FREE August 26-September 1, 2021 • Vol. 47, No. 5 Fall Guide August 26-September 1, 2021 | Illinois Times | 1 2 | www.illinoistimes.com | August 26-September 1, 2021 NEWS Reaching rural residents Hospitals struggle with COVID-19 increases while many still refuse vaccines PUBLIC HEALTH | Rachel Otwell “We have individuals who get COVID and was at the Petersburg press conference and then ask if they can have a vaccine,” Dr. addressed the distrust along party lines. “This Rajesh Govindaiah told Illinois Times. He’s is controversial and it’s become unfortunately senior vice president and chief medical officer politicized,” he said. “People should be for Memorial Health System. “The vaccine vaccinated. I think those of us in public does not treat COVID. The vaccine prevents positions should be encouraging people you from getting COVID in the first place. to do that.” Butler said he’d prefer certain And if you get COVID, it makes you have decisions, like mask rules, be left up to local a milder illness.” For those already infected officials rather than the governor. Still, he said, with COVID-19, the vaccine is useless, “Vaccinations work, masks work.” because it takes time to build up immunity. Bilyeu said misinformation and fear might “My daughter’s going to in-person school. play into why some are hesitant about vaccines. I want her to go to in-person school for the For those who forgo vaccination, he said rest of the school year,” said Govindaiah. COVID-19 infection is a matter of when, not “In order for that to happen, we’re going if. Bilyeu said some might be put off by the to have to double down on masking and Food and Drug Administration emergency vaccination.” authorization of vaccines, and approval Both Govindaiah and Dr. Marc Shelton, might help reassure them. On Aug. 23, the Hospital Sisters Health System chief clinical FDA announced its approval of the Pfizer officer, said area hospitals have seen a sharp COVID-19 vaccine. Many hope that for some uptick in COVID-19 patients over the of the vaccine hesitant, the development will summer. They both anticipate that the help convince them. situation will get worse before it gets better. Not enough people are vaccinated and the Be kind newer delta variant is more contagious than Vaccinations don’t just protect the individuals previous strains of the virus. who get them, they protect others in their “We have had a dramatic increase in the community. Many kids who have headed back number of hospital admissions in our 15 to school are too young for vaccines. While hospitals throughout Illinois and Wisconsin,” A billboard in Petersburg features Rich Brauer, a former Republican state legislator who represented the area. infected kids generally have mild symptoms, said Shelton. “We were down to eight total CREDIT: RACHEL OTWELL some do end up with severe cases. The more inpatients in our 15 hospitals as of five, six cases in the community, the more likely more weeks ago.” That number had risen to 135, kids will suffer. Getting the shot is partially Shelton said during an Aug. 20 Illinois Times about protecting other people, said Shelton, interview. He added that vaccine hesitancy Distrust 52.3% of the the total population was fully who added that Pope Francis has called getting is more prevalent in rural areas. Hospitals Petersburg has multiple billboards promoting vaccinated. Statewide, the percentage of fully vaccinated “an act of love.” are having to limit visitors – in some areas to vaccination. Leaders say there is plenty of vaccinated residents was 60.6%. As hospitals grapple with higher counts of no visitors at all – as a result of the uptick in money to get the word out and vaccines have Dr. Joe Bilyeu works for Memorial in patients than they had seen during much of COVID-19 cases. been widely available. Still, not enough people Petersburg as a family physician. He said at his the pandemic, burnout and worker shortages Govindaiah said part of the lag in are getting the shots. clinic, “We’re seeing a big spike in COVID. I are problems. Memorial recently released a rural vaccination rates could be a lack of On Aug. 18, health officials came together like to call it the pandemic of the unimmunized, statement asking clients to be kind to staff. accessibility. Some rural residents may in Petersburg to plead with residents to get because that’s who’s coming in positive.” In a Govindaiah urged people to consider the struggle to find transportation to vaccine vaccinated. According to state data from Aug. 23, typical flu season, he said he usually would see big picture. “The request to be kind and quite appointments, for instance. “It’s complicated, 45.87% of Menard County’s total population was 400-500 patients infected with influenza. But frankly the request to get vaccinated are not but it’s very concerning.” fully vaccinated. In nearby Sangamon County, last year? He can remember only one flu case just about you,” he said. Instead, all of us coming to his office. “Masks work,” he said. should take a hard look at how our actions, or Distrust could be a reason some are hesitant. inaction, impact the greater community. Editor’s note Both masks and vaccines have become sources of vitriolic rhetoric. Analysis of Fox News – a COVID-19 vaccinations are available to those In Springfield this week little children put on their masks, held tight to somebody’s hand, and source generally affiliated with conservative 12 years and older and are free of charge. headed off to in-person school, an act of bravery repeated millions of times all over the country thinkers – shows why some may question the You can schedule an appointment in either and around the world. If parents were given the remote option, many of them would have kept vaccines. Media Matters for America analysis, Sangamon or Menard counties at scdph.org. their children home; if masks were optional, some parents would keep their kids maskless. But published Aug. 19, shows, “In a six-week Anyone in Illinois can get assistance in setting the little ones are figuring out the way back to normal. And you can bet that when vaccines are period from June 28 through Aug. 8, Media up a vaccination appointment by calling a available for children, the kids will flinch and cry and then take the shot – if that’s the price of Matters found that nearly 60% of the network’s toll-free Illinois Department of Public Health seeing their friends and teachers. Peace and security are not as hard as adults make it, the vaccine segments included claims undermining hotline at 833-621-1284. prophet Isaiah said, “and a little child shall lead them.” – Fletcher Farrar, editor or downplaying vaccinations.” State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, Contact Rachel Otwell at [email protected]. August 26-September 1, 2021 | Illinois Times | 3 4 | www.illinoistimes.com | August 26-September 1, 2021 OPINION Illinois State Museum and Kidzeum awarded The costs of war federal grants CAP CITY REEDER | Scott Reeder Karen Ackerman Witter The Kidzeum of Health and Science and As Americans fled Kabul and desperate Illinois State Museum received good news. Afghans sought to follow, Jerry and Brett Both were awarded highly competitive Young stood in the yard of their rural grants from the federal Institute of Museum Rochester home Aug. 20 and remembered and Library Services (IMLS). This is their boy who never got to see his 26th Kidzeum’s first IMLS grant; the program is birthday. so competitive many small museums don’t “He loved to skateboard when he was apply. The ISM has received numerous younger. And he loved all kinds of music. He IMLS grants over the years. especially liked jazz, the blues and hard rock,” The $178,928 Museums for America Brett recalled of her son, Chad. grant to the Illinois State Museum Society His father, Jerry, pointed to two road signs will support the museum’s development of hanging on a nearby shed. One designated high-caliber, online learning experiences for a portion of Illinois 4 as the “Cpl. James Pre-K through grade 12 students. Funds ‘Chad’ Young Memorial Highway.” Another will be used for training, digitization recognized him as a 2003 Glenwood High of collections materials and developing School graduate killed in that distant land. resources for education stakeholders to This nation honors its war dead, as well use in the classroom and after school. A it should. I admire the willingness of our teacher’s advisory group will provide input. servicemen and women to sacrifice for this Staff training will help ensure the collections great nation. But I’m left wondering if our made accessible through this initiative are nation is too willing to send men and women reviewed through a lens of diversity, equity, into harm’s way. accessibility and inclusion. “We are excited I’m not a pacifist but I find myself often to receive this competitive grant award skeptical of our government’s intentions. to help us act inclusively and reimagine Jimmy Carter, perhaps the best person to Brett and Jerry Hopkins of Rochester with signs honoring their son, Chad how we connect with museum audiences, be president in my lifetime, annoyed many educators and young people,” said ISM when he said the U.S. is the most warlike Director Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. nation in history. That’s a tough pill to Kidzeum’s $49,014 Inspire! grant swallow. But it’s worth noting that of the 245 It’s like when Osama Bin Laden was killed, should impose democracy on other nations.