By JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com

SPRINGFIELD — A compromise bill between business and labor which deals with COVID-19 and workers’ compensation passed the House on Friday with broad bipartisan support and will head to the governor.

House Bill 2455 was carried by Democrats Linda Holmes of Aurora in the Senate and Jay Hoffman of Swansea in the House. Much of the floor debate on the measure centered on the bipartisan negotiations which included business and labor interests.

“This is an agreement between business and labor that ensures better protections for employees and clear, consistent guidelines to ensure employers know how to operate safely,” Holmes said. “I’m grateful for the spirit of cooperation that allowed us to work quickly and decisively to pass this plan.”

Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove, echoed that sentiment after brief questioning Thursday.

Among other things, the “labor omnibus bill” created, for the purpose of death benefits, a rebuttable presumption that a police officer or firefighter who dies as a result of COVID-19 contracted the virus on the job. The officer or firefighter must have contracted the virus between March 9 and Dec. 31, 2020.

The bill also ensures Illinois continues to qualify for federal relief by extending unemployment benefits, waiving a one-week unemployment insurance waiting period and expanding eligibility for unemployment to non-instructional education employees, such as lunch workers and teachers’ aides, according to a news release from Holmes.

According to the bill, employers would not be charged for unemployment benefits issued between March 15 and Dec. 31 that were paid to those out of work due to COVID-19.

The legislation also creates a “rebuttable presumption” that a first-responder or essential worker who contracts COVID-19 did so in the course of their employment. Employers, however, would have avenues to rebut the worker’s claim.

Those avenues include demonstrating their workplace was following up-to-date public health guidelines for two weeks prior to the employee’s contraction, or that the  employee was working from home for a period of at least 14 days prior to the injury claim. They also have the opportunity to prove the employee was exposed to the virus by an alternative source outside the workplace.

Holmes said workers’ compensation does not normally cover illness, but the COVID-19 pandemic is not “normal times.”

“Jobs that are not typically considered hazardous have suddenly become dangerous for workers due to COVID-19,” she said in a news release. “This workplace injury framework protects employees, but it also gives employers the ability to prove they did all they could to prevent COVID-19 infections in their workplace by giving those employers a strong incentive to take the best precautions that experts advise.”

In the House, Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, gave an emotional plea for members to vote for the bill, noting it was aimed at companies not taking adequate protection measures, such as providing flimsy masks that do not effectively protect against germs.

“I hope that our vote today reflects a unanimous vote, letting those employers know that this is absolutely unacceptable in the state of Illinois,” she said while wearing an apparent flimsy hair net as a mask as a demonstration of ineffective protective gear.

The measure passed the Senate 50-4 Thursday, then the House 113-2 Friday. It will head to the governor.

Its passage came nearly a month after Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration was sued for its emergency rules put in place to require employers to pay workers’ compensation benefits if an employee was diagnosed with COVID-19 without proof the illness was contracted at the workplace. Those rules were later withdrawn.

“Manufacturers are first and foremost concerned about the health and safety of their employees, customers, and communities. Today’s agreement strikes a fair balance, allowing employers to defend themselves using an ordinary standard of evidence,” Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, said in a news release.

The IMA was one of the organizations filling suit against Pritzker’s rule.

The post Workers’ comp omnibus passes both houses first appeared on SJO Daily.

Located at 2000 N. Neil Street, the site will offer free testing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or while supplies last.

All individuals with symptoms are encouraged to seek testing at these Community Based Testing Sites. Priority is given to first responders, health care workers, seniors, those with underlying conditions or with mild illness in areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases.

“”Not everyone with COVID-19 has symptoms,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. “Without greater testing, it is difficult to know who is infected with this virus. This could mean a person who thinks they are healthy may unknowingly pass the virus to someone else, potentially with deadly consequences. I encourage residents in these areas to take advantage of this opportunity to get tested for free and to take action to help prevent further spread of the virus.”

Additional accommodations have been made for the following individuals with or without COVID-like symptoms, such as healthcare workers, first responders, employees of correctional facilities, individuals exposed to confirmed COVID-19 patients, employees that support critical infrastructure (grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, gas stations, public utilities, factories, childcare and sanitation), all local and state government employees, and individuals with compromised immune systems, chronic medical conditions.

From the Illinois Department of Public Health, here is what to know before you go:

• This is a free service that can be obtained without a doctor’s referral. While this is a free service, you will be asked to show photo identification and healthcare employee or first responder ID/badge, if applicable.
• Patients utilizing drive-thru testing sites must be seated at a functioning window. Once you get in line at the CBTS, you will not be permitted to exit your car. For the safety of the testing personnel, drive-thru sites will not be able to accommodate walk-up individuals.
• Due to the demand for this service, we anticipate there could be significant wait times associated with these drive-thru community-based testing sites. Please be patient. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you are urged to call your doctor or emergency department to seek immediate care and instructions.

The post Free COVID-19 testing site to open in Champaign first appeared on SJO Daily.

By Dani Tietz
dani@sjodaily.com

It was the first time she graduated.

Sure, her kindergarten teacher helped to make a big deal about moving onto the next grade, and her eighth-grade year ended with a celebration as she moved onto high school, but this was the first time that she stood in cap and gown, honors cords draped around her neck.

Her parents stood nervously beside her as she received instructions on how long she needed to wear her mask and where she needed to stand as her picture was taken. Her dad asked if they would be able to get a family picture, too; this was the first and only daughter that would graduate from high school and the weight of the moment was not lost on him.

While their daughter waited for the minute hand on the clock to strike :30, the parents went ahead to learn where they could stand while they watched the moment they had envisioned 18 years ago.

The gymnasium was empty, mostly. The superintendent, principal and school board president stood on the stage, while a woman moving an iPad stood near the top of the three-point line on the basketball court, ready to videotape each student as they came into the gymnasium.

This graduation wasn’t a show, but the Heritage School District did what they could to add tradition to the ceremony. The girl’s name lit up on the scoreboard, white letters on a red background, and Pomp and Circumstance began to play over the speakers as she walked towards the stage.

For each graduate, the ceremony was not rehearsed. Each adult took their time to provide prompts and countdowns as the student moved from one point to the next. She stopped at the corner of the basketball court to have her photo taken, she climbed the steps to walk across the stage where her name was read. The school superintendent, her former principal, made note of her accomplishment, not over the loudspeaker, but just loud enough to hear.

She grabbed her diploma from the table, and the crowd, seven people, including her parents, clapped for her. She walked down the steps to her left and paused again at the bottom. The principal counted down from three, and the girl brought her tassel from the right side to the left before walking back out of the gymnasium where she laid a few of her honor cords to rest in a cardboard box.

The 15-minute slot did not leave time for her to visit with friends; by the time one graduate walked into the building, the other graduate had already left. Administrators committed to three-days, their entire weekend, to make sure all 38 graduates were recognized (31 participated in the ceremony), and that their family members were able to be by their side.

In pictures, the ceremony may seem stark, a shell of something that brings so much joy to a community each year. But the quaint setting showcased an intimacy and care that high school graduates should remember for years to come.

It was the first time administrators had imagined a ceremony to honor each young adult individually. It’s not something we document well, the nervousness and weight that goes into the moments to capture life’s transitions. This district could have chosen to go another way; they could have postponed their ceremony, they could have had graduates drive through the parking lot, they could have asked parents to stay home and brought in groups of students, they could have had the students walk in, grab their diploma and walk out.

Instead, they focused on the little touches that matter: the name in lights, the tradition of music, the conversations of what’s next, the acknowledgment of until next time.

That’s the touch that can be seen. Then they considered those touches that are unseen and unspoken; moments that happened 18 years ago, like a man holding his baby daughter in the middle of the night. He walked barefoot across the carpeted floor, his right arm across his chest, and his hand under her bottom, the fingers on his left hand holding up her head.

He brushed his lips across the baby’s fuzzy hair, feeling like the moment would last forever. The thought, just like the 20 minutes he took putting the baby back to sleep, were fleeting, though. He knew there was work to be done: the baby needed to be fed and put to sleep, she would soon teethe, then crawl, speak, then write, go to school, then play games, ride a bike, then drive a car, move from school to school, then graduate.

Maybe the child would grow up to be like her father, the boy who loved to study books and married his high school sweetheart. Or maybe she would be like her mother, someone who stood up for the rights of others and brought flowers to those who were sick. No matter who this child is, or no matter how she grows into the arms that shoot out like rockets when she is surprised, the father knows that he will be right there beside her.

It had been 18 years, a lifetime and a blink. The lines around his mouth showed the patience he gave his child. The way he raised his brow changed in response to every smile he’d given when he made an excuse as to why he had not emptied the dishwasher.

He was no longer able to glide across the floor with his child in his arms, instead her hand fit perfectly inside his as they walked up to the door of the only high school experience she had ever known.

This is, after all, their moment.

The post Commentary: Heritage graduation ceremony captures key moments first appeared on SJO Daily.

Owners could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine between $75 and $2,500. Less than a year of jail time is also a possibility.

Currently under Phase 2 of Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, restaurants are allowed to be open for delivery, pickup, and drive-through only. Health care facilities and salons are to remain closed until Phase 3 where barbershops and salons can open with IDPH approved safety guidance; health and fitness clubs can provide outdoor classes and one-on-one personal training with IDPH approved safety guidance.

According to WTTW, “Pritzker’s cabinet described it as a new and gentler “tool” that law enforcement can use to keep businesses closed during the coronavirus pandemic – and therefore keep people safe – that’s less severe than other options, like closure orders or stripping establishments of their liquor licenses.”

County state attorney’s offices would be responsible to carry out prosecution of violations.

WTTW also reports that Pritzker’s attorney, Ann Spillane, said the misdemeanor charge can be intimidating, but owners are not being handcuffed or arrested, rather given a citation to go to court.

Only business owners would be cited, not their employees.

Republican lawmakers, including Dan McConchie, a member of the Senate’s Public Health Committee, released statements and spoke out via Twitter, stating that Pritzker had overstepped his powers in placing the possibility of a charge on the small business owners.

“This is a clear breach of the separation of powers,” McConchie wrote. “It is the role of the legislature to make the law, and the role of the Governor to enforce it. He has assumed both roles and shut out the legislative branch. It is beyond time for the Governor to stop ruling by fiat.”

“This week, the legislature must reassert control over the executive branch and return control of the state to the people by providing oversight of his emergency powers once and for all.”

Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield for a three-day special session from May 20-22.

Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady (Republican-Bloomington) wrote, “This is exactly why our caucus has asked for public hearings into the governor’s plan and why the legislature needs to be involved in the decision making process during these unprecedented times.”

During daily press briefings, Pritzker has repeatedly been questioned on his plan to enforce the guidelines set forth in Restore Illinois. Pritzker has said that the policies set in place are to be enforced by local governments and law enforcement.

While Pritzker has not mentioned the Class A Misdemeanor charge during a press conference, he did say that certain measures could be enforced at the state level.

“Counties that try to reopen in defiance will not be reimbursed by FEMA for damage they cause themselves. Local law enforcement and the Illinois State Police can and will take action,” Pritzker said on Wednesday. “Businesses and individual professionals that are licensed by state agencies can be held accountable for defying public health orders.”

Some local state’s attorneys like Piatt County’s Dana Rhoades have made announcements that they do not plan to take action against local businesses.

“I am notifying Piatt County citizens that it is not my intention as the Piatt County State’s Attorney to file criminal charges against such businesses or churches that reopen within Piatt County, when sufficient social distancing protocols are in place, including face covering, disinfecting, and other safety protocols as set forth by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“The decision to reopen a business is not without potential significant risk in terms of civil liability and licensure revocation. For these reasons, I strongly encourage any business or church contemplating reopening to seek legal counsel.”

Lawmakers on the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules will have the opportunity to review Pritzker’s rule on Wednesday.

The post Illinois businesses that move ahead of Restore Illinois plan could face misdemeanor charges first appeared on SJO Daily.

We are announcing 23 new cases today; Champaign County has a cumulative total of 356 cases. There have been a total of seven COVID-related deaths. These numbers are accurate as of the release time.

For information on demographics, please visit the Champaign-Urbana Public Health website at: https://www.c- uphd.org/champaign-urbana-illinois-coronavirus-information.html

Additional resources and information

Additional testing option – Today, the State announced that new drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites will be available in the coming days, including in Champaign. All individuals with symptoms are encouraged to seek testing at these Community- Based Testing Sites (CBTS). Additional accommodations have been made for the following individuals with or without COVID- like symptoms:

Healthcare workers

First Responders

Employees of Correctional Facilities

Individuals exposed to confirmed COVID-19 patients

Employees that support Critical Infrastructure (grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, gas stations, public utilities, factories, childcare and sanitation)

All local and state government employees

Individuals with compromised immune systems, chronic medical conditions

Definition of Symptoms – Fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.

Champaign – Opens Tuesday, May 19, 2020

8:00am – 4:00pm (while daily supplies last) Market Place Shopping Ctr.

2000 N. Neil Street Champaign, IL

Know Before You Go

This is a free service that can be obtained without a doctor’s referral. While this is a free service, you will be asked to show

1) photo identification and 2) healthcare employee or first responder ID/badge, if applicable.

Patients utilizing drive-thru testing sites must be seated at a functioning window. Once you get in line at the CBTS, you will not be permitted to exit your car. For the safety of the testing personnel, drive-thru sites will not be able to accommodate walk-up individuals.

Please note – Patients receiving required pre-surgery or pre-procedure testing should receive that test as directed by their doctor’s office to avoid delays.

211 – This is a service provided by the United Way with trained specialists to match people to the right service agency based on your individual needs. For access, dial 211 or visit the Champaign County 211 website at uwayhelps.org/211.

Champaign County COVID-19 Resource Site – During this challenging time, the community is coming together to provide solutions. A county website has been created to provide information, updates and needed resources that provide support. This information can be found at: champaigncountycovid19.org

The COVID-19 website will be updated as new information is received.

Community transmission

We have community transmission, meaning the virus is circulating among the local community and infecting people who are not sure how or where they were infected, we all should consider ourselves at risk for exposure to COVID-19. That means that everyone should stay home as much as possible and self-monitor for symptoms. Self-monitoring means checking yourself daily for fever, cough, shortness of breath or a sore throat.

COVID-19 Patient Resources Carle (217) 902-6100

Carle remains open to meet essential Primary and Specialty Care needs. Examples of essential appointments include

high blood pressure, ear infection and minor cuts and fractures. Patients should call the COVID-19 Hotline at (217) 902-6100 to be assessed and directed to the appropriate location for care. Your provider may address many health needs by phone or virtual visits in accordance with social distancing best practice. All Carle Emergency Departments remain open for people needing immediate care for life-threatening emergencies.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (217) 239-7877

CUPHD’s COVID hotline is available seven days a week between the hours of 8am-7pm. If you do not reach a person, leave a voicemail that includes your name and phone number with a brief message.

Email coronavirus@c-uphd.org

Updated information available at c-uphd.org.

Follow Champaign-Urbana Public Health District on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date information.

Christie Clinic (217) 366-4070 (8 am – 5 pm; Monday – Friday)

Christie Clinic providers are now available for preventative care appointments and elective procedures. We have taken precautionary measures to open our doors for non-urgent healthcare concerns. Visit your MyChristie patient portal or call your provider to request an appointment.

Telehealth, in-person and convenient care appointments are available. Speak with your provider about the best appointment for you.

OSF 833-OSF KNOW (833-673-5669)

The COVID-19 Nurse Hotline is staffed by OSF registered nurses around the clock, and during times of heavy usage will be staffed by other OSF health care professionals.

Clare, the virtual assistant chatbot on osfhealthcare.org, is equipped to begin screenings for and educate the public about COVID-19.

OSF COVID Companion is a free text messaging tool that the public can use to receive guidance about COVID-19. To subscribe, users can text OSF to 67634.

OSF SilverCloud-An online platform available at osfhealthcare.org/silvercloud, available 24/7 to help manage stress, anxiety and depression. It’s backed by a live health care professional who can direct users to in-person or telehealth care if necessary.

OSF HealthCare is launching a Pandemic Health Worker Program (PHWP) that will serve individuals with COVID-19 symptoms. A person is eligible for the PHWP if he or she is showing COVID-19 symptoms, or is at high risk for contracting the virus, but does not require emergency or inpatient care, and can be digitally monitored at home. They must first call the COVID-19 Nurse Hotline (833-OSF-KNOW) and be digitally triaged by a nurse. Depending on the answers to the screening questions, the nurse or other provider will determine if they are eligible for the PHWP. If enrolled, the client will be notified and receive a phone call from a Pandemic Health Worker within 48 hours.

Promise Healthcare

COVID-19 testing is available at Frances Nelson. If you have symptoms, call our COVID-19 Care Line at (217) 403-5402 or (217) 356-1558. Testing is available from 7:30 am – 5:15 pm, Monday through Friday at Frances Nelson, 819 Bloomington Road, Champaign.

Call (217) 356-1558 for care at Frances Nelson

Call (217) 693-4660 for care at Promise on Walnut

Call (217) 403-5477 for dental care with SmileHealthy

The SmileHealthy Dental Center at Frances Nelson remains open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. to treat dental emergencies of pain or swelling. The clinic located at 819 Bloomington Road, Champaign welcomes patients with Molina, Meridian, Medicaid and Delta Dental and sees patients regardless of ability to pay on a sliding fee scale. Same day appointments are available.

The post Champaign-Urbana Public Health Briefing May 15, 2020 first appeared on SJO Daily.

By JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com

SPRINGFIELD — The U.S. saw nearly 3 million more unemployment claims the week ending May 9, including another 72,993 in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The 2.98 million claims nationwide in the week pushed the jobless claims in the first two months of the novel coronavirus pandemic to more than 36 million. The unprecedented number of claims made for a national unemployment rate of 15.7 percent the week ending May 2.

In Illinois, the number of new claims on the week was 1,483 fewer than the week prior. The number of new claims each week has gone down since a peak of 201,041 during the week of April 4. The Illinois Department of Employment Security said in a news release it has now processed 1,076,461 claims for regular unemployment benefits from March 1 through May 9.

Continued claims reached 756,441 in the state last week, which was the final period before contractors and self-employed persons were able to file for special federal pandemic unemployment assistance in Illinois.

“While the number of initial claims for regular benefits has plateaued in the last two weeks, IDES will experience an increase in overall claims processed when the federal pandemic unemployment assistance claims data becomes available Thursday, May 21,” according to the department’s news release.

Gov. JB Pritzker said this week more than 50,000 applications had been filed through the state’s new pandemic unemployment assistance system since Monday.

“It is working reasonably well,” he said of the new portal in his Tuesday daily briefing, calling the new system “a more robust system than the existing one for regular unemployment.”

Pritzker said the existing system was “built on a 10-year-old platform not expecting to take the kind of size of applications that have come in for regular unemployment.”

Reports of long wait times and an inability to reach employment offices over the phone persist amid the unprecedented inflow of new claims.

“We have many thousands of calls that come in each day, thousands get answered and responded to. And people get processed over the phone as well,” Pritzker said in his Wednesday briefing.

The state has expanded call center capacity and Pritzker said online applications are the best way to get an application through the system.

“I realize that it is difficult when you can’t file, if there’s some problem with your filing online, and it requires perhaps an arbitration or some other intervention that it does have a personal discussion with somebody,” Pritzker said Wednesday. “We’re working very hard; we’ve just spun up this outside call center to add on top of the internal IDES capability. And we’re getting to them as fast as possible again with an unprecedented number of filings, it is difficult.”

IDES said in the news release it has processed 33,729 Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation claims, which provide up to 13 weeks of federally-funded benefits to individuals who have exhausted regular state unemployment benefits.

At his Thursday briefing, Pritzker announced a new “Get Hired Illinois” website that is aimed at connecting job hunters with employers looking for new employees. That site, at Illinois.gov/gethired, also has information on virtual job fairs and training opportunities.

He said from June through December, in a partnership with online learning platform Coursera, the state will offer unemployed workers “free, unlimited access to 3,800 online courses and 400 specializations offered by over 160 of the best universities in the world.”

Pritzker said the level of access normally costs $400 a year, but is free to those who are unemployed in Illinois.

The post State saw nearly 73,000 new unemployment claims in final week before gig worker portal went live first appeared on SJO Daily.

We are announcing 11 new cases today; Champaign County has a cumulative total of 333 cases. There have been a total of seven COVID-related deaths. These numbers are accurate as of the release time.

For information on demographics, please visit the Champaign-Urbana Public Health website at: https://www.c- uphd.org/champaign-urbana-illinois-coronavirus-information.html

Additional resources and information

Restore Illinois – On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, Governor Pritzker released Restore Illinois, a five-phased plan that will reopen the state, guided by health metrics and with distinct business, education, and recreation activities characterizing each phase. The plan is based upon regional healthcare availability, and it recognizes the distinct impact COVID-19 has had on different regions of the state as well as regional variations in hospital capacity. For more information, see the section labeled “Central Region (EMS Regions 3 and 6)” of the Restore Illinois for Champaign County.

https://www.dph.illinois.gov/restore

Mask guidance – Effective May 1, 2020, any individual who is over age 2 and able to medically tolerate a face-covering (a mask or cloth face-covering) shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain a six-foot social distance at all times. Face-coverings are required in public indoor spaces such as stores. Businesses can require patrons to wear face coverings to enter their facility to protect their employees. Medical grade masks should be reserved for healthcare or first responders.

CDC’s guidance on how to make a face mask:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

CDC Guidance – The latest CDC guidance has expanded the list of COVID-19 symptoms to include some of updates from those who are infected have shared. A complete list available at CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms- testing/symptoms.html

211 – This is a service provided by the United Way with trained specialists to match people to the right service agency based on your individual needs. For access, dial 211 or visit the Champaign County 211 website at uwayhelps.org/211.

Champaign County COVID-19 Resource Site – During this challenging time, the community is coming together to provide solutions. A county website has been created to provide information, updates and needed resources that provide support. This information can be found at: champaigncountycovid19.org

The COVID-19 website will be updated as new information is received.

Community transmission

We have community transmission, meaning the virus is circulating among the local community and infecting people who are not sure how or where they were infected, we all should consider ourselves at risk for exposure to COVID-19. That means that everyone should stay home as much as possible and self-monitor for symptoms. Self-monitoring means checking yourself daily for fever, cough, shortness of breath or a sore throat.

COVID-19 Patient Resources Carle (217) 902-6100

Carle remains open to meet essential Primary and Specialty Care needs. Examples of essential appointments include

high blood pressure, ear infection and minor cuts and fractures. Patients should call the COVID-19 Hotline at (217) 902-6100 to be assessed and directed to the appropriate location for care. Your provider may address many health needs by phone or virtual visits in accordance with social distancing best practice. All Carle Emergency Departments remain open for people needing immediate care for life-threatening emergencies.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (217) 239-7877

CUPHD’s COVID hotline is available seven days a week between the hours of 8am-7pm. If you do not reach a person, leave a voicemail that includes your name and phone number with a brief message.

Email coronavirus@c-uphd.org

Updated information available at c-uphd.org.

Follow Champaign-Urbana Public Health District on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date information.

Christie Clinic (217) 366-4070 (8 am – 5 pm; Monday – Friday)

Christie Clinic providers are now available for preventative care appointments and elective procedures. We have taken precautionary measures to open our doors for non-urgent healthcare concerns. Visit your MyChristie patient portal or call your provider to request an appointment.

Telehealth, in-person and convenient care appointments are available. Speak with your provider about the best appointment for you.

OSF 833-OSF KNOW (833-673-5669)

The COVID-19 Nurse Hotline is staffed by OSF registered nurses around the clock, and during times of heavy usage will be staffed by other OSF health care professionals.

Clare, the virtual assistant chatbot on osfhealthcare.org, is equipped to begin screenings for and educate the public about COVID-19.

OSF COVID Companion is a free text messaging tool that the public can use to receive guidance about COVID-19. To subscribe, users can text OSF to 67634.

OSF SilverCloud-An online platform available at osfhealthcare.org/silvercloud, available 24/7 to help manage stress, anxiety and depression. It’s backed by a live health care professional who can direct users to in-person or telehealth care if necessary.

OSF HealthCare is launching a Pandemic Health Worker Program (PHWP) that will serve individuals with COVID-19 symptoms. A person is eligible for the PHWP if he or she is showing COVID-19 symptoms, or is at high risk for contracting the virus, but does not require emergency or inpatient care, and can be digitally monitored at home. They must first call the COVID-19 Nurse Hotline (833-OSF-KNOW) and be digitally triaged by a nurse. Depending on the answers to the screening questions, the nurse or other provider will determine if they are eligible for the PHWP. If enrolled, the client will be notified and receive a phone call from a Pandemic Health Worker within 48 hours.

Promise Healthcare

COVID-19 testing is available at Frances Nelson. If you have symptoms, call our COVID-19 Care Line at (217) 403-5402 or (217) 356-1558. Testing is available from 7:30 am – 5:15 pm, Monday through Friday at Frances Nelson, 819 Bloomington Road, Champaign.

Call (217) 356-1558 for care at Frances Nelson

Call (217) 693-4660 for care at Promise on Walnut

Call (217) 403-5477 for dental care with SmileHealthy

The SmileHealthy Dental Center at Frances Nelson remains open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. to treat dental emergencies of pain or swelling. The clinic located at 819 Bloomington Road, Champaign welcomes patients with Molina, Meridian, Medicaid and Delta Dental and sees patients regardless of ability to pay on a sliding fee scale. Same day appointments are available.

The post Champaign-Urbana Public Health Briefing May 14, 2020 first appeared on SJO Daily.

By PETER HANCOCK
Capitol News Illinois
phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers will return to Springfield next week for the first time in more than two months to take up a state budget and other critical matters while following strict social distancing and public safety guidelines.

During a teleconference caucus meeting Wednesday, House Democrats were told the special session will run from Wednesday, May 20, through Friday, May 22.

Before returning to the capital, lawmakers are being asked to sign a pledge stipulating they will be tested for COVID-19, regardless of whether they have symptoms or have been previously infected. They will also be required to wear face coverings, undergo temperature checks on session days, travel alone and stay in separate hotel rooms, follow social distancing guidelines and avoid extracurricular activities.

The House will meet in the Bank of Springfield Center, a convention center a few blocks from the Statehouse. The Senate plans to meet in the Senate chamber of the Capitol.

Security at the BoS Center will be provided by the Illinois State Police and all people entering the building will be required to pass through a metal detector to prevent weapons from being carried into the facility. All people will also be required to wear face coverings and submit to a touchless temperature check. Anyone with a temperature of more than 100 degrees will be required to leave.

Lawmakers have not met since March 5. They were scheduled to be off the week of March 10-14 to campaign in advance of the March 17 primary. All session days since then have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The post Illinios Lawmakers to return to Springfield for session May 20-22 first appeared on SJO Daily.

After receiving guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education and the phase standards administered by Gov. JB Pritzker, Illinois High Schools, will move from an in-person summer school model to an e-learning model. 

The e-learning model will require more of students, like “seat time” to meet state requirements.

St. Joseph-Ogden High School typically only provides one section of classroom driver’s education each summer. 

Principal Gary Page said that the prior eight weeks of remote learning have prepared the school to offer the 30-hours of seat time needed to complete the course.

“We have been doing classroom driver education in this manner already during the stay at home order so we don’t anticipate any more challenges,” Page said.

Heritage High School canceled their summer driver education course, noting that only 10 students usually enroll, and those students will be able to take the course during the fall semester.

“With the drivers facilities shut down until further notice and in person learning prohibited, the course is not feasible,” Superintendent Tom Davis said. “The clock hours requirement is very stringent and with the length of time that students must hold their permits, which they can not get anyways with the facilities shut, we can easily fit the small class we have in summer into the Fall semester.”

Heritage, though, is looking how to provide an extended school year to some of its special education students through online learning, through video connections, and through paper packets for lower grade levels, much like remote learning has taken place this semester so far. 

High school students should continue to have the opportunity for summer credit recovery, but they are working out how to provide assistance and supervision with the principal or counselor at the high school through a remote setting. 

“It would have to be done remotely using the student’s home device or one of the units we have loaned out (we gave out over 100 Chromebooks and laptops when remote learning began),” Davis said. “The online learning platform, we have used it for many years, is called Apex and in my experience, it is very challenging and comprehensive when a student takes a course for credit recovery.”

Students can take math, English, science, and civics. 

“With the situation of pass/fail this spring semester with remote learning, it is possible that the number of students needing recovery may be lower, so we will examine that also as grades start to firm up nearing the end of the semester and regular year.”

The post St. Joseph-Ogden and Heritage adjust to e-learning summer school plans first appeared on SJO Daily.

We are announcing 14 new cases today; Champaign County has a cumulative total of 322 cases. There have been a total of seven COVID-related deaths. These numbers are accurate as of the release time.

For information on demographics, please visit the Champaign-Urbana Public Health website at: https://www.c- uphd.org/champaign-urbana-illinois-coronavirus-information.html

Additional resources and information

Restore Illinois – On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, Governor Pritzker released Restore Illinois, a five-phased plan that will reopen the state, guided by health metrics and with distinct business, education, and recreation activities characterizing each phase. The plan is based upon regional healthcare availability, and it recognizes the distinct impact COVID-19 has had on different regions of the state as well as regional variations in hospital capacity. For more information, see the section labeled “Central Region (EMS Regions 3 and 6)” of the Restore Illinois for Champaign County.

https://www.dph.illinois.gov/restore

Mask guidance – Effective May 1, 2020, any individual who is over age 2 and able to medically tolerate a face-covering (a mask or cloth face-covering) shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain a six-foot social distance at all times. Face-coverings are required in public indoor spaces such as stores. Businesses can require patrons to wear face coverings to enter their facility to protect their employees. Medical grade masks should be reserved for healthcare or first responders.

CDC’s guidance on how to make a face mask:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

CDC Guidance – The latest CDC guidance has expanded the list of COVID-19 symptoms to include some of updates from those who are infected have shared. A complete list available at CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms- testing/symptoms.html

211 – This is a service provided by the United Way with trained specialists to match people to the right service agency based on your individual needs. For access, dial 211 or visit the Champaign County 211 website at uwayhelps.org/211.

Champaign County COVID-19 Resource Site – During this challenging time, the community is coming together to provide solutions. A county website has been created to provide information, updates and needed resources that provide support. This information can be found at: champaigncountycovid19.org

The COVID-19 website will be updated as new information is received.

Community transmission

We have community transmission, meaning the virus is circulating among the local community and infecting people who are not sure how or where they were infected, we all should consider ourselves at risk for exposure to COVID-19. That means that everyone should stay home as much as possible and self-monitor for symptoms. Self-monitoring means checking yourself daily for fever, cough, shortness of breath or a sore throat.

COVID-19 Patient Resources Carle (217) 902-6100

Carle remains open to meet essential Primary and Specialty Care needs. Examples of essential appointments include

high blood pressure, ear infection and minor cuts and fractures. Patients should call the COVID-19 Hotline at (217) 902-6100 to be assessed and directed to the appropriate location for care. Your provider may address many health needs by phone or virtual visits in accordance with social distancing best practice. All Carle Emergency Departments remain open for people needing immediate care for life-threatening emergencies.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (217) 239-7877

CUPHD’s COVID hotline is available seven days a week between the hours of 8am-7pm. If you do not reach a person, leave a voicemail that includes your name and phone number with a brief message.

Email coronavirus@c-uphd.org

Updated information available at c-uphd.org.

Follow Champaign-Urbana Public Health District on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date information.

Christie Clinic (217) 366-4070 (8 am – 5 pm; Monday – Friday)

Christie Clinic providers are now available for preventative care appointments and elective procedures. We have taken precautionary measures to open our doors for non-urgent healthcare concerns. Visit your MyChristie patient portal or call your provider to request an appointment.

Telehealth, in-person and convenient care appointments are available. Speak with your provider about the best appointment for you.

OSF 833-OSF KNOW (833-673-5669)

The COVID-19 Nurse Hotline is staffed by OSF registered nurses around the clock, and during times of heavy usage will be staffed by other OSF health care professionals.

Clare, the virtual assistant chatbot on osfhealthcare.org, is equipped to begin screenings for and educate the public about COVID-19.

OSF COVID Companion is a free text messaging tool that the public can use to receive guidance about COVID-19. To subscribe, users can text OSF to 67634.

OSF SilverCloud-An online platform available at osfhealthcare.org/silvercloud, available 24/7 to help manage stress, anxiety and depression. It’s backed by a live health care professional who can direct users to in-person or telehealth care if necessary.

OSF HealthCare is launching a Pandemic Health Worker Program (PHWP) that will serve individuals with COVID-19 symptoms. A person is eligible for the PHWP if he or she is showing COVID-19 symptoms, or is at high risk for contracting the virus, but does not require emergency or inpatient care, and can be digitally monitored at home. They must first call the COVID-19 Nurse Hotline (833-OSF-KNOW) and be digitally triaged by a nurse. Depending on the answers to the screening questions, the nurse or other provider will determine if they are eligible for the PHWP. If enrolled, the client will be notified and receive a phone call from a Pandemic Health Worker within 48 hours.

Promise Healthcare

COVID-19 testing is available at Frances Nelson. If you have symptoms, call our COVID-19 Care Line at (217) 403-5402 or (217) 356-1558. Testing is available from 7:30 am – 5:15 pm, Monday through Friday at Frances Nelson, 819 Bloomington Road, Champaign.

Call (217) 356-1558 for care at Frances Nelson

Call (217) 693-4660 for care at Promise on Walnut

Call (217) 403-5477 for dental care with SmileHealthy

The SmileHealthy Dental Center at Frances Nelson remains open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. to treat dental emergencies of pain or swelling. The clinic located at 819 Bloomington Road, Champaign welcomes patients with Molina, Meridian, Medicaid and Delta Dental and sees patients regardless of ability to pay on a sliding fee scale. Same day appointments are available.

The post Champaign-Urbana Public Health Briefing May 13, 2020 first appeared on SJO Daily.