FROM STAY-AT-HOME TO THREE-FOR-ALL?
Gov: Entire state could move to Phase 3 of reopening plan at end of month as Chicago region hits benchmark — barely — for 1st time
Illinois still hasn’t made it through the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, but the entire state is poised to enter the next phase of reopening later this month — including the Chicago area, for now at least.
For the first time since he unveiled his plan to gradually reopen parts of the state economy, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the Northeast region, which includes Chicago and its collar counties, was meeting his administration’s medical benchmarks to advance to Phase 3 of his “Restore Illinois” roadmap.
That would mean some businesses — including salons, barbershops, offices and others categorized as “non-essential” — would be able to resume operations on a limited basis, with coronavirus precautions, when Pritzker’s current stay-at-home order expires May 29.
The other three regions designated in Pritzker’s reopening plan have been on track to advance to Phase 3 since he laid it out, but the Northeast region met the testing positivity rate standard, among other hospitalization requirements, for the first time Thursday. And it did so just barely, squeezing under the required 20% positivity rate over a two-week period at 19.9%.
But if those medical figures get worse, there’s a chance the Northeast region could remain stuck in Phase 2 while the rest of the state advances. Pritzker still said, “It’s highly likely” the Chicago area will keep pace.
“I think overall if you look at the trend, the trend for the state and the trend for [the Northeast] region is downward. I think that’s a very good sign,” he said.
Latest numbers
Optimism for the reopening progress came as health officials announced another 138 people died of COVID-19, raising the state’s death toll to 3,928.
There were also 3,239 new cases among the 22,678 latest test results, raising the state’s overall case tally to 87,937.
More than 512,000 people have been tested overall, with the state’s rolling positive rate over the last week at about 17%, officials said.
Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike called the increase in cases “a function of increasing our testing.”
“No one has captured all cases of
COVID-19 — they have captured all cases for which people have been tested,” Ezike said. “This is getting us closer to the actual numbers, but we’re far, far, far from having the actual numbers.”
Adler layoffs
The pandemic spoiled the Adler Planetarium’s 90th anniversary this week as the lakefront museum announced it laid off 120 part-time and full-time employees in an effort to survive in “the post-pandemic future.”
“Based on the recovery plans set forth by the Illinois governor and Chicago mayor’s offices, which responsibly recognize the serious nature of this pandemic, it is clear we will not be in a position to reopen our physical facility for quite some time,” Adler spokeswoman Jennifer Howell said in a statement. “Therefore, we are looking at ways to position the museum to viably serve the public and deliver our mission in a virtual environment for the time being.”
Howell said the layoffs have been distributed “organizationwide” and in “all departments.”
“The Adler’s remaining staff will focus on transforming and scaling the museum’s unique offerings to serve constituents and communities through digital engagement while determining how to safely reopen to the public when we are able,” Howell said.
Laid-off employees will continue to be paid through the end of July.
Students want money back
Two DePaul University students complaining they were shortchanged by online classes as a result of the pandemic are suing the school for a partial refund.
Enrique Chavez, a senior undergraduate studying psychology, and Emma Sheikh, who is working toward a master’s degree in education, are seeking class-action status in their federal lawsuit to represent other students stuck with what they call “substandard” classes and a decrease in access to school resources.
DePaul spokeswoman Carol Hughes said the students were using the lawsuit “to take advantage of difficult decisions DePaul University made to save lives and presents an erroneous view of how the university has responded to the COVID-19 crisis.”
“The value of a DePaul education is as strong in spring 2020 with all classes online or remote as it has been when the majority of classes were conducted in person,” she said.