Illinois Department of Public Health
Recent News About Illinois Department of Public Health
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Illinois unconcerned as communication and 'science' behind COVID policy slip toward chaos
The Illinois Department of Public health took no time at all deciding last week to say it “fully aligns” with new masking guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control, including universal masking in schools, regardless of vaccination status. IDHP’s announcement came only hours after the CDC announcement on Tuesday. -
Attorney General Raoul Announces $26 Billion Agreement With Opioid Distributors and Manufacturer Johnson & Johnson
Attorney General Raoul Announces $26 Billion Agreement With Opioid Distributors and Manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. -
7 things to know about new COVID-19 school guidance from CDC, Illinois
New federal and state health guidance adjusts policies on masks, distancing and quarantines in Illinois’ K-12 schools. Many students will again be masked in the coming year. -
Illinois reopens June 11, but keep those masks handy
Illinoisans on June 11 will take off their masks and breathe a sigh of relief – except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance and Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mandates. -
Teachers union vows to keep chasing health rules for Illinois private schools
After nearly 17,000 Illinois parents opposed a bill to impose state health mandates on private schools, and state lawmakers let the effort sit, it seemed the fight was over. Not quite. A teachers union lead lobbyist pledged to keep pursuing it. -
Illinois takes aim at private schools with new bill
An amendment to Illinois House Bill 2789 could result in a flurry of complaints against private and public schools for alleged violations of COVID-19 protocols, provides harsh penalties, including punishing teachers, and expands state authority over private schools. -
U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear church's challenge vs Pritzker's power to impose religious gathering restrictions
A Chicago church had sought an order preventing Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker from reimposing restrictions on religious gatherings over COVID-19. Pritzker has pledged not to do so, but won't disavow the powers he asserted last spring. -
ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Attorney General Raoul Hosts Information Session to Overcome Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike and representatives from Pfizer to address issues and questions contributing to vaccine hesitancy, particularly in Black and minority communities. Attorney General Raoul hosted “The COVID-19 Vaccine and You: Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy,” a free Black History Month webinar to overcome vaccine hesitancy in Black and minority communities. -
Corona discusses Madison County COVID-19 vaccination efforts; National Guard clinics expected to administer 2,500 vaccines per day
Madison County Director of Public Health Toni Corona reported that over 18,000 COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered in Madison County since mid-December and daily mass vaccination clinics are set to begin by the end of February. -
Lightfoot pushes Pritzker to ease restrictions as dining resumes in southern, central Illinois
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she wants Gov. J.B. Pritzker to give city residents more freedom to drink and dine out. Two other Illinois regions were just granted more liberty to do so. -
Haine: Violations of state's COVID-19 orders will not result in criminal charges by his office
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine issued a legal opinion analyzing the criminal enforceability of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Executive Orders and the Emergency Rule issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health, finding that in general, violations would not result in criminal charges by his office. -
Every Illinois school parent, teacher should know these COVID-19 facts
Many Illinois school districts are shutting down in-class learning due to the jump in COVID cases, but another set of numbers argue that schools should stay open – and in fact, open even more. -
Madison County felony criminal trials continued due to COVID-19 positivity rate
Madison County Circuit Judge William Mudge entered an order Thursday continuing criminal felony jury trials currently set through December due to increased COVID-19 positivity rates. -
St. Clair County traffic, misdemeanor matters continued over COVID-19 concerns
Due to the rise in positivity rates for COVID-19 and in compliance with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “Stay at Home” recommendations, St. Clair County Chief Judge Andrew Gleeson continued all traffic and misdemeanor matters. -
Pritzker closes indoor dining throughout Illinois starting Nov. 4
All of Illinois will be under tighter restrictions starting Wednesday, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker imposing an indoor dining ban as his answer to the spread of COVID-19. -
ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Attorney General Raoul Releases Voter Guidance for 2020 General Election
Attorney General Raoul Releases Voter Guidance for 2020 General Election Attorney General Kwame Raoul released new online guidance to help Illinois residents understand their rights during the 2020 general election. -
Chamber president blasts Pritzker admin over failure to prove 'hot spot' claim, as Governor announces Metro-East may reopen indoor dining
Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber president Desiree Bennyhoff has been a champion for local businesses, having challenged Pritzker's shutdown executive order and imploring him to reconsider his Sept. 2 indoor dining ban. -
Making sense of COVID-19
Remember the presidential polls in 2016, projecting landslide victory for Hillary Clinton to the very end? -
Important COVID-19 policy decisions should not be based solely on so-called 'positivity rate'
I have grave concerns about the numbers that the State of Illinois (and other states) are using to make decisions about closing down large facets of our economy. The so-called “positivity rate” doesn’t tell us the full story about what is happening in the community with this disease. -
Illinois COVID-19 cases triple since June, but hospitalizations, deaths remain flat. What gives?
Illinois will never get back to any sense of normalcy as long as the media and Gov. J.B. Pritzker continue to push cases as the key measure of the virus’ danger to the general public. As we wrote last month, it’s not cases that matter, but hospitalizations and deaths.