Advisory
May 15, 2020 Coronavirus update from Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso.
May 15, 2020 Coronavirus update from Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso. 
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MAYOR GRASSO ON COVID-19 / CORONAVIRUS
Friday May 15, 2020
THE GOVERNOR’S SAH ORDER REMAINS MAY 30, BUT WE MAY BE IN PHASE 3 ON MAY 28
Friday May 15, 2020
THE GOVERNOR’S SAH ORDER REMAINS MAY 30, BUT WE MAY BE IN PHASE 3 ON MAY 28
Burr Ridge today has two more cases for a total of 72 cases. Fourteen days ago we had remained at 63 cases – so we have had 9 positive cases over 14 days. Burr Ridge is doing its part to crush the curve.
Like almost every elected leader, I supported the Governor’s Stay-At-Home Order issued March 9 that was set to last through April 7. I supported his reasoning too: that we had to “flatten the curve” and not overload our hospital and ICU beds and ventilators. The Governor then extended his Order to April 30 and again to May 30, both on the same premise. Then came May 5, when his Restore Illinois plan created 4 Regions using the 11 Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) emergency medical regions. Three of the Regions included just two IDPH regions. The most populous Region, the Northeast Region, lumped FIVE highly populated regions (7, 8, 9, 10 and 11). “Flattening” turned into “positivity”. As you have seen from my messages, Burr Ridge as well as all of DuPage County has met that goal. As of today, the positivity rate has been meeting the IDPH goals. We have been averaging over 20,000 tests per day for a week statewide. We are on track still to reach Phase 3 by May 28 as a Region – assuming Chicago continues its trend. But the rub is that as a DuPage community and DuPage generally would have been able to open up sooner than May 28 if we were not grouped with Chicago.
Here is the question we likely all have for the Governor: what is the path from Phase 3 to 4? Phase 4 is when we can responsibly open bars and restaurants. Restore Illinois states that to move to Phase 4 “testing [must be] available in [all] Regions regardless of symptoms or risk factors.” The Governor dodged the answer to that benchmark when asked today. At this point, testing remains limited to people with at least some symptoms. Thus, the Plan does not objectively define what is meant by “testing available”. Currently, the State’s high water mark for daily testing is 29,000. How would we increase this 2x/3x/5x in a short period of time? Restore Illinois also states that to move to Phase 4 “begin contact tracing and monitoring within 24 hours of diagnosis for more than 90% of cases in region.” I have it on good authority that contact tracing is unattainable in the short term – if ever in 2020. The Governor will have to get off that as a requirement to Phase 4 openings. Bottom line – there is no clear or objective path to reaching Phase 4.
Tomorrow (9am–noon) is our third drive-thru mask give away at the Village Hall. Residents may get four masks per car; just show any document with your address on it. Staff has hung both of our The Cure Is US banners at Village Hall as a reminder to hang in there and protect our loved ones, our friends and neighbors, and ourselves in this new existence.
Like almost every elected leader, I supported the Governor’s Stay-At-Home Order issued March 9 that was set to last through April 7. I supported his reasoning too: that we had to “flatten the curve” and not overload our hospital and ICU beds and ventilators. The Governor then extended his Order to April 30 and again to May 30, both on the same premise. Then came May 5, when his Restore Illinois plan created 4 Regions using the 11 Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) emergency medical regions. Three of the Regions included just two IDPH regions. The most populous Region, the Northeast Region, lumped FIVE highly populated regions (7, 8, 9, 10 and 11). “Flattening” turned into “positivity”. As you have seen from my messages, Burr Ridge as well as all of DuPage County has met that goal. As of today, the positivity rate has been meeting the IDPH goals. We have been averaging over 20,000 tests per day for a week statewide. We are on track still to reach Phase 3 by May 28 as a Region – assuming Chicago continues its trend. But the rub is that as a DuPage community and DuPage generally would have been able to open up sooner than May 28 if we were not grouped with Chicago.
Here is the question we likely all have for the Governor: what is the path from Phase 3 to 4? Phase 4 is when we can responsibly open bars and restaurants. Restore Illinois states that to move to Phase 4 “testing [must be] available in [all] Regions regardless of symptoms or risk factors.” The Governor dodged the answer to that benchmark when asked today. At this point, testing remains limited to people with at least some symptoms. Thus, the Plan does not objectively define what is meant by “testing available”. Currently, the State’s high water mark for daily testing is 29,000. How would we increase this 2x/3x/5x in a short period of time? Restore Illinois also states that to move to Phase 4 “begin contact tracing and monitoring within 24 hours of diagnosis for more than 90% of cases in region.” I have it on good authority that contact tracing is unattainable in the short term – if ever in 2020. The Governor will have to get off that as a requirement to Phase 4 openings. Bottom line – there is no clear or objective path to reaching Phase 4.
Tomorrow (9am–noon) is our third drive-thru mask give away at the Village Hall. Residents may get four masks per car; just show any document with your address on it. Staff has hung both of our The Cure Is US banners at Village Hall as a reminder to hang in there and protect our loved ones, our friends and neighbors, and ourselves in this new existence.
“This above all: to thine own self be true.” – William Shakespeare
SOCIAL DISTANCING-ELBOW BUMPS (If YOU MUST)-WEAR FACE COVERINGS
SOCIAL DISTANCING-ELBOW BUMPS (If YOU MUST)-WEAR FACE COVERINGS
Address/Location
Village of Burr Ridge
7700 S County Line Rd
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 630-323-8181