Public Health – Page 5 – CU-CitizenAccess.org

County COVID-19 vaccinations open to lower age group with underlying conditions

Post author:CU-CitizenAccess.org
Post published:January 15, 2021
Post category:CU-Covid19 Public Health

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Expands Phase 1B COVID Vaccinations to Include Persons Age 65-74 with Underlying Health Conditions. Next week’s clinics will serve anyone 75 years of age or older that did not previously receive a vaccine plus is expanding to include individuals age 65-74 with underlying health conditions - cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, heart disease, obesity, sickle cell disease, diabetes, smoking, and immune-compromised due to organ transplant.

Read more about the article University of Illinois COVID-19 complaints and social media reveal how widespread violations were

Gavin Good

Pi Kappa Phi fraternity was among several other frats and sororities that were widely reported for COVID-19 violations. Pi Kappa Phi is on conduct probation through May 2021.

University of Illinois COVID-19 complaints and social media reveal how widespread violations were

Post author:Gavin Good / For CU-CitizenAccess, Julia Morrison / For CU-CitizenAccess and Dylan Tiger
Post published:December 26, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Education Public Health

A review of more than 400 complaints about partying and public health violations, multiple disciplinary actions and partial lockdowns at apartment complexes show the impact of the partying and social gathering was far wider than previously recognized. While many students obeyed guidelines that included wearing masks and social distancing, a significant number of students held or attended large parties and social gatherings at Greek houses, dorms and apartments. Public records show that four fraternities and one sorority have been disciplined and more than 1,000 students were disciplined.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

Health data shows private homes, restaurants and bars, and hospitals and clinics are top sources of new infections

Post author:Pam G. Dempsey
Post published:December 22, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Public Health

Outside of private homes, bars and restaurants have been the largest source of COVID-19 exposures among cases in Champaign County, according to data from the health district. In November and thus far in December, hospitals or clinics were the top source of COVID-19 exposure. The health district’s graphic shows 26% of reported COVID-19 cases - or 23 cases - within Champaign County were tied to a hospital or clinic in December. There were 112 cases tied to a hospital or clinic in November.

Lee V. Gaines/Illinois Newsroom

U Of I Data: Undergrads In Greek And Certified Housing Contracted COVID At Higher Rates Than Others

Post author:Lee Gaines / Illinois Newsroom and Christine Herman / Illinois Newsroom
Post published:December 10, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Education Public Health

URBANA – Undergraduate students comprised the vast majority of COVID-19 cases at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the fall semester, with the highest infection rates occurring among students living in fraternities, sororities and other private, campus-certified housing.

Read more about the article Public health officials say Champaign County is at a “critical juncture” in the pandemic

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The exterior of Carle Foundation Hospital's emergency department in Urbana during October 2019.

Public health officials say Champaign County is at a “critical juncture” in the pandemic

Post author:Gavin Good / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:November 25, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Health Care Public Health

On Monday, Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department Administrator Julie Pryde, joined by officials from Carle Foundation Hospital and OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, warned that hospitals are approaching capacity. The officials said that Region 6 — which covers 21 counties in east-central Illinois including Champaign County — has only 29% of its Intensive Care Unit capacity and 29% of its hospital bed capacity remaining as virus cases surged.

Read more about the article COVID-19 Testing Accessibility: Disparities, Barriers and Plans For Future

CU-CitizenAccess

Cars in line at the Marketplace mall COVID-19 testing center in mid-November. When a car reaches the end of the line, a worker guides them through a 20-second, self-administered nasal swab.

COVID-19 Testing Accessibility: Disparities, Barriers and Plans For Future

Post author:Casey Daly / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:November 18, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Public Health

There has been concern nationally about the ability of people of color to get tested for COVID-19, especially because they have been identified as more vulnerable to the virus. Melaney Arnold, public health information officer at the Illinois Department of Public Health, wrote in an email, “The data show Black and Hispanic populations are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health reports 7-day rolling averages of the COVID-19 test positivity rate for each region of Illinois. Champaign County, home of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is part of region 6 which has experienced 8 days of positivity increases, reaching 12.2% on November 8.

Calculation of COVID-19 positivity rate by university produces lower numbers than state

Post author:Raleigh Butler / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:November 11, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Education Public Health

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s revised calculation of the campus positivity rate of COVID-19 has potentially lowered the rate substantially by reducing the number of reported positive tests. Epidemiologists say the more accurate way to calculate positivity would be to divide unique positive tests by unique total tests, but that information is not always available.

Read more about the article U of I COVID-19 cases surge as total cases surpass 3,000

Pam Dempsey/CU-CitizenAccess.org

A tent and signs indicate a Covid-19 testing site at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Alice Campbell Alumni Center on Friday, July 31, 2020. The University is conducting free saliva tests for faculty, staff and students with results typically known within 48 hours.

U of I COVID-19 cases surge as total cases surpass 3,000

Post author:Raleigh Butler / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:November 6, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Public Health

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has reported 3,421 cases since students began returning to campus on August 15 despite university researchers predicting only 700 Covid-19 cases on campus by Thanksgiving.

Reported daily COVID-19 cases vary widely for Champaign County, U of I cases

Post author:CU-CitizenAccess.org
Post published:October 28, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Public Health

The highest number reported by the state was September 8, which indicated delayed reporting. The county's highest number was 356 cases on Sept. 11. County public health officials said their case numbers lag behind the state and university because they take time to confirm positive cases.

Read more about the article Beds in emergency hallways perilous during pandemic, experts say

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OSF Heart of Mary as it appears on Google Maps Street View on October 16, 2020.

Beds in emergency hallways perilous during pandemic, experts say

Post author:Marissa Plescia / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:October 17, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Health Care Public Health

Carle Foundation Hospital is routinely treating people in beds in the hallways of the emergency room at its Urbana facility on University Avenue, although the practice has come under criticism by health experts. The practice is generally done because a hospital is at overcapacity and does not have room for patients and is known as “boarding.” Boarding has been criticized because negative effects can include death, preventable disability, prolonged hospital stays and general discomfort.