State surpasses 1 million COVID-19 tests
Pritzker touts 11 community sites across Illinois for anyone to be tested, as confirmed cases top 125k
U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos and Gov. J.B. Pritzker bump elbows Friday in Peoria, where the governor touted community COVID-19 testing for anyone regardless of symptoms. (Facebook/Gov. J.B. Pritzker)
By Ted Cox
The state surpassed the million mark in tests conducted for COVID-19 Friday, as the governor touted 11 community testing sites across Illinois where anyone can be tested regardless of symptoms.
“This milestone is the result of the incredible work of so many people behind the scenes in state government, in our National Guard, in our public and private hospital and health-care systems all around the state — people who were willing to battle it out to build out a testing infrastructure that is accurate, efficient, and accessible,” Gov. Pritzker said at an appearance at a community testing site in Peoria. “And we’re still building — but I’m very proud to be one of the earliest states to hit this landmark.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,156 newly confirmed cases on CVOID-19 Friday, bringing the state total to 125,915. It also confirmed 59 new deaths, to take the statewide toll to 5,795. But for the week the pandemic remained moderate in Illinois, with 8,460 new cases reported since last Friday, just over 1,000 a day, and 525 deaths, well under 100 a day. Doing the math for the positivity rate is easy overall, at 12.6 percent, and IDPH reported that over the last week the positivity rate has been just 6 percent.
Pritzker toured the Peoria Civic Center site along with U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos of Moline and state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth and Sen. Dave Koehler, both of Peoria. It’s one of 11 Community-Based Testing Sites statewide for “anyone to get tested, regardless of symptoms,” according to a news release issued by the Governor’s Office. “At these sites, testing is available at no cost to the individual. Furthermore, no appointment, doctor referral, or insurance is required. The state-operated Community-Based Testing Sites currently have the capacity to test more than 6,000 people per day.”
According to the Governor’s Office, Illinois now has a total of 279 public sites for COVID-19 testing, 108 of them Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Like many local officials, the governor has been anxious about public protests against police brutality — where social distancing has sometimes been difficult if not impossible to practice — potentially spreading the coronavirus after the state had made such progress in stemming the pandemic and moving to the third phase of the Restore Illinois plan to ease restrictions. His office urged “anyone who has recently participated in a mass gathering, including recent rallies and protests, to get tested for COVID-19 five to seven days after attending an event or immediately following any symptoms.”