CHAMPAIGN – Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has been working with the local health care system to mitigate the spread of the disease. The district’s pandemic plan includes taking action to notify and monitor people who may have been exposed to COVID-19, as well as work with local…
One of Kenya Williams’s favorite classes is the broadcast journalism course she’s taking at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. That’s why she was devastated when she realized all of her university classes would be moving online in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Like many institutions…
Fifteen people at a long-term care facility in Decatur have been confirmed to have COVID-19, Macon County officials announced Saturday. The cases occurred at Fair Havens Senior Living, and involved ten residents and five staff members. The death of a Fair Havens resident from COVID-19 had been announced on April 7, along with news that…
At a time when nursing homes nationally are facing outbreaks of coronavirus, a review of federal inspection data reveals that more than half of nursing homes in Illinois were cited for deficiencies in infection prevention and control in 2019. The review of the federal data on Illinois nursing homes by CU-CitizenAccess and the Midwest Center…
Agencies that provide services to adults with disabilities have had to change the way they operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of Illinois’ shelter-in-place order, the Developmental Services Center has had to cancel all in-person programs at their building in Champaign. The agency has since relied on technology, whenever possible, to provide case management and…
The United Way of Champaign County has received a $250,000 grant from the State of Illinois to use for COVID-19 relief.
These days, a familiar place – the grocery store – looks very different. They remain open as essential businesses, even as other stores close. But they…
URBANA – Champaign-Urbana’s annual Fourth of July festival will not be held this year. The organizers of the Champaign County Freedom Celebration posted the announcement on their website Tuesday. The Freedom Celebration events, including a parade and fireworks, take place on the University of Illinois campus. But the U of I has announced the cancellation…
URBANA – With Passover starting Wednesday night, many in the Jewish community are having to adapt their usual customs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is my favorite holiday, personally, and it’s tough not to be with my community right now, not to be literally sharing a Seder table, with my students,” says Rabbi Ari…
CHAMPAIGN – Shutdown orders related to the coronavirus pandemic have been hard on restaurants, but especially on local restaurants without drive-through windows or backing from national chains. In Champaign-Urbana, some restaurants have closed during the shutdown period, but others are staying open, even though their dining rooms are closed. The Fiesta Café has been serving…
Betsy Crosswhite says it felt like a punch in the gut when her son’s school closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus. That’s when she realized she would need to become her son Shane’s teacher and therapist. Crosswhite and her family live in Wilmette. She and her husband have three kids, including Shane, 15,…
A team of University of Illinois researchers is working on a smartphone application that would detect the novel coronavirus within 30 minutes, without the need for a diagnostic lab. Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline spoke with Brian Cunningham. He’s a professor of electrical and computer engineering, and the director of the micro and nanotechnology lab on…
A majority of Americans believe that while their communities will suffer in the short term from the COVID-19 pandemic, they will eventually recover. And…
CHAMPAIGN – The city of Champaign announced late Thursday night that a police officer has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. In a press release, the city said the officer is at home in isolation and does not need hospitalization. The city did not release any other information about the officer’s…
Every month, the University of Illinois Flash Index analyzes Illinois tax receipts to provide a quick measurement of the Illinois economy. But the disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak is making that impossible for now. Professor emeritus in economics Fred Giertz produces the Flash Index for the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public…