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For months, President Joe Biden set goal after goal to tame the coronavirus pandemic and then bypass his own standards. Now, though, the United States is unlikely to meet its goal of at least partially vaccinating 70% of Americans by July 4.
The White House launched a month-long blitzkrieg to combat vaccine hesitancy and the lack of urgency in getting vaccines, particularly in the South and Midwest, but it has increasingly succumbed to missing the president’s vaccination goal. The administration insists that even if the target is not reached, it will have little impact on the overall recovery of the United States, which already preceded it where Biden said it would be months ago.
Meanwhile, Illinois public health officials on Wednesday reported 408 new and probable cases of COVID-19 and 23 additional deaths. The statewide seven-day positivity rate is now 1.0%.
50,231 doses of the vaccine were given on Tuesday and the average daily dose for seven days is 45,852 doses. Officials said that 68% of adults in Illinois have received at least one dose of the vaccine and that 51% of adults have been fully vaccinated.
Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area:
12:30 p.m.: You can ask your doctors if they’ve had the COVID-19 vaccine, but you might not get an answer. Here’s why.
With Illinois reopening and people following long-delayed checkups and healthcare, some patients have a new question for their doctors: Have you been vaccinated?
Many providers say they are happy to share this information with patients, hoping to allay their concerns about getting the injections. But it’s not always easy for patients to get ahead of appointments if they are concerned about being close and personal with unvaccinated doctors, nurses, dentists, or optometrists.
While most healthcare industry employers do not require vaccinations, as of early March, about 71% of frontline healthcare workers who responded to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and The Washington Post said they had received the vaccination or were planning to get one. .
Ashley Kerzinger, associate director of public opinion and survey research at Kaiser, said that percentage has likely increased as vaccines become more abundant and hesitating about them. However, she said, there is a segment of health care workers and the general population who remain against getting vaccinations.
The fact that so many people are still not vaccinated makes some people ask everyone in their lives — health care providers included — if they’ve gotten vaccinated.
“After 16 months into the pandemic, it makes sense for people to be … concerned about their safety and who they are in contact with,” Kerzinger said. “We’re used to asking our friends, family members, and each other if they’ve been vaccinated, so it makes sense for people to also ask their health care providers.”
However, not all health systems may be willing or able to disclose individual vaccination cases to health care workers.
12:05 pm: 50,231 doses of vaccine were given, 408 new cases and 23 deaths
Illinois public health officials on Wednesday reported 408 new and probable cases of COVID-19 and 23 additional deaths. This brings the state’s total to 1,386,262 cases and 22,997 deaths.
41,758 tests were reported in the past 24 hours and the seven-day statewide positivity rate is 1.0%.
50,231 doses of the vaccine were given on Tuesday and the average daily dose for seven days is 45,852 doses. Officials said that 68% of adults in Illinois have received at least one dose of the vaccine and that 51% of adults have been fully vaccinated.
10:55 a.m.: Animal-to-human Leap or Lab Leak? Here’s what we know about the US investigation into the origin of COVID-19.
Once dismissed by most public health experts and government officials, the hypothesis that COVID-19 accidentally leaked from a Chinese laboratory is now under scrutiny under a new US investigation.
Experts say the 90-day review, which President Joe Biden ordered on May 26, will prompt US intelligence agencies to gather more information and review what they already have. Former State Department officials under President Donald Trump have publicly lobbied for further investigations into the origins of the virus, as have scientists and the World Health Organization.
Many scientists, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, say they still believe the virus most likely occurred in nature and passed from animals to humans. Virus researchers have not publicly identified any major new scientific evidence that might make the lab leak hypothesis more likely.
Virologists also say that it is unlikely that any definitive answer about the virus’ origins will be possible within 90 days. Work to fully confirm the origins and trajectories of past viruses – such as the first SARS or HIV/AIDS – has taken years or decades.
10:40 a.m.: Citi to display Chicago Fire tickets in vaccination efforts targeting Poles and Bulgarians
The city’s Department of Public Health said free tickets to the Chicago Fire game will be offered Saturday at a Northwest Side event aimed at vaccinating members of the Polish and Bulgarian communities in Chicago against COVID-19.
Bulgarian Chicago Fire quarterback Stanislav Ivanov will attend the event, which runs from 2-4 p.m. at Copernicus Center, 5216 W Lawrence Ave. Polish and Bulgarian translators will attend.
Both the two-shot Pfizer vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine will be available, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health. The vaccinations are open to anyone 12 years of age or older, although those under 18 will need to be with a parent or guardian.
10:30 a.m.: Pandemic prompts more outdoor gatherings, driving demand for backyard shade structures
Any socially distancing conversation occurs in the backyard of northern suburban dermatologist Amy Foreman Taub under her broad patio umbrella.
“It’s a godsend,” she says, explaining that she rotates the large canopy to fend off the sun no matter where it is in the sky.
The pursuit of shade is a major concern that occurs in backyards across the country where two public health imperatives conflict: the need to hold gatherings in a socially distancing manner, and when possible outdoors, and long-term guidelines to reduce exposure to direct sunlight to avoid skin and eye damage .
As COVID-19 mitigation protocols force people out, many Americans will be newly aware of the shadow, Taub said. “Shadow is a good thing,” she said. “Without shade in your backyard, it’s hard to avoid damage.”
7:55 am: Cubs will have to live with COVID-19 protocols – but David Ross says not to judge his players who haven’t been vaccinated
It’s all speculation, but it’s easy to look for clues on social media and in player comments.
It’s not fair to judge individuals for their personal beliefs, David Ross, Cubs director, told a group of Chicago reporters Tuesday in Petco Park.
“The hard part about society in general is just negative judgment of people at what level and not knowing who a person is and where their position comes from,” Ross said. “It’s something that’s hard for me to ride on from a thousand feet perspective.
Ross said it was not his business to tell his players what to do, even if he had been fully vaccinated.
“I don’t want to equate that with religion,” he said, “but everyone has their own things that they believe in, and I should respect that.” “We have to trust that. It’s not easier having conversations with different people. Some guys have really strong opinions about things and reasons, and I think we should respect that.”
7:50 a.m.: A man shoots a CTA bus after the driver told him to wear a mask, police say
A 38-year-old man was arrested after he hit a CTA bus with gunshot wounds in the West Pullman neighborhood late Tuesday after a bus driver told him he couldn’t get on if he wasn’t wearing a mask, police said.
Police said the man was arrested after he fired a gun multiple times at about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 300th neighborhood of West 119th Street.
Two shells hit the doors of an eastbound CTA bus on 119th Street.
6 a.m.: With vaccination rates lagging behind other areas, Cook County is offering food vouchers and Six Flags tickets to those who get their shots at Harvey
The Cook County Department of Public Health is offering food vouchers and tickets to Six Flags Great America as incentives to boost coronavirus vaccination rates in the southern suburbs.
Coupons and theme park tickets are distributed at the Harvey County Vaccination Site at the gymnasium at Thornton Township High School, 15001 Broadway.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays through the weekend, those who get vaccinated will receive a voucher for a food basket at the Thornton Township Food Pantry, 15340 Page Ave. , Harvey.
On Wednesdays this week and the following day, those who get the shot will receive a Six Flags ticket.
Supplies of food vouchers and Six Flags tickets are not limited, according to the county.
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