‘Desperate to Find Message That Will Work': Illinois' Top Health Official Delivers Passionate Plea

[Michelle53]

The IDPH doctor giving our daily Covid-19 briefings became very emotional yesterday, when announcing the rise in case numbers and deaths. 

For everyone who still thinks their personal liberty is being impacted by mask-wearing, for pities sake, take 5 seconds to consider what the medical professionals are going through, during all of this.

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/desperate-to-find-message-that-will-work-illinois-top-health-o...

[Michelle53]

Here's the text. 

Illinois' top public health official, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, became visibly emotional Friday, urging people to "stay strong" as the state battles a resurgence of coronavirus cases and looks for solutions to fight the pandemic.

"The way we work, the way we live, the way we play has all changed," she stated during a daily coronavirus news briefing alongside Gov. J.B. Pritzker. "And the harsh reality is that the sacrifices we've made, and that we continue to make, do not have a future expiration date."

The figures were reported as new restrictions took effect in Chicago and four suburban counties to slow the spread of the dead...

Regions 7 (Will and Kankakee counties) and 8 (DuPage and Kane counties) both exceeded the 8% positivity rate threshold for three consecutive days, automatically triggering enhanced mitigation efforts.

Noting that hospitalizations and deaths continue to increase in Illinois, Ezike acknowledged COVID-19 has created a "horrible situation" and continues to take a mental, social and emotional toll on people.

"...This is a difficult race when you can't actually see the end point, and I'm sorry that that's the message I have for you," the IDPH director said. "Nevertheless, I'm asking you to fight the fatigue."

During the daily news briefing, Ezike begged Illinois residents to "think beyond ourselves," and continue to practice key mitigation strategies such as social distancing, wearing masks and limiting the number of people at social gatherings.

"...Think about the people that we could unknowingly infect, who may not be as fortunate to have the immune system and the healthy status that you may have," she said. "... But we do have a choice... We can do these things so that we don't hurt those around us."

Following Ezike's passionate plea, Pritzker called her "superwoman," stating the doctor has worked nonstop since the beginning of the pandemic, even revealing that Ezike has been subjected to verbal attacks and protests outside her home.

"People have a right to do that," Pritzker said. "But people should take into consideration that this is a very difficult job that she has, and she is doing it in a way that we should all be so proud of."

Instead of groups being pitted against one another, Ezike said, residents should work together to fight the virus and think about health care workers, who again, are risking their lives to help patients.

"Putting our people through this again, it's unfortunate, and I'm desperate to find the message that will work," she said. "I'm looking for someone to tell me what the message is so that we can do what it takes to turn this around."

[Sarah977]

This virus should be regarded the same way aliens landing on earth with the intent to harm humans would be. It's a war that can't be won by denying its existence or deciding one doesn't want to participate in fighting it. @Michelle53 

[Michelle53]

@Sarah977   To continue with your analogy, people who don't want to participate in fighting it aren't just opting out, their actions are, in fact, aiding and abetting the enemy. 

[Chris773]

To be completely honest, I have several friends who work in the medical field and based on conversations with them, at this point, I'd be 100% in support of hospitals screening people for risky behavior and denying them treatment if they did stupid things like go out to eat, went shopping for non-essentials without wearing a mask, etc. (I'm engaging in hyperbole but only slightly.) The ICUs are filling up and people in healthcare are risking their lives because half the country believes they should have the freedom to spew their viral-laden saliva all over other people without taking any responsibility for their own actions.

In my area (Southwest Missouri), the biggest city (Springfield) has a mask ordinance but very few surrounding communities do (and our milquetoast governor refuses to implement a statewide one despite having come down with COVID himself). The two local Springfield hospital directors are begging those surrounding communities to implement mask ordinances because the majority of cases are coming from outside of Springfield. The suburb I live in finally just complied this week, but the residents are screaming bloody murder about their freedoms being infringed upon. Just utterly ridiculous.

[Leah21]

I have been wearing a mask in stores, and limiting my trips, since January when this whole thing went down. I am not sure how being considerate to others for the common good is now being mocked by some who are calling it “living in fear”, but it needs to STOP! When I wear a mask over my nose and mouth in public and in the stores, Supermarkets, Pharmacies, Offices. (Also when greeting new guests) I want you to know the following:

1. I am educated enough to know I could be asymptomatic and still give it to you.
2. No, I do not “live in fear” of the virus; I just want to be part of the solution, not the problem.
3. I do not feel like the “government controls me”. I feel like I am an adult contributing to the security in our society and I want to teach others the same.

If we could all live with the consideration of others in mind, the entire world would be a much better place.

Wearing a mask does not make me weak, scared, stupid or even ”controlled”. It makes me caring and responsible.

When you think about your appearance, discomfort or other people’s opinion of you, imagine a loved one (your child, father, mother, sibling, grandparent – FAMILY) or even a stranger on a ventilator, alone without you or ANY family member allowed at their bedside…Ask yourself if you could have helped them a little, by wearing a mask.

[Leah21]

I send this to guests the day before or day of their arrival:

We are looking forward to meeting and hosting you. The health and wellbeing of our guests and ourselves is of utmost importance. To achieve this goal, we request you follow the COVID-19 prevention recommendations: washing your hands regularly with soap and water, maintain at least six feet distance between you, avoid touching your face and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. NO ADDITTIONAL guests or visitors are permitted at this time.
Also, Washington is under a statewide masking mandate. The order: Face coverings are now required in any indoor setting outside of your home, this includes common spaces, and any outdoor setting where you can’t maintain 6 feet of distance from non-household members.

[Inna22]

@Michelle53 yet, to qualify for a Covid test at Northwestern you need to answer five questions to assess risk. If you wore a mask is not one of the questions. How do you feel about the way Sweden handled it?

[Michelle53]

@Inna22  Sweden's response is proving to be a disaster.

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/sweden-coronavirus-response-experiment

"On October 16, Andrew Ewing, a professor at the University of Gothenburg gave a damning appraisal of Sweden’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. “So many people have died unnecessarily because of the mistakes we have made,” Ewing told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. With new cases mounting from the second wave – between October 6 and 19, Sweden reported nearly 9,000 new Covid-19 infections – Ewing criticised the continued lack of measures taken by the Folkhälsomyndigheten (FHM), Sweden’s Public Health Agency, to limit the spread of the virus...."

You can read the rest of the text at the link I posted. 

Wearing a mask helps prevent other people getting sick. It doesn't have to be a qualifying question for testing purposes. 

New studies are reporting that antibodies from having Covid-19 only last about 4 months, before falling off in activity. So the "Herd Immunity" strategy is going to prove to be a very bad idea, since there is no permanent immunity.

[Inna22]

@Michelle53 all this proves is that you can find an article to support any idea. You can find an article that denies holocaust

[Michelle53]

@Inna22   You asked me how I feel about Sweden's response.  I have a medical background.  I do my homework. The article I posted, if you actually read it thoroughly, is a pretty good summation of the situation in Sweden, written by Wired Magazine, on October 23rd, not just one person's point of view.   

[Fred13]

To me wearing masks in social settings, shouldn't rely on whether they have proven to be of paramount importance or not, many studies have shown they are not. However, the objective of all mitigating steps with a virus is to slow it down especially at first,  so that:

1. infections do not overrun your hospitalization capacity at any time

2. Buys humanity time to learning more about the virus and its mutation

3. Herd immunity to rise

4. Come up with a vaccine or more effective ways to combat it.

    I finally became a believer despite hating to wear one, only after I started understanding these 4 points. Unfortunately, draconian stupid rules like wearing one while being alone in the middle of the woods, have muddled the well-intentioned message.

[Michelle53]

I have been wearing a mask since February.  Wearing a mask has not limited my freedom in any way.   It's no different from wearing a scarf over one's face in zero-degree weather.

The virus, however, has limited my freedom substantially.

The only strategy we should have is fighting the virus, not fighting the masks.  I think, if people invested even 20% of the energy they've invested in fighting masks in actually fighting the virus, we'd be far better off. 

[Anna9170]

@Inna22  @Fred13   you have expressed my minds! 
@Michelle53   seriously? how can i invest my energy in the fight against the virus? my civil and constitutional rights have long been sent up the ass by governments around the world.
By the way, I have nothing against the mask. Even with a simple flu it is hygienic not to sneeze on other people in public places. only this does not solve today's problem in any way. 😆

[Michelle53]

@Anna9170  I didn't start the OP in order to engage in endless back-and-forth over people's opinions. 10 people will have 11 opinions. The only reality is that the virus doesn't care about peoples' opinions. Facts matter. There can only be one set of facts. 

Fact: Masks help to prevent the spread of the virus

Fact: Social distancing helps to prevent the spread of the virus

Fact: Basic practices such as hand washing help to prevent the spread of the virus.

That's what people can do, and should do. 

And now, I have to go out, since I am an essential worker.  I will take my mask, my disinfecting wipes and my hand sanitizer, I will wear my mask all the time I am out, and when I get to the office, I will make sure I am at least 6 feet away from the other people, if anyone else is there.    I have been doing this for 10 months. I only visit offices where others are doing the same. It could work everywhere pretty successfully, if everyone took this seriously.  Then lockdowns wouldn't be necessary.