Tuesday live updates on coronavirus: Belleville chief outlines enforcement rules
Here is a roundup of coronavirus news you need to know on Tuesday:
Belleville police chief outlines enforcement guidelines for governor’s order
Belleville Police Chief Bill Clay has issued a memo to city personnel regarding how police officers will enforce Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s order banning large groups of people.
Clay said the city has received “some complaints” about people violating the order prohibiting groups of over 10.
Here’s the four-step process:
▪ First reponse: Education: Information group of the executive order.
▪ Second response: Written warning: Issue warning to the group that has over 10 people.
▪ Third response: Complete police report: This report will be forwarded to the proper authority and could result in possible sanctions by regulatory authorities; civil liability; and court-ordered closure or quarantine.
▪ Fourth response: Arrest/citation: The patrol commander or police chief shall be consulted before a citation is issued.
“The above protocols allow the department to do its part during this healthcare emergency while ensuring we respect the civil liberties expected by the community and adhere to the requirements of reasonable suspicion and/or probable cause of the Fourth Amendment,” Clay wrote in the memo.
This process is similar to one recently issued by Illinois State Police.
St. Clair County awaiting PPE shipment, chairman says
St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern said Tuesday hospitals in the metro-east are awaiting a much needed shipment of personal protective equipment, or PPE, from the federal government’s stockpile.
“Unfortunately, it appears stockpiles were not sufficient to handle this pandemic,” Kern said in a phone call with other regional leaders. “We’re working with what we have, but my concern is the medical community appears pretty tired. They shouldn’t have to worry about reusing a mask or a gown. They should be able to count on those supplies being there for them.”
Kern said the county is fortunate hospitals such as Memorial, St. Elizabeth’s and Touchette Regional Hospital have “stepped up.”
“But they got to have the PPE and testing necessary to do their job.”
The chairman praised Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his order for Illinois residents to shelter in place.
“Unfortunately, when you have a piecemeal effort going on in some states, that’s a problem,” Kern said. “What we don’t want to happen is to have an area that all of a sudden becomes a hotspot and reinfects the region.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has faced criticism for shifting the responsibility of dealing with the coronavirus crisis to local counties and municipalities.
St. Elizabeth’s Hospital accepts donations of supplies
St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon is accepting donations from the community and businesses related to COVID-19 supply shortages.
Donations can include surgical masks, particularly N95 masks; goggles and safety glasses; unused, wrapped or boxed gowns and exam gloves; hand sanitizer; bleach wipes and alcohol wipes. Larger equipment such as ventilators would be accepted, as well.
St. Elizabeth’s requests that no one deliver items to the hospital without coordination through the hospital’s intake team. However, you can go to steliz.org/COVID-19-Updates/How-to-Help and fill out an online form for the type of item offered.
“We have already had many donations from local groups, colleges, construction companies and other businesses. We truly appreciate the support provided by these community-minded organizations,” said President and CEO Patti Fischer in a statement to the BND.
For those who wish to make masks with either elastic or cotton straps, visit steliz.org/covid-donate to get directions.
Also, you can see a video at bnd.com on how to make a mask.
Donated masks will be sanitized by the hospital and will be used by visitors or people with outpatient appointments.
The collection dates and locations are as follows:
▪ April 1, 8:30-11:30 a.m. at Scott Credit Union Belleville Branch, 2020 North Belt East.
▪ April 1, 12-3 p.m. at Scott Credit Union Fairview Heights Branch, 555 Lincoln Highway
▪ April 2, 8:30-3:30pm at Scott Credit O’Fallon Branch, 712 W. Highway 50.
St. Louis County reports third coronavirus-related death
A third person has died from coronavirus complications in St. Louis County.
The patient, a woman in her 50s, had chronic medical conditions, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health said in a news release Tuesday.
As of Tuesday at noon, St. Louis County had 492 confirmed cases of the virus, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The City of St. Louis had 136 positive cases and one death announced on March 23.
Hunters upset state won’t issue refunds for canceled seasons
People who hunt and fish in state parks were upset when the Illinois Department of Natural Resources closed the parks.
Now they are upset again because they can’t get refunds on permits purchased for canceled events or hunting seasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Facebook page was flooded with over 330 comments after Director Colleen Callahan announced the refunds could not be made. The majority of the comments criticized the state for not giving refunds and for not allowing hunting and fishing in open spaces while Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said that getting out for fresh air while the stay-at-home order is in place would be a good idea.
“Our current administrative rules under the state’s wildlife code prohibit the issuance of refunds or transfer of permits,” Callahan said in a letter posted on the agency’s Facebook page on Monday.
“We understand the problems these laws create for our sportsmen and women and are reviewing all possible solutions.”
Illinois state parks were closed on March 15 as part of the state’s effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Pritzker’s shelter-in-place order remains in effect until April 7.
All scheduled events and hunting and fishing seasons on state parks and other state-owned sites have been canceled while the parks are shut down.
Callahan’s letter did not say how many people are affected by the decision not to issue refunds.
She noted that you can still hunt and fish on private property or other land that has not been closed.
St. Louis-area health care systems partner to accept medical supply donations
Two health care systems with hospitals in the metro-east and St. Louis regions have partnered to receive and distribute medical supplies.
BJC HealthCare and SSM Health received “hundreds of calls and offers of support.”
Partnering will allow area hospitals to share personal protective equipment and other supplies needed to care for COVID-19 patients, the systems stated in a news release.
BJC and SSM created a list of accepted donations and drop-off locations. Items in high demand include FDA-approved surgical masks or N95 masks and both infrared and forehead thermometers with disposable covers.
Information on what donations are needed as well as where and when donations can be delivered can be found at BJC.org/CoronavirusDonations.
Hospitals urged donors to check the donation list before dropping items off and to remember to use social distancing precautions.
St. Elizabeth’s Hospital to host blood drive
HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center will host a blood drive from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14 at the hospital in O’Fallon.
The center’s mobile donor bus will be parked in the hospital’s parking lot at 1 St. Elizabeth’s Blvd., O’Fallon, IL.
All donors must make an appointment. No walk-ins will be accepted. Anyone who is feeling sick or who has been in contact with someone being tested for COVID-19 should not attend the donation drive.
To schedule a donation time, call the center at 866-GIVE-BLD (866-448-3253) or log on to www.bloodcenterimpact.org and use the sponsor code: 10155. Photo identification is required to participate. Donors must be 17 or older and weigh at least 110 pounds.
A full list of donor eligibility guidelines may be found at www.bloodcenter.org/donate-blood/donating-blood/donor-eligibility.aspx.
The Red Cross made an urgent call last week for blood donations amid a statewide and national shortage during the coronavirus crisis.
SIU Carbondale fraternity suspended for not following guidelines
Delta Chi fraternity at the Southern Illinois University Carbondale has been suspended “immediately and indefinitely” after it violated a directive by the university regarding coronavirus.
According to the Southern Illinoisan, Carbondale police broke up a party hosted by the fraternity over the weekend and reported it to the university administration. It was determined the fraternity did not uphold the ordered cessation of “any and all in-person activities,” which was initiated by the university to comply with the Jackson County Health Department and Illinois Department of Public Health’s protocol.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has also banned all gatherings of more than 10 people in the state via an executive order.
8 employees test positive for coronavirus at Chesterfield restaurant
Eight employees at Annie Gunn’s smokehouse in Chesterfield, Missouri have tested positive for COVID-19, KMOV reported Tuesday morning.
The restaurant announced last week in a social media post it would close temporarily because of the coronavirus crisis.
State death toll on the rise
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, these are the latest coronavirus case totals:
▪ Illinois: 5,594 positive cases and 99 deaths; 35,225 persons tested.
Cases in southwestern Illinois increase
The number of COVID-19 cases in southwestern Illinois has increased to 81, according to state and local statistics on Tuesday.
Here’s a breakdown of the cases:
▪ St. Clair County: 43, two deaths
▪ Madison County: 18
▪ Clinton County: 7
▪ Monroe County: 4
▪ Washington County: 1
▪ Randolph County: 6
▪ Bond County: 2
The St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency said Tuesday that 321 people have been tested in St. Clair County. There have been 43 positive cases, 204 have been negative and 74 are pending.
Mascoutah School District food service employee tests positive for coronavirus
A Mascoutah School District food service department employee has tested positive for COVID-19, the district announced Monday.
The food service worker helped prepare meals that were handed out on March 22, but people who received the meals had “ a very low risk” of exposure to coronavirus, the district said.
“In an effort to remain transparent, we felt it was important to inform all of our families of the district’s first known case of COVID-19. Based on the information we know and with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone who picked up a sack lunch on March 22 would be at a very low risk for exposure,” the district said in a message to parents and employees.
On March 22, “the employee had no symptoms and had no contact with anyone picking up meals. Under advisement from the St. Clair County Health Department, we notified any employees that had close contact with the employee who tested positive,” the district said.
Earlier Monday, Belleville School District 201 announced that a bus driver who had been delivering lunches had also tested positive for the coronavirus.
SIU president says student reimbursements could total $5M
By The Associated Press
Southern Illinois University’s Board of Trustees voted Monday to give the school’s president the authority to reimburse students for some costs as instruction has moved online due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In handing university President Daniel Mahony the authority to reimburse the students, the board did not specify how the reimbursements should be handled. However, it gave Mahony the flexibility to make that determination in consultation with chancellors of the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses and the dean of the school of medicine.
Mahony said he anticipates reimbursements to students could total between $4 million and $5 million.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says feds sent wrong type of masks
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced during a Monday news conference that hospitals in Madison and St. Clair were two of the counties that would receive new stocks of personal protective equipment, or PPE, sent in from the federal government this week.
During the conference, Pritzker again criticized the federal government for not fulfilling its promises of providing enough PPE and tests. He mentioned that while Illinois received masks from the government in the latest shipment, they were not the N95 masks he had asked for and which medical experts say protect health care workers on the front lines.
Pritzker asked Illinois businesses to donate any medical supplies to local health departments and asked citizens to continue efforts of helping each other, whether that is donating money to nonprofit organizations, sewing face masks or following social distancing guidelines.
More National Guard members activated
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has activated about 115 additional Illinois National Guard soldiers and airmen, including some based at Scott Air Force Base, in support of COVID-19 response operations to bring the statewide total to 380 activated, officials said on Monday.
“About 80 of these additional Illinois National Guard members will help with communications and reporting between county health departments throughout the state and the State Emergency Operations Center,” according to a news release from the National Guard.
About a dozen Airmen from the 183rd Wing based in Springfield, the 126th Air Refueling Wing based at Scott Air Force Base, and the 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria, will manage the medical operations center and information collection in Springfield for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Illinois Department of Public Health, the release said.
Previously, the state said approximately 50 soldiers from the 1844th Transportation Company based in East St. Louis would support medical warehouse operations in central Illinois.
Postponed and canceled events
The News-Democrat has compiled a list of events in Illinois and St. Louis that have been canceled due to concerns about coronavirus.
You can find the list at BND.com.
Want to help? Here’s what you need to know
The BND has compiled a list of ways you can help during the coronavirus pandemic.
Go to BND. com to learn about the opportunities to volunteer your time or donate to help communities in the metro-east without putting yourself or others at risk.
You can sew face masks, read stories for people with vision loss and deliver meals to seniors.
If you know of a recognized charitable organization looking for help that isn’t listed, please tell us about it; send an email to newsroom@bnd.com or fill out the BND’s Southwest Illinois coronavirus service and assistance guide online at BND.com.
Get the latest news on coronavirus
BND.com will keep you updated through the day with information about the spread of coronavirus through southwestern Illinois.
You can also find the most complete and up-to-date information from government sites including:
▪ State of Illinois’ coronavirus page: coronavirus.illinois.gov
▪ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html
▪ Federal government’s coronavirus page: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
How to contact the BND with tips, concerns
If you have suggestions about something for the BND to cover regarding the coronavirus pandemic or if you see a report that sounds suspicious on social media or anywhere else, please drop us a note at newsroom@bnd.com and include a link. We’ll check it out.
If you’re a health care worker, we’d like to hear from you
The BND would like to speak with nurses, doctors and other health care professionals who are on the front lines caring for patients in doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals during this difficult time. We’re interested in hearing about your challenges and rewards, frustrations and accomplishments. How is this affecting you? Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
Recovering from COVID-19? The BND would like to talk to you
Have you recovered from coronavirus or are you in the process of recovering from COVID-19? We would like to hear from you on how you dealt with the respiratory disease. Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Tuesday live updates on coronavirus: Belleville chief outlines enforcement rules."