Illinois Editorial Roundup:
Here are excerpts of editorials published in Illinois newspapers.
September 27, 2020
The Moline Dispatch & The Rock Island Argus
Our common purpose
The month, we passed the six-month mark for the coronavirus pandemic. It was March 13, when a national emergency was declared and our country ground to a halt.
It's hard to imagine the days before then; the days when we didn't worry about wearing a mask, or whether it was safe to go into a restaurant; when we didn't wonder if we were walking down the right aisle in the grocery store to try to avoid others. The days when we didn't think twice about going to our houses of worship, or when we didn't inwardly groan at the daily death toll as it was reported in our newspapers and on television.
The days when we didn't have millions of Americans unemployed and about 900,000 new unemployment claims each week.
Last week, the United States observed the loss of 200,000 lives to COVID-19. That alone is a reason to stop and reflect. It is a staggering figure none of us should ever forget. In the Quad-Cities, as of Friday afternoon, we'd lost 110 of our friends and neighbors. How many others are suffering?
We don't raise this prospect to deepen anybody's misery. The coronavirus can do that on its own. But there are times when we need to stop and remember, to recognize this is a seminal moment in our nation's history, in our community and in our own lives. And we need to rededicate ourselves to fighting this disease that has so thrown us into turmoil. We need to dedicate ourselves in these divisive times to binding ourselves to the idea that we all are worthy of protecting.
Few of us are alive who remember the Spanish Flu of 1918-19; even the stories passed down are a generation or two removed. For the rest of us, this is new territory, even six months in.
But in addition to recognizing what has been inflicted upon us, it also is vital that we remember what it was like not to face such a crisis - and to realize we will find that day again. It is worth remembering, because that is what will sustain us.
Yes, there will be a day when this is all behind us; when we can stand down and breathe easier. If there is anything that unites Americans these days, it is the wish that an effective vaccine for this virus be found soon and that it is distributed quickly.
But we are not there yet. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious diseases expert, predicted this month it would be sometime in 2021 before this country would be back to normal.
'œBy the time you mobilize the distribution of the vaccine and get a majority or more of the population vaccinated and protected, that's likely not going to happen until the end of 2021,'ť he said. 'œIf you're talking about getting back to a degree of normality prior to Covid, it's going to be well into 2021, towards the end of 2021.'ť
These are difficult words to hear. The idea of another six months to a year before a return to normalcy is hard for many to take. But the evidence that we are not yet out of this crisis is all around us.
Students at North Scott High School are completing a week off in-person learning after an outbreak. Students and staff were scheduled to go back on Monday. In Illinois, meanwhile, student-athletes still are largely on the sidelines. And in Iowa, cases are yet again on the rise, with daily infections up about 25% on average over the last two weeks.
It's been a long six months, but we are learning to live with this virus. We have made mistakes, but we have learned much, too. We have doctors and nurses and scientists to thank for much of that. We hope they continue to learn - and cope with their unique challenges.
As we observe this moment, it is important that we all remember the stakes in this once-in-a-lifetime crisis; that we rededicate ourselves to taking those steps that make us safer; that we bind ourselves as Americans and find our common purpose.
We can't wait until that day when this pandemic is just a bad memory. But we are not there yet.
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September 27, 2020
The (Champaign) News-Gazette
Cast safe, early ballot
Election Day is Nov. 3, but the collective excitement that once went with this democratic tradition is a thing of the past.
It still marks the end of the election season - that will be particularly welcome this year - but millions of voters already will have cast their ballots well ahead of Nov. 3.
As of Thursday, Champaign County voters were free to back the candidates of their choice. All they need to do is go to the gymnasium at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana and fill out a ballot.
Eleven other early voting locations spread throughout the county will open Oct. 19.
Given that this election will have early voting, voting by mail and Election Day voting, nothing in the world could be easier for a motivated voter to do than participate in the democratic process.
It's our hope that those with dogs in this fight will not just turn out to vote for those they consider the best candidates - regardless of political party - but also make well-informed choices from the top to the bottom of the ballot.
Every race or tax referendum counts. Some contests may be more high profile than others. But voters' choices at all levels - federal,
state and county - can have a real impact on people's lives.
Who recognized how important the county treasurer's office was until it suddenly stopped functioning at the high levels it had prior to the 2018 election?
This year, there has been a particular emphasis on voting by mail, and that raises concerns.
Some states have extensive experience with voting by mail. It's old hat to them.
Other states, including Illinois, have none when it comes to mail voting on the scale that's anticipated. This is its maiden voyage. It may be uneventful in Champaign County, or it could turn out to be the election equivalent of the Titanic's collision with an iceberg.
That's why early voters, excluding those who are so physically debilitated or fearful of the coronavirus that they rarely, if ever, go out, would be better served to cast their ballots at an early-voting location.
While wearing masks to promote public health, people go to grocery stores, work or out to dinner. Why not stop off at an early-voting location and cast a safe ballot there?
That way, voters will know their ballots will
be in the proper hands immediately after they are cast.
They will have no worries about the Postal Service messing up delivery of the mail or ballots put in special drop boxes not getting where they are supposed to go.
Casting a ballot at an early-voting location will dramatically reduce the number of opportunities for ballots to be mishandled.
That should make it easier for the Champaign County Clerk's Office to handle the flow.
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September 27, 2020
The Quincy Herald-Whig
Flu shots can save even more lives during pandemic
For those who have felt powerless as a global pandemic has jolted the economy and disrupted lives, here's an empowering suggestion: Get a flu shot.
OK, the flu shot itself will not protect against the coronavirus, but it will reduce health risks as the United States approaches the flu season. By avoiding the flu, those who get a shot have one less contagious disease to worry about.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 400,000 people were hospitalized in the United States for seasonal flu complications last year. Immunizing more people could help preserve hospital beds, staff and medical resources needed for COVID-19 patients this year.
Seasonal flu season tends to strain health care systems every year. But 2020 is not just like every other year.
COVID-19 already has claimed 200,000 American lives in less than seven months. The coronavirus is a respiratory illness, like the flu. However, more than 2% of those who contract COVID-19 have died. That's far more deadly than influenza.
Health officials also say they've seen initial data suggesting that some individuals may come down with a 'œco-infection'ť with influenza and the coronavirus. People battling both ailments would be far sicker.
Even after getting a flu shot, everyone should continue to follow the precautions that have been promoted since the coronavirus was discovered.
Everyone should wash their hands, wear a mask, maintain physical distance from other people, avoid unnecessary travel and stay home if they're sick. These precautions are lifesavers, slowing spread of both the coronavirus and the flu within the Southern Hemisphere, where the flu season usually goes from April to September.
Hygiene and distancing efforts intended to reduce the spread of coronavirus transmission 'œhave likely played a role in reducing influenza virus transmission,'ť according to an Aug. 31 influenza update from the World Health Organization. A flu vaccine is especially important for older people and those with underlying health conditions. These are the same people who are most vulnerable and need to minimize close interactions with others during an infectious disease pandemic.
Cold weather tends to keep more people indoors, and for those who share indoor spaces, it's especially important to have flu vaccinations.
Fortunately, there are many opportunities for those seeking flu shots. Hospitals, clinics and some retail establishments are offering vaccinations at little or no cost. Some drive-thru vaccination clinics make it possible for individuals to roll up a sleeve and get a shot without ever leaving the comfort of a vehicle.
CDC Director Robert Redfield said about 47% of U.S. residents got the flu vaccine last year. His goal this year is for 65% participation.
Not worried about your own health risks? Please get the shot anyway, to help slow the spread of influenza. Other lives are at risk.