Illinois

[Warriors4ever]

Walgreens will probably have a big drop tomorrow.
Seriously when people are asking for assistance in the group they get so many responses now that they almost always book something within a short time ( unless it’s something like, I need 3 pm next Thursday a five minute drive from my house -then we throw our hands up and say, whatever).
There is tons of availability.
Yes the FB group

[Warriors4ever]

Chicago Vaccine Hunters.
There are forms in Announcements for the Vaccine Angels to help. They are doing their own homebound program even separate from the city one. These teens are amazing and restore my faith in the future.

[Warriors4ever]

Chicago is going to start taking walkins at their mass vaccination sites. No excuse for your coworkers  now 😁

[Skatastrophy]

Chicago's mask mandate is reinstated for all indoors activities starting Friday.

From Bloomberg:
> Masks will be required for anyone over the age of 2 regardless of vaccination in all indoor public settings, including bars and restaurants when not actively eating or drinking, gyms, common areas of condos and private clubs, according to the new rules. Masks remain mandatory on public transportation, schools and congregate settings.

No real biggie. Most places that I frequent in the city have remained 75%+ masked-up indoors since the mask mandate was dropped.

[Pakuni]

Chicago's mask mandate is reinstated for all indoors activities starting Friday.

From Bloomberg:
> Masks will be required for anyone over the age of 2 regardless of vaccination in all indoor public settings, including bars and restaurants when not actively eating or drinking, gyms, common areas of condos and private clubs, according to the new rules. Masks remain mandatory on public transportation, schools and congregate settings.

No real biggie. Most places that I frequent in the city have remained 75%+ masked-up indoors since the mask mandate was dropped.

Surprising and odd, in that the city's hospitals aren't close to stressed (hospitalizations are down 18 percent from last week and deaths are down 24 percent). Also, the governor has said that as of now he has no plans to issue a statewide mandate.
Seems an overreaction to surpassing a case metric that may have made been important pre-vaccine, but not so much today.

[JWags85]

No real biggie. Most places that I frequent in the city have remained 75%+ masked-up indoors since the mask mandate was dropped.

Seriously?  Where have you been going all summer that has been overwhelmingly mask wearing?  I can't even thinking of many places that have had 75% masked up staff since mandates started coming off in May.

Surprising and odd, in that the city's hospitals aren't close to stressed (hospitalizations are down 18 percent from last week and deaths are down 24 percent). Also, the governor has said that as of now he has no plans to issue a statewide mandate.
Seems an overreaction to surpassing a case metric that may have made been important pre-vaccine, but not so much today.

I asked one of my buddies who is in the medical field in Chicago, around that same line of thinking, and he basically shrugged and said "Ive stopped trying to guess what Lightfoot will do, whether around COVID or otherwise, its too haphazard across the board"

[Warriors4ever]

I never stopped masking indoors, except at my church, and even there, started again a couple weeks ago.  I also think it depends what area of the city you are in.
I am fine with doing it now.  I would rather do it too early than wait until it gets worse.  And many places were starting to require it anyway - my local Ace started last week; last week at my church we were highly recommending it, and only about six people turned us down.  I was at the Art Institute a couple weeks ago, and a lot of people were masking voluntarily. 
Frankly, I just don't why it's even a big deal.

[tower912]

It isn't.

[JWags85]

I never stopped masking indoors, except at my church, and even there, started again a couple weeks ago.  I also think it depends what area of the city you are in.
I am fine with doing it now.  I would rather do it too early than wait until it gets worse.  And many places were starting to require it anyway - my local Ace started last week; last week at my church we were highly recommending it, and only about six people turned us down.  I was at the Art Institute a couple weeks ago, and a lot of people were masking voluntarily. 
Frankly, I just don't why it's even a big deal.

It isn't.

In your respective opinions.  And thats fine.  Plenty of people have said they'd potentially wear masks during flu season in the future.  Great.  I just think its problematic when there is an attitude of anyone who doesn't want to put a mask back on is some jackass or being annoyed by it is taboo. 

I'll wear it mandated or a particular business asks of me.  My therapist's office is requiring it as of 9/1, so be it.  But I'm vaccinated, I did my part and I'll do it again if I have to, I don't need the general sentiment of tsk tsk'ing suddenly making vaccinated people not keen to mask back up as bad as mid 2020s anti maskers.

[Skatastrophy]

Seriously?  Where have you been going all summer that has been overwhelmingly mask wearing?  I can't even thinking of many places that have had 75% masked up staff since mandates started coming off in May.

You must not live in the city? South Loop, Loop, River North, Lakeview, Logan... all mostly masked indoors unless people are eating. Going to Wisconsin & rural Illinois was a culture shock with both lack of masks and obesity. I guess if I lived out there I'd be hoping for death too (kidding).

Surprising and odd, in that the city's hospitals aren't close to stressed (hospitalizations are down 18 percent from last week and deaths are down 24 percent). Also, the governor has said that as of now he has no plans to issue a statewide mandate.
Seems an overreaction to surpassing a case metric that may have made been important pre-vaccine, but not so much today.

IMO, there's no coincidence that it coincides with kids going back to school.

[tower912]

In your respective opinions.  And thats fine.  Plenty of people have said they'd potentially wear masks during flu season in the future.  Great.  I just think its problematic when there is an attitude of anyone who doesn't want to put a mask back on is some jackass or being annoyed by it is taboo. 

I'll wear it mandated or a particular business asks of me.  My therapist's office is requiring it as of 9/1, so be it.  But I'm vaccinated, I did my part and I'll do it again if I have to, I don't need the general sentiment of tsk tsk'ing suddenly making vaccinated people not keen to mask back up as bad as mid 2020s anti maskers.

Sorry.   Ran on another two unvaccinated people with multiple COVID symptoms in the last 4 hours.   I will try to take your feelings into consideration in the future.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Surprising and odd, in that the city's hospitals aren't close to stressed (hospitalizations are down 18 percent from last week and deaths are down 24 percent). Also, the governor has said that as of now he has no plans to issue a statewide mandate.
Seems an overreaction to surpassing a case metric that may have made been important pre-vaccine, but not so much today.

you make sense.  How bout that!

[JWags85]

You must not live in the city? South Loop, Loop, River North, Lakeview, Logan... all mostly masked indoors unless people are eating. Going to Wisconsin & rural Illinois was a culture shock with both lack of masks and obesity. I guess if I lived out there I'd be hoping for death too (kidding).

IMO, there's no coincidence that it coincides with kids going back to school.

Not anymore, but Ive been to into the city 3-4 times since May.  The only places I saw predominantly masked people was when I went to ORD.  Most of my friends are still there and from first hand accounts and social media posting, it didn't look all that different than what I saw in MKE.

Sorry.   Ran on another two unvaccinated people with multiple COVID symptoms in the last 4 hours.   I will try to take your feelings into consideration in the future.

Ok man    Continue to extrapolate your hyper sensitivity due to a really unfortunate experience I truly have sympathy for, as well as a high risk line of work, upon everyone else.  Good looks. 

[🏀]

Ok man    Continue to extrapolate your hyper sensitivity due to a really unfortunate experience I truly have sympathy for, as well as a high risk line of work, upon everyone else.  Good looks. 

Good look here.

[tower912]

Ok man    Continue to extrapolate your hyper sensitivity due to a really unfortunate experience I truly have sympathy for, as well as a high risk line of work, upon everyone else.  Good looks.

I will.   I couldn't look myself in the mirror if i didnt try.

[Galway Eagle]

Not anymore, but Ive been to into the city 3-4 times since May.  The only places I saw predominantly masked people was when I went to ORD.  Most of my friends are still there and from first hand accounts and social media posting, it didn't look all that different than what I saw in MKE.

Ok man    Continue to extrapolate your hyper sensitivity due to a really unfortunate experience I truly have sympathy for, as well as a high risk line of work, upon everyone else.  Good looks.

Just going to put this out there since it's anecdotal, but here's my experience:

Avec: masked
Sportsman club: masked
CBIC Fire pitch: masked
District Brew Yards: Masked
Timeout Market: Masked
Smyth/Loyalist: Masked
Prime & Provisions: Masked
Lollapalooza: Unmasked, but had mitigation measures
Billy Goats (Original): Mostly masked but not required
Six Penny Bit: Unmasked
Dr Murphy's Food Hall: Masked (but in med district so understandable)
Sox Park: Unmasked
Del Seoul: Masked
Lone Wolf: Masked
Corcoran's: unmasked
Cork & Kerry: unmasked

That's pretty much everywhere I've been inside within city limits since about May. Seems like the majority were still leaning masked.

[JWags85]

Just going to put this out there since it's anecdotal, but here's my experience:

Avec: masked
Sportsman club: masked
CBIC Fire pitch: masked
District Brew Yards: Masked
Timeout Market: Masked
Smyth/Loyalist: Masked
Prime & Provisions: Masked
Lollapalooza: Unmasked, but had mitigation measures
Billy Goats (Original): Mostly masked but not required
Six Penny Bit: Unmasked
Dr Murphy's Food Hall: Masked (but in med district so understandable)
Sox Park: Unmasked
Del Seoul: Masked
Lone Wolf: Masked
Corcoran's: unmasked
Cork & Kerry: unmasked

That's pretty much everywhere I've been inside within city limits since about May. Seems like the majority were still leaning masked.

Interesting.  Again, I'm sure there is a lot of YMMV, but I even texted my two best friends there last night, one in Wicker Park and another who moved from LP to River North in mid May, and both said it was more rare to see masks than not. The one in RN's fiancee was very cautious and even after being vaccinated was hesitant but after a bit he said the unmasked spots they went regularly were so prevalent, so just eased up.

[mu_hilltopper]

Interesting legislation being considered in Illinois ..

https://www.newsweek.com/unvaccinated-illinoisans-pay-covid-hospital-bills-new-proposals-case-spike-jonathan-carroll-1656752

[Skatastrophy]

Interesting legislation being considered in Illinois ..

https://www.newsweek.com/unvaccinated-illinoisans-pay-covid-hospital-bills-new-proposals-case-spike-jonathan-carroll-1656752

I'm pro federal vaxx mandate, but I'm against stuff like this that's just going to punish the poor.

[Warriors4ever]

Being introduced doesn’t mean squat. It won’t go anywhere.
But I suppose insurance companies could be empowered to decide.. And I think it was Singapore where the government is no longer going to cover the entire cost.
Of course it’s all of us who ultimately pay, as my guess is people in ICU for Covid, mostly the unvaccinated, without insurance or even with insurance, mostly won’t ever be able to pay the bill.

[mu_hilltopper]

I'm pro federal vaxx mandate, but I'm against stuff like this that's just going to punish the poor.

If the poor don't want to be on the hook for their Covid hospitalizations, all they need to do is get vax'd for free.

And honestly, it doesn't hurt the poor anyhow.  Given the average $42k Covid hospital bill, they'd never pay it.    Middle class unvax'd, it could hurt, yes.

It's raining and there are free umbrellas everywhere.  It's a choice to get wet.   

Not sure why we should socialize the wetness on everyone else, walking around dry.

[Lennys Tap]

Interesting legislation being considered in Illinois ..

https://www.newsweek.com/unvaccinated-illinoisans-pay-covid-hospital-bills-new-proposals-case-spike-jonathan-carroll-1656752

I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. I don’t overeat. I run 15-20 miles a week and work out at the gym every other day. At 73, I take no medications other than a multi vitamin. I and others like me pay the hospital bills of every drunk with liver disease, smoker with lung cancer and fat guy with diabetes who can’t pay. And we pay higher insurance premiums most of our lives to help cover those who can.

I don’t mind a bit. My good health from my good choices is all the reward I want. Same thing with Covid. I’m double vaxxed and boosted, but I won’t begrudge paying for those who made poor choices. But if we decide to go after them let’s be sure to punish everyone else who makes poor decisions about their health.

[forgetful]

I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. I don’t overeat. I run 15-20 miles a week and work out at the gym every other day. At 73, I take no medications other than a multi vitamin. I and others like me pay the hospital bills of every drunk with liver disease, smoker with lung cancer and fat guy with diabetes who can’t pay. And we pay higher insurance premiums most of our lives to help cover those who can.

I don’t mind a bit. My good health from my good choices is all the reward I want. Same thing with Covid. I’m double vaxxed and boosted, but I won’t begrudge paying for those who made poor choices. But if we decide to go after them let’s be sure to punish everyone else who makes poor decisions about their health.

I respect the logic and sentiment here, but will note one big difference.

Drinking/smoking are addictions/habits often formed at a young age, where our system allowed companies to market/advertise and glorify these items to young impressionable kids, leading to lifelong addictions. It is less of a choice at that point.

It would be akin to people being unable to get a vaccine, because of some corporate decision to target them with a product when they were young, and now are stuck with the risks of COVID for life, unless they go through a long, difficult and often painful rehab process.

[Lennys Tap]

I respect the logic and sentiment here, but will note one big difference.

Drinking/smoking are addictions/habits often formed at a young age, where our system allowed companies to market/advertise and glorify these items to young impressionable kids, leading to lifelong addictions. It is less of a choice at that point.

It would be akin to people being unable to get a vaccine, because of some corporate decision to target them with a product when they were young, and now are stuck with the risks of COVID for life, unless they go through a long, difficult and often painful rehab process.

Forgetful

Respectfully disagree. Some people may be more prone to fall for disinformation on alcohol, cigarettes, poor eating habits or the efficacy of vaccines but there is plenty of true information available to them to help them make proper choices - much more than at any time in history.

You want to blame “our system” for addicting people yet there are addicts who make bad choices under all “systems” and have been doing it forever. The same is true for those who distrust vaccines.

Once you start judging which people who make poor choices should be cared for and which should be shunned/abandoned you are on thin ice ethically IMO.

[Hards Alumni]

Forgetful

Respectfully disagree. Some people may be more prone to fall for disinformation on alcohol, cigarettes, poor eating habits or the efficacy of vaccines but there is plenty of true information available to them to help them make proper choices - much more than at any time in history.

You want to blame “our system” for addicting people yet there are addicts who make bad choices under all “systems” and have been doing it forever. The same is true for those who distrust vaccines.

Once you start judging which people who make poor choices should be cared for and which should be shunned/abandoned you are on thin ice ethically IMO.

What do you think about a system where we designate some beds for Covid patients so the rest of us can move on with our lives?  I know people who've had to put procedures off for years, and people who haven't seen a doctor in years either.