Illinois Editorial Roundup:

Excerpts from recent editorials in newspapers in Illinois

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March 22, 2020

The (Champaign) News-Gazette

Pritzker really ups the ante

Now the people of Illinois - not to mention those in other areas of the country - are really in uncharted territory.

'œShelter in place'ť sounds so much nicer than calling it a 'œlockdown,'ť and it probably is. But it won't be long before many people are going to start to feel like prisoners in their own home following Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Friday announcement.

One news accounted that Pritzker is 'œessentially commanding residents to stay in their homes'ť as a means of slowing down the spread of the coronavirus. To call this a 'œdrastic'ť measure hardly does it credit to the monumental nature of his action.

There are, of course, some exceptions to Pritzker's edict. People can still go out - if they are headed to grocery stores, the gas station or the pharmacy. The state even is permitting people to take walks. Local roads and interstate highways will remain open.

But the fact is that Pritzker is depending on people voluntarily complying with his directive that they stay home. Given the circumstances, everyone would be best served if they do - to the extent they can stand it - as the governor asks. New York and California already have announced a similar shutdown of their states. More will certainly follow, just how many more remains to be seen.

Many people probably will not like Pritzker's decision. But given the circumstances, it's hard to quarrel with it. The epidemiological possibilities of the coronavirus fall within the exclusive province of experts. Ignoring their warnings entails risks that no rational person would want to assume.

They've spoken, and Pritzker has listened. Who in his shoes would do otherwise?

That's why Pritzker's decision represents a dramatic escalation of the restrictions he already imposed to limit the spread of the virus. The governor previously shut down K-12 schools, both public and private, and directed bars and restaurants to close.

Numbers released by the Illinois Department of Public Health explain Pritzker's thinking.

The department estimates that Illinois will have 3,400 new coronavirus cases by late this week, an eight-fold increase. At that rate, it wouldn't take long for the number of coronavirus cases to explode among Illinois' population of roughly 12.5 million people.

But that doesn't have to be the case, and it won't be if Pritzker's measures have the intended effect.

But there's much more to shelter-in-place than just announcing it.

How will the public respond? Pritzker warned against people rushing to grocery stores and clearing the shelves, and there's no need for them to do so. The stores will remain open and stocked by their suppliers.

But human nature can be tricky, and this situation calls for clear thinking.

It also calls for patience. Staying at home usually is fine, but not necessarily fine if that's all people are allowed to do.

This is going to be stressful in a variety of ways, and adults need to consider how they and their children will cope with it.

What's most troubling about our current circumstances is its open-ended nature.

How long is this going to last?

Unfortunately, there are more good questions than there are good answers about this new dynamic.

It's unprecedented in almost everyone's experience. In that sense, it's a test of our collective and individual characters that we cannot fail.

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March 20, 2020

Chicago Sun-Times

Don't let coronavirus stop you from being counted in the 2020 Census

Most of us are understandably preoccupied with the latest news about COVID-19. So much else goes unnoticed.

But we want to remind you that the 2020 Census is underway, despite huge roadblocks put up by the coronavirus, and it matters greatly.

If you haven't responded to the census notice that arrived in most mailboxes last week with instructions on how to complete the form online, we urge you to do so now.

An accurate count of every person who resides in our country will grow only more difficult to achieve in the next few weeks and months as the coronavirus continues to shut down normal social interactions. At risk is Illinois' fair share of more than $675 billion in federal funds. The results of this census, which is conducted every 10 years, also will decide how many seats Illinois continues to hold in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Census Bureau suspended some field operations because of the coronavirus outbreak. That means there will be a two-week delay, at the very least, in sending census workers door-to-door and building to building to survey people who live in group quarters, such as nursing homes and prisons. A three-day local count of the homeless also has been delayed.

In addition, in-person outreach sessions at churches, community centers and the like have been put on hold. And census kickoff events in some cities, such as Detroit and Columbus, Ohio, have been called off.

In Chicago, a plan to set up computer kiosks in public spaces so that people can get information and respond to the census has been put on hold. And community groups are being forced to turn to social media and phone banks, rather than face-to-face interactions, to reach hard-to-count groups, such as immigrants.

'œThe hope is we stem this tide and see how everything shakes out,'ť Nubia Willman, of Chicago's Office of New Americans and a member of the Illinois Complete Count Commission, told us. 'œWe want people to fill the form out online. The sooner people fill it out, the better, so no one has to come to their home.'ť

The census is being conducted online for the first time this year. That's an obvious and unexpected advantage for getting the job done at a time when Americans are hunkering down at home because of the virus. But our nation's digital divide - not everybody has easy access to the internet, even in 2020 - works against a full census count in rural and high-poverty areas.

For now, census workers still are scheduled to fan out in May to homes that have not responded online or by phone.

Nationally, 11 million people so far have completed the census. In a country of some 327 million people, that's just 3% of the population - a drop in the bucket. It will take a herculean effort, this time around, to count everyone.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross suggested days ago that the census could be extended beyond the current July 31 deadline. On Friday, he extended that deadline two weeks - not long enough, in our view, to make sure the count is as complete as possible.

There's every reason to believe, scientists say, that the coronavirus pandemic will continue at least into early summer. It could also mimic the flu and return next fall.

'œEveryone is coming to terms with what this new normal means,'ť Willman said. 'œIf we could delay (completion) until the fall, that would be helpful.'ť

Chicagoans can expect to see more public service announcements encouraging online census participation starting next week. Much is at stake. In 2010, Chicago managed only an abysmal 66% participation rate, among the worst rates for all big cities. The city must do better.

Illinois receives about $34 billion a year in federal funds that are distributed based on population, according to a 2017 report from George Washington University. Every uncounted resident costs the state $18,000 for everything from transportation projects to public schools to housing to health care services to crime-victim assistance.

Illinois also stands to lose a seat in Congress because of declining population. That could become two lost seats if there is a significant under-count.

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March 21, 2020

The (Carbondale) Southern Illinoisan

Listen to the professionals and stay home

We come to you today with a simple message: Let's listen to the people who know what they're talking about.

Public health professionals like those who staff our local and state public health departments have trained their whole careers for a situation like this, as unprecedented as it may be. They are the ones guiding our state and local leaders.

We have another message: Stay home.

When Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday made the announcement that he was issuing a stay-at-home order for the state, he prefaced by attempting to give Illinoisans a window into his decision-making process.

'œMy bedrock has been to rely upon science,'ť he said. He acknowledged his decisions to limit physical contact and crowds have meant affecting the livelihoods of some around the state.

'œUltimately, you can't have a livelihood if you don't have a life,'ť he said.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit our little part of the world. It's here. The number of confirmed cases around the state continues to increase. If we've learned anything over the past two weeks, it's that things may just get worse before they get better.

The numbers of positive cases are going to continue to escalate, both due to the virus' spread and the increase in testing.

The closures are going to continue. We know this is especially hard on small, local businesses. We thank all of you for making the sacrifices you are being asked to make for the sake of public health.

For a while, there may be more questions than answers.

This is definitely one of those times where we all should listen to public health professionals and our leaders at the local and state levels. Remember, they are looking out for all of us.

Yes, this is all very inconvenient. It's inconvenient for children to not have school. It's inconvenient (for some) to work from home. It's inconvenient to not have some stores open. For some, it's about more than inconvenience. We know this crisis is hitting a lot of people financially, and we know the strain is already taking its toll.

But, here's the thing: We can get over being inconvenienced. It'll be harder to get over the death of a loved one. It might take a while for some of us to rebound financially, but there will eventually be a rebound. It'll be harder to get over the dramatic hit to our population and infrastructure this virus could cause if we do nothing.

Are we all overreacting to this? Maybe, maybe not. Only time will tell. But, an overreaction is better than no reaction at all.

Let's make this clear, too: This isn't a partisan issue. The virus does not care who you voted for or what letter is after a politician's name. Now is not the time to ignore warnings just because you didn't vote for the man giving the warnings.

Stop spreading rumors. Bad information makes this whole ordeal harder for everyone. Let's make sure things are real before sharing them on social media. Educate yourself on what's real news and what is fake.

And while we're at it, if you can right now, let's all support local businesses. They're the ones hurting right now. Without regular business, and the longer this thing goes, the more they're going to be affected.

Buy a gift card. Grab some take-out food (many restaurants, while closed for dine-in, are still able to provide curbside take-out service). Send your favorite bartender a tip on Venmo.

Our vulnerable populations, including those without permanent residence and children who sometimes don't eat outside of school, are also facing great impacts due to closures and restrictions on daily life. We commend the volunteers who are continuing to work through this crisis to help people find shelter and food.

We may be physically separated, but we are still a community. Let's do what we can to help one another. We applaud those who are already stepping up.