ER Staff Among The First To Get The Coronavirus Vaccine In Champaign County
URBANA – The process of vaccinating the first few hundred hospital workers in Champaign County began Thursday. In the first shipment, Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana received 400 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for its staff. OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana received 50 doses. Since doses are limited, hospitals are prioritizing […]
Central Illinois Hospitals Gearing Up For The Arrival Of The Coronavirus Vaccine
When Gov. JB Pritzker observes COVID-19 vaccines administered at a Peoria hospital on Tuesday morning, he’ll be witnessing among the first COVID-19…
United Way: There’s No Shortage Of Ways To Give Back In Champaign County
CHAMPAIGN – The United Way of Champaign County hopes residents who are able to give back to the community will consider doing so this holiday season. The organization has compiled a list of local holiday giving opportunities. They include adopt-a-family programs that pair people with families who have specific needs, as well as collection drives […]
Kirby Medical Center Among Rural Hospitals Facing COVID-19 Challenges
MONTICELLO – Rural hospitals in Illinois face unique challenges as COVID-19 continues to surge across the state. Many don’t have an intensive care unit, so patients who need a higher level of care must be transferred elsewhere. Pat Schou, executive director of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network – an association of more than 50 rural […]
‘A Lot Of Us Are Tired’: Illinois Hospitals Bracing For An Even Worse Second Wave
EVANSTON – Across Illinois, more than 80% of all ICU beds are now occupied, according to data from the state’s department of public health. The recent uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations is raising concerns among state leaders and public health officials about hospitals potentially filling up in the coming weeks. Dr. Ernest Wang, past-president […]
More People Are Dying During The Pandemic — And Not Just From COVID, U Of I Researchers Find
URBANA – During the first three months of the pandemic, the number of U.S. adults dying increased compared to previous years, according to a recent study led by University of Illinois researchers involving data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The statistically significant increase in deaths remained even after deaths attributed to […]
Illinois Hospitals Face Ethical Questions: ‘If Everybody’s At Capacity, What Do You Do Then?’
URBANA – Across Illinois’ Region 6, which includes 21 counties in east-central Illinois, hospitals have less than 30% capacity remaining in their medical-surgical and intensive care units, local health officials reported this week. Hospitals are filling up with COVID-19 patients as rates of community transmission rise throughout the region, says Champaign-Urbana Public Health Administrator Julie […]
What The University Of Illinois Learned From Reopening Amid The Pandemic
When University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign officials decided to reopen in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they launched an ambitious plan to…
Central Illinois Hospitals Seeing Steady Increase In COVID-19 Patients
URBANA – Three large hospital systems in central Illinois — Carle Health, Memorial Health System and OSF HealthCare — are seeing more COVID-19 patients than ever before. Carle and Memorial — which each operate five hospitals across central Illinois — recently released public dashboards showing both the number of hospitalized patients and the percentage of […]
U Of I Researchers: Coronavirus Mutations Are Important To Track As Pandemic Continues
URBANA – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it will be important for scientists to track how the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV2, is mutating, say researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As the virus spreads from person to person, random mutations can lead to the creation of different strains over time. Understanding how those mutations […]
‘This Is Our Surge’: Hospital System Data Suggests Coronavirus Is Taking Off In Central Illinois
DECATUR – Since March, 700 people in central Illinois have been hospitalized for COVID-19 across Memorial Health System’s five hospitals. Of those patients, 124 have died. In addition to the steady rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations since mid-July, hospital leaders are concerned that the seven-day COVID-19 test positivity rate across Memorial’s hospitals has risen to 26.8% […]
Some Health Officials Find Their Hands Tied On COVID-19 Restrictions
ROCKFORD – Sandra Martell is in a tough spot. As public health administrator in northern Illinois’ Winnebago County, Martell was threatened with lawsuits from several area bar owners after she included them on a list of businesses allegedly defying the governor’s orders to halt indoor dining. The county is part of a region that faced […]
Tips For A Spooky — And Safe — Halloween
CHAMPAIGN – Halloween is just around the corner, and public health officials are encouraging everyone to celebrate safely. The biggest advice is the same we’ve been hearing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: practice social distancing, avoid large gatherings, and wear a mask. But a spooky plastic mask is no substitute for a cloth face covering, when […]
How Addiction Treatment Prepared One Woman To ‘Face The Pandemic Head On’
SPRINGFIELD – When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Barbara Allen’s life became more complicated overnight. Allen, 39, lives in Springfield, Illinois, where she cares for people who have disabilities and live in group homes. As an essential worker, she never stopped working full time. Then schools closed and she was forced to navigate virtual learning with […]
As COVID-19 Cases Rise In Macon County, Officials Urge Residents To Take Precautions
DECATUR – Half all Illinois counties are now considered at a warning level for the coronavirus, according to the state’s public health department. Macon County, in central Illinois, is among them. In the county of just over 100,000 people, 52 residents have died from the virus, and there are now more than a thousand active […]