COVID Updates 1/18

There have been several recent local news stories and updates on the pandemic that are worth highlighting. You can always check local coronavirus data on the C-UPHD website's coronavirus information page here and the latest vaccine information on their vaccination dashboard here. In spite of some concerns in other states and national news, the local health district dismissed any concerns at the local level last week. From WCIA:

There are some concerns about the vaccine supply at the federal level, but officials with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District said they are not concerned at this point.

They’ve opened two clinics on opposite sides of Champaign for people 65 and older and underlying health conditions, and are working with the state to give others who’ve had their first dose the second. They’re asking people who haven’t gotten theirs to be patient, and that their vaccine will be coming soon.

Full article here with a brief video segment. There was also a recent variant in Illinois discovered that the vaccine also appears effective against. As of today the News-Gazette has the tally of local deaths at 99 including two additional deaths reported today. A couple other figures from that update:

The number of Champaign County residents hospitalized with COVID dropped by two, to 28.

New cases in the county were up in the past day by 85, to 15,428, with 721 of them currently active -- 39 fewer than the day before...

-- Close contacts currently in quarantine declined by 80, to 1,006.

That full blurb is available here. The News-Gazette's vaccination updates yesterday put the percent of Champaign County residents with both doses of the vaccine at roughly 1% and those with at least the first does at 4.9%.

The total now stands at 10,303 — or 4.9 percent of the county population — according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

A smaller group of county residents — 2,018, or 0.96 percent — has received both doses of the vaccine. That's an increase of 201 from the previous day.

Full article here with additional information and data from surrounding counties. The latest update on the C-UPHD facebook page notes that the January 19-22 appointments are full:

Due to the overwhelming response, all appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations for Champaign County residents age 75 and older and those 65-74 with underlying health conditions for January 19-22 are full. We will notify the public of the next clinic as vaccine becomes available through our website and social media pages.

Long term care facilities are being vaccinated by Walgreens & CVS pharmacies. This arrangement was made through federal contracts. This process is running parallel to our community clinics.

That facebook update available here. News-Gazette coverage announcing that round of vaccines here. While health officials and elected leaders continue to assure the public of the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, a significant minority of health workers have had some hesitancy in getting vaccinated themselves when given the opportunity. From Illinois Newsroom:

Despite more Champaign County residents becoming eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, one-third of health care personnel in the county still aren’t vaccinated due to their own concerns about the vaccine, according to the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD)...

“I would say about a third of the population has this hesitancy about the vaccine,” says Awais Vaid, Deputy Director of CUPHD. “[They] are basically wanting to wait and watch for maybe a month to see how the rollout goes, if there are any serious adverse effects, if there are complications.”

...

“We’re hoping that people who are hesitant make up their mind pretty quick and get us on the [right] path,” he says.

That full article here. The hesitancy of some health care workers was expressed at a recent local Q & A session with Julie Pryde, the Public Health Administrator at C-UPHD. At the NAACP of Champaign County event, one person noted their primary doctor expressed personal doubts about taking it. He asked what a patient in that position should make of that in their own decision making. Pryde suggested a second opinion while pointing out that the data is showing that the vaccine is safe and working. She said the hesitancy among some health care workers was kind of concerning because it worries other people too.

For those betting on herd immunity, we're still a long ways off according to a recent WCIA article:

“About 10 to 15 percent of the population have already had Covid in Champaign,” Deputy Administrator for Champaign Urbana Public Health Ditrict Awais Vaid said.

That number helps build immunity, but it needs to be much higher to reach herd immunity.

That’s why public health officials would rather people get vaccinated instead.

That full article here.

The local Unitarian Universalist Church is having a memorial event tomorrow for those lost to COVID-19. From Smile Politely:

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign is installing "Open Hearts: A COVID Memorial" on their grounds Tuesday, January 19th. There will be a small dedication ceremony, with remarks from Champaign-Urbana Public Health Administrator Julie Pryde, Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones, Champaign Mayor Deb Feinen, and UUCUC member Julie Laut and blessing from Reverend Caplow and Reverend Sally Fritsche.

Full blurb with additional information and links here. More from the UUCUC website here.