According to the Chief Judge's announcements, when employees or judges have tested positive more than once, they are counted only once in the total. By this reckoning, 112 judges have tested positive for COVID-19, as have 1,109 employees "working under the auspices of the Office of the Chief Judge," and 209 JTDC residents.
It isn't just courthouse employees who are coming down with the bug-we-liked-to-think-was-gone.
Although he's taking some time off, Rich Miller of CapitolFax.com found time to Tweet today about Governor J.B. Pritzker's announcement that (despite being vaccinated and "double boosted") he, too, has caught the Covid:
New variants, each more contagious than the previous one, are apparently spreading like wildfire. It appears that new hospitalizations have not yet reached a critical phase, however, suggesting that (a) the new variants aren't as virulent as those that came before, (b) vaccinations have ameliorated the worst effects of the new variants even though the virus is spreading among the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, (c) we're just sick and tired of talking about this disease, and/or (d) some or all of the above.Pritzker catches covid pic.twitter.com/c38IAL2tSs
— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) July 19, 2022
The Mayo Clinic has a nifty map of Illinois that shows, on a county-by-county basis where, and to what extent, the virus is spreading these days. It has published figures suggesting that there are, on average, over the past seven days, over 1,800 new Covid cases each day in Cook County:
(Mayo is defining "average daily cases" as "the average number of new cases a day for the past seven days. This seven-day rolling average is calculated to smooth out fluctuations in daily case count reporting.")
The virus is apparently not as tired of us as we are of it.
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8 comments:
Perhaps if Tim Evans was more concerned about a continuity plan instead of running out to bar association events to swear in sycophant bootlickers, then it wouldn't come to this. But who cares if the courts remain open. The judges sure don't. Vote NO against the entire 2022 Retention Class. If these SOB's don't want to come to work, then OBLIGE THEM and fire their useless behinds.
thanks for the needed update
@Anon 7/19 4:38 p.m. -- This is not remotely civil. But inasmuch as I haven't done a Covid update for awhile, I bent my own rules just this once.
For everyone else -- I've flushed at least 100 comments like this (on a great variety of posts) for every one that I've let through (they were worse, and more frequent, at the height of the shutdown). I ran this comment because I think it's important for the community to know that this type of anger is out there. Still. I don't mean to suggest or imply that this attitude is typical or widespread, merely that it exists.
How do you know just how widespread this sentiment is or isn't?
There was hardly a turnout during this year's primary. And when voters are given a chance to really express their disdain by voting "NO" against a judge when the media is reporting that crime is up, judges are letting everyone out and the courts in Cook County aren't nearly as "open" as other jurisdictions, then perhaps a simple "no" across the board is an easy way to send a clear message that the status quo is unacceptable. Certainly the entire class won't be wiped out. But Judge Evans and several lower level judges who have made names for themselves in the news as of late might have good reason to be genuinely concerned for their future on the bench.
Good luck, Evans. You're going need it. As for a small group of you others, time to dust off your resumes and start looking for a job. Because your current gig expires effective December 5, 2022.
P. S. I've never taken the vaccine and I never will. I've also never gotten covid or so much as a runny nose since this thing started. I'm actually quite saddened at how much harm has come of this and we haven't seen anything yet. If you've taken it, I can't say I blame you. Most of us are old school and don't think twice about vaccines because we've never had to before. It's for the greater good of all humanity, but not this time, not this one. I wish you all the best from Iowa✌🏻
@Anon 7/19 4:38 p.m.: Your comment about “continuity plans” presumes Circuit Court has none, seems to presume that when judges are quarantined the courtroom closes, and insists judges don’t want to work. You are 0 for 3.
Several years ago I worked for the Office of Chief Judge. Pandemic continuity planning for courthouse operations predated COVID-19. I was aware of contingency plans in progress in 2014. It was ongoing when the first Ebola infection was reported in the US, before Zoom conferencing became common. The spread of Ebola never reached a level requiring court closures.
You must be aware of court calls proceeding on Zoom, publicly accessible to the public on YouTube. Are quarantined judges w/mild symptoms handling their calls on Zoom? Could be - I don’t work there.
The Illinois Supreme Court has issued directives to all Illinois courts to continue & increase use of virtual (Zoom) hearings where it facilitates public convenience, increases access to justice & does not interfere with quality of justice. If you have represented parties, witnesses or dealt with jurors, you know the most common complaint is inconvenience of travel to the courthouse.
If only we were half the patriots the Greatest Generation was; no endless whining about fake rights to spread disease, no anti-mask nonsense, no ignoring facts or science; do what needs to be done, sacrifice, and beat Covid the way we beat our enemies. Now it's too late; the mutations had time to occur, and we still don't think we need to do anything different?? The 'new normal' is neither; and the next wave of Covid still doesn't care about feelings or 'fake rights'. Put on a mask, get vaccinated if you're not, get your first booster if you haven't, and act like there's a national emergency going on requiring YOU to take protective measures. As the WWII British gas attack poster might have read: "Covid will send no warning, so mask up and vax up." Sorry Mr. Leyhane if this violated any posting rules.
https://www.wbez.org/stories/cook-county-chief-judge-serious-breach-of-security/4025973f-1e82-4c4c-a60d-54d410a02797
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