeling the squeeze in providing vital COVID-19 services will be getting block grants from two federal programs, including from the $2.2 trillion rescue plan signed into law last week. That means about $70 million for Chicago and $36 million for the state of Illinois.
Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., said the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act — known as the CARES Act — gives communities enhanced flexibility to use the new money for COVID-19-related “challenges,” including health services, education programs, crime prevention and public safety and services to the homeless and seniors. But it’s still not clear when that money will be delivered.
Seniors seek protections
A group of Chicago senior citizens are looking to secure their own protections in the face of the pandemic.
Their demands were presented in a virtual news conference summoned by the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, an activist group with members in several of the 169 senior buildings in the city, including those owned by the Chicago Housing Authority.
The caucus wants all public and private senior buildings across the city to bring in nurses and social workers to perform routine wellness checks and to screen visitors for symptoms of COVID-19. Seniors also want all high-touch surface areas in their buildings like mailboxes, elevators and laundry machines disinfected at least three times a day.
“As a resident of a CHA senior building managed by The Habitat Company, I am here to tell you that we are basically on our own,” member Linda Armitage said.