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  • Justin Reyes administers a COVID-19 test to Maria Suarez outside...

    Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

    Justin Reyes administers a COVID-19 test to Maria Suarez outside Heartland Health Centers in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood on July 10, 2020.

  • A worker holds a metal stake as another uses a...

    John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune

    A worker holds a metal stake as another uses a sledgehammer to sink ground anchors for vaccine center tents outside the United Center on Feb. 26, 2021. According to officials, a mass vaccination site there will be capable of inoculating up to 6,000 people per day.

  • Cars line up as Tamira Perkins, center, and Kiara Flowers...

    Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Cars line up as Tamira Perkins, center, and Kiara Flowers administer a COVID-19 test at a walk-up and drive-thru test site in the Evanston Township High School parking lot on Jan. 3, 2021.

  • Kitty Horne, the school secretary, takes the temperature of students...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Kitty Horne, the school secretary, takes the temperature of students arriving for in-person student learning on Dec. 11, 2020, at The School of Saints Faith, Hope and Charity in Winnetka

  • Kay Haines and Amber Smith relax along the lakefront near...

    E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune

    Kay Haines and Amber Smith relax along the lakefront near Diversey on July 14, 2020.

  • People work out during a Studio Three outdoor "High Def"...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    People work out during a Studio Three outdoor "High Def" class, held in a Fifth Third Bank parking lot and drive-thru Jan. 13, 2021, in Chicago. The studio typically specializes in indoor workouts so it built an outdoor workout area so it could continue holding classes under coronavirus restrictions.

  • Few people are seen at State and Lake streets as...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    Few people are seen at State and Lake streets as the stay-at-home advisory begins in Chicago on Nov. 16, 2020.

  • General manger Jaidah Wilson-Turnbow, 45, sets up chairs on the...

    Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune

    General manger Jaidah Wilson-Turnbow, 45, sets up chairs on the patio behind Frances Cocktail Lounge in the Chatham neighborhood on Oct. 22, 2020, in Chicago.

  • Reflected in her rearview mirror, Tonya McDaniel, waits in her...

    Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune

    Reflected in her rearview mirror, Tonya McDaniel, waits in her car to be COVID-19 tested outside of Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights.

  • Chicago City Wide Orchestra holds its outdoor recording session in...

    Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Chicago City Wide Orchestra holds its outdoor recording session in concertmaster Martha Ash's backyard in Evanston on Oct. 11, 2020.

  • Rukhsar Sultanali, left, and Zul Kapadia, both with Prism Heath...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Rukhsar Sultanali, left, and Zul Kapadia, both with Prism Heath Lab in Chicago, prepare to conduct drive-thru COVID-19 testing on Aug. 6, 2020. This is the first day of testing at this by appointment-only site and will run 7-days-a-week from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

  • Andrew Marinelli cleans the bar as the staff prepares for...

    E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune

    Andrew Marinelli cleans the bar as the staff prepares for dinner service in the rooftop canopy area of Roots Handmade Pizza South Loop on Sept. 28, 2020.

  • Mourners add to a memorial on Sept. 9, 2020, during...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    Mourners add to a memorial on Sept. 9, 2020, during a vigil in memory of Dajore Wilson, 8, near where she was killed at 47th Street and South Union Avenue in the Canaryville neighborhood.

  • Two determined customers brave cold temperatures and wind for outdoor...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    Two determined customers brave cold temperatures and wind for outdoor breakfast at Wildberry's on Randolph Street in Chicago on Jan. 19, 2021.

  • Wearing a protective mask hostess Kelsey Roden walks by patron...

    Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune

    Wearing a protective mask hostess Kelsey Roden walks by patron Mike Flaherty while he sits on the the Lakefront Restaurant patio at Theater on the Lake on Aug. 6, 2020 in Chicago. The restaurant was hosting a soft launch and is expected to open Friday.

  • Linda Veasley-Payne say final goodbye at the end of funeral...

    Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune

    Linda Veasley-Payne say final goodbye at the end of funeral service for her mother Johnnie D. Veasley, 76, and grandmother Lela Reed, 95, at Leak & Sons funeral home in Country Club Hills on April 24, 2020. Bridget Stewart and her sister Linda Veasley-Payne are mourning the loss of their mother and grandmother, both victims of COVID-19.

  • A news ticker in Chicago's Loop announces new COVID-19 cases...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    A news ticker in Chicago's Loop announces new COVID-19 cases on Sept. 3, 2020.

  • Clinical research nurse Samantha Gatewood finishes administering the second shot...

    E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune

    Clinical research nurse Samantha Gatewood finishes administering the second shot in the COVID-19 trial to participant Gregory Bowman at Rush University Medical Center on Dec. 3, 2020.

  • Bartender Rory Toolan delivers a drink for Jessica Wolfe, right,...

    John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Bartender Rory Toolan delivers a drink for Jessica Wolfe, right, in the outdoor patio at Ludlow Liquors on Oct. 22, 2020, in Chicago.

  • Stacey Michelon, left, and Elizabeth Posner raise their fists while...

    John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Stacey Michelon, left, and Elizabeth Posner raise their fists while repeating a chant during a gathering to remember late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at Federal Plaza on Sept. 19, 2020, in Chicago.

  • Matt Krawczyk receives ashes sprinkled on the top of his...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Matt Krawczyk receives ashes sprinkled on the top of his head outside Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago on Feb. 17, 2021. Ash Wednesday looked a little different because of COVID-19 with the sprinkles on the top of the head for safety.

  • A first grader stretches her legs during Nicole Almodovar's class...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    A first grader stretches her legs during Nicole Almodovar's class March 4, 2021, at Kershaw Elementary School in Chicago.

  • A person walks by outdoor plastic dining bubbles on Oct....

    Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

    A person walks by outdoor plastic dining bubbles on Oct. 15, 2020, in the Fulton Market district of Chicago.

  • Betty Hermanek winces as she receives her COVID-19 vaccine at...

    Win McNamee/Getty Images/Chicago Tribune/TNS

    Betty Hermanek winces as she receives her COVID-19 vaccine at the Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care in North Riverside on Jan. 12, 2021.

  • Tommy Beltazar, from left, dines with Angelisa Ocic, as Claudia...

    John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Tommy Beltazar, from left, dines with Angelisa Ocic, as Claudia Carmona dines with Patricia Resendiz at Sushi Para M on March 2, 2021, in Chicago. The city is allowing 50% indoor dining capacity, or 50 people, starting today.

  • People wear masks on a very hot day in Chicago,...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune / Chicago Tribune

    People wear masks on a very hot day in Chicago, July 9, 2020.

  • Prekindergarten students wait for lunch at their desks on the...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Prekindergarten students wait for lunch at their desks on the first day of in-person learning at Dawes Elementary School in Chicago on Jan. 11, 2021.

  • Sink use is separated in a student bathroom at Our...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Sink use is separated in a student bathroom at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood on Sept. 2, 2020.

  • A sign asking patrons to wear a mask sits at...

    Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune

    A sign asking patrons to wear a mask sits at Empire Burgers & Brew on Oct. 20, 2020, in Naperville, Ill.

  • National Guard Spc. Sean Sumugat gives a COVID-19 vaccination to...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    National Guard Spc. Sean Sumugat gives a COVID-19 vaccination to pharmacist specialist Jay Trivedi at Cook County Health's North Riverside Health Center on Jan. 22, 2021, as the National Guard began its latest mission to help with vaccinations across the state.

  • Joggers and bicyclists use the reopened the Lakefront Trail in...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Joggers and bicyclists use the reopened the Lakefront Trail in Chicago on June 22, 2020, after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot closed the trail and the lakefront for nearly three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Map Room bartender Chris Jourdan works behind the bar in...

    Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

    Map Room bartender Chris Jourdan works behind the bar in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood on July 14, 2020.

  • Patrons get their temperatures checked before entering Moe's Cantina on...

    Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune

    Patrons get their temperatures checked before entering Moe's Cantina on Clark Street in Wrigleyville during the Cubs season opener.

  • Valerie, age 9, takes shelter from the rain while carrying...

    Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune

    Valerie, age 9, takes shelter from the rain while carrying her masked doll, Teresa, after visiting stores with her family along North Michigan Avenue, Aug. 2, 2020.

  • DuPage County security personnel direct traffic as dozens of people...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    DuPage County security personnel direct traffic as dozens of people wait to get COVID-19 tests in Wheaton on Nov. 12, 2020.

  • Crowds cool off along the lakefront near Diversey on July...

    E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune

    Crowds cool off along the lakefront near Diversey on July 14, 2020.

  • A woman has a nasal swab test at Prism Heath...

    José M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune

    A woman has a nasal swab test at Prism Heath Lab on Aug. 6, 2020.

  • Hostess Camille Webb, right, leads customer Michael Harris to the...

    Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune

    Hostess Camille Webb, right, leads customer Michael Harris to the outdoor sitting at Ja' Grill Hyde Park restaurant on Aug. 25, 2020. Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced new statewide rules requiring patrons in restaurants and bars to wear masks while interacting with waitstaff and other employees.

  • Beth Bond tries to work from home while entertaining her...

    Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune

    Beth Bond tries to work from home while entertaining her daughter Mady, 6, and her husband Lee Madsen feeds daughter James, 9 months, on March 17, 2020 at their River North apartment during the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Mayor Lori Lightfoot puts on her mask at the conclusion...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Mayor Lori Lightfoot puts on her mask at the conclusion of a Chicago City Hall news conference where she threatened to reimpose stricter guidelines on businesses.

  • Chandra Matteson, nurse practitioner with the Night Ministry, pauses for...

    E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune

    Chandra Matteson, nurse practitioner with the Night Ministry, pauses for a break between stops as she delivers sandwiches and checks temperatures on CTA Blue Line trains early, April 22, 2020. Social service agencies have reported an uptick in the number of homeless people sheltering on CTA trains during the pandemic.

  • Monica Gomez, a staff nurse at Amita St. Alexius Medical...

    Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune

    Monica Gomez, a staff nurse at Amita St. Alexius Medical Center, puts on PPE on Sept. 10, 2020, in Hoffman Estates. Gomez is the nurse who treated the first diagnosed coronavirus patients in Illinois, the earliest known person-to-person transmission of the new virus in the U.S.

  • David Cedras, 25, wears a mask while riding a Brown...

    Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/TNS

    David Cedras, 25, wears a mask while riding a Brown Line train in the Loop on June 9, 2020, in Chicago.

  • Members of the National Guard prepare to give vaccines at...

    Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Members of the National Guard prepare to give vaccines at the Tinley Park Convention Center COVID-19 vaccination site in Tinley Park on Jan. 25, 2021.

  • Food Fetch delivery driver Vuk Simovic picks up a carryout...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    Food Fetch delivery driver Vuk Simovic picks up a carryout order from Cozy Corner owner Georgia Dravlas on Oct. 26, 2020 in Oak Park.

  • From left, Ines Linares, Cristian Garain, Dominic Cervantes and Maricela...

    Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune

    From left, Ines Linares, Cristian Garain, Dominic Cervantes and Maricela Santigo dine in at Frontera Grill in Chicago on Oct. 27, 2020.

  • Mary Hensel, 9, hugs the family dog Pepper, while her...

    Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune

    Mary Hensel, 9, hugs the family dog Pepper, while her brother Joshua Hensel, 15, and sister Hannah Hensel, 9, pet him outside their home, April 7, 2020 in Chicago. Their mother Sarah passed away in 2018 at the age of 41, leaving their father David Hensel to look after their six children. Hensel, a food stamp recipient, is unable to order groceries online because customers using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are required to pay for purchases at the time and place of sale. He has cut back on the number of trips he makes to the grocery store each week, wearing gloves and a mask when he goes.

  • Members of the Illinois National Guard work at the COVID-19...

    Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune

    Members of the Illinois National Guard work at the COVID-19 test site at South Suburban College in South Holland on July 2, 2020.

  • The Rev. Manuel Padilla, left, and the Rev. Esequiel Sanchez...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    The Rev. Manuel Padilla, left, and the Rev. Esequiel Sanchez carry the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe after it was removed from the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines on Dec. 11, 2020. Religious leaders have urged devotees to avoid pilgrimages to the site.

  • With empty seats everywhere, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks...

    Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

    With empty seats everywhere, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks delivers to the Milwaukee Brewers in the second inning of the Cubs season opener, July 24, 2020 in Chicago.

  • Jo Padilla speaks with a proxy outside a residential building...

    Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune

    Jo Padilla speaks with a proxy outside a residential building while attempting to enumerate residents for the U.S. census in the Ravenswood neighborhood on Sept. 24, 2020, in Chicago.

  • Vaccine supplies are shown at the Iroquois County Public Health...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    Vaccine supplies are shown at the Iroquois County Public Health Department Feb. 10, 2021, in Watseka. Iroquois County has one of the state's highest vaccination rates.

  • Abi Carbajal stands in the kindergarten line with her daughter...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Abi Carbajal stands in the kindergarten line with her daughter Liani Uribe, 7, who is entering the second grade and Abi's little brother, Jacob Rebollar, 5, who begins kindergarten on the sidewalk outside of Newton Bateman Elementary School in Chicago's Irving Park neighborhood on Sept. 2, 2020.

  • Erika Cardoza, 22, Gustavo Martinez, 22, and their son Eli,...

    Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune

    Erika Cardoza, 22, Gustavo Martinez, 22, and their son Eli, 3, get a free COVID-19 test provided by Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) at "I Grow Chicago" in West Englewood on Aug. 31, 2020.

  • A staff member with personal protective equipment looks out from...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    A staff member with personal protective equipment looks out from the front entry door of the Illinois Veterans'­ Home in LaSalle on Dec. 3, 2020. At least 33 veterans have been killed by the virus.

  • A COVID-19 tester retrieves mouth swab samples from people at...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    A COVID-19 tester retrieves mouth swab samples from people at a free testing event at Harrison Park in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, July 24, 2020.

  • Phlebotomist Tina Novick administers COVID-19 tests to occupants in their...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    Phlebotomist Tina Novick administers COVID-19 tests to occupants in their vehicle as hundreds of people drive up to be tested for the coronavirus in Aurora on Nov. 12, 2020. As numbers in Illinois surge, hundreds lined up for testing in Aurora and Wheaton.

  • Ksenia Belajeva takes glasses from the table while Mario Carrasco,...

    Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune

    Ksenia Belajeva takes glasses from the table while Mario Carrasco, 60, dines with his daughter Jalyssa Carrasco, 17, and wife Maddy Carrasco, 41, at Empire Burgers & Brew on Oct. 20, 2020, in Naperville.

  • Will Grimes, 4, greets Santa Claus with a high-five through...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    Will Grimes, 4, greets Santa Claus with a high-five through plexiglass, Nov. 24, 2020, at Bass Pro Shops in Gurnee.

  • An apologetic sign at a restuarant in the 2500 block...

    John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune

    An apologetic sign at a restuarant in the 2500 block of North Clark Street in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on Oct. 14, 2020.

  • Clinical nurse Noemy Godina prepares COVID-19 vaccinations for patients at...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    Clinical nurse Noemy Godina prepares COVID-19 vaccinations for patients at Cook County Health's North Riverside Health Center in North Riverside on Jan. 22, 2021.

  • Coach cleaner Gerardo Garibay uses a sprayer to clean and...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    Coach cleaner Gerardo Garibay uses a sprayer to clean and disinfect seating inside a Metro train car at Metra's Western Avenue Coach Yard in Chicago on Sept. 15, 2020.

  • Dozens of people line up several blocks to enter the...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    Dozens of people line up several blocks to enter the United Center mass vaccination site on March 9, 2021. The site will be the biggest COVID-19 vaccination center in he state, with a goal of 6,000 vaccines per day.

  • Families, seated at the backs of their social-distanced vehicles, await...

    John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune

    Families, seated at the backs of their social-distanced vehicles, await the start of The Beatrix Potter Drive-In Theatre Experience on Oct. 9, 2020, in Chicago.

  • A man wears a mask as Italian Americans and supporters...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    A man wears a mask as Italian Americans and supporters celebrate at Chicago's Arrigo Park on Columbus Day on Oct. 12, 2020.

  • More than 4,000 hospital workers at University of Illinois Hospital...

    E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune

    More than 4,000 hospital workers at University of Illinois Hospital went on strike on Sept. 14, 2020, after failing to agree on a contract with the hospital.

  • A medical worker prepare doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine,...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    A medical worker prepare doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, Dec. 17, 2020, at Roseland Community Hospital on Chicago's South Side.

  • Jacob Rooth turns on the heat for outdoor seating on...

    Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Jacob Rooth turns on the heat for outdoor seating on Clark Street in downtown Chicago on Oct. 27, 2020.

  • Dozens of people wait in line to get tested outside...

    Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/TNS

    Dozens of people wait in line to get tested outside a mobile COVID-19 testing site Nov. 9, 2020, at Resurrection Project in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.

  • A child runs past a vote mural along Clark Street...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    A child runs past a vote mural along Clark Street near Addison Street on March 30, 2021.

  • While the inside sits empty, Bob Hook and Holly King...

    Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune

    While the inside sits empty, Bob Hook and Holly King drink and dine outside the Jarvis Square Tavern in the Rogers Park neighborhood on Sept. 28, 2020, in Chicago.

  • Pedestrians mostly wearing masks In the Wicker Park neighborhood Oct....

    E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune

    Pedestrians mostly wearing masks In the Wicker Park neighborhood Oct. 22, 2020.

  • Robin Kiamco, cousin of ICU nurse Neuman Kiamco, helps to...

    Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

    Robin Kiamco, cousin of ICU nurse Neuman Kiamco, helps to light candles for health care workers from MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn as the group remembers Neuman Kiamco, 48, who died on Aug. 30, 2020, after a two-month battle with COVID-19. The candlelight vigil took place outside MacNeal on Sept. 12.

  • Ian Van Cleaf, assistant principal, takes the temperature of a...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Ian Van Cleaf, assistant principal, takes the temperature of a student arriving on the first day of school at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood before Anna can enter the school on Sept. 2, 2020.

  • Owner Erik Archambeault, right, and Wally Andersen sit under a...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Owner Erik Archambeault, right, and Wally Andersen sit under a tent with a heat lamp outside Rogers Park Social as they discuss new indoor bar restrictions Oct. 27, 2020, in Chicago.

  • Suzanne Heuberger, 55, visits with her 89-year-old mother Vera Heuberger...

    Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune

    Suzanne Heuberger, 55, visits with her 89-year-old mother Vera Heuberger through glass in the entryway at the Selfhelp Home, April 13, 2020, in Chicago. Suzanne, who's been visiting her mother Vera through glass since early March, uses a cell phone to talk with her mother when the two meet.

  • People wait in line before being sworn as U.S. citizens...

    Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune

    People wait in line before being sworn as U.S. citizens in the courtyard of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Oct., 16, 2020. Because of the coronavirus, the naturalization process was held outside.

  • Server Chloe Climenhaga disinfects an outdoor pod after diners departed...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    Server Chloe Climenhaga disinfects an outdoor pod after diners departed Dec. 2, 2020, at Bien Trucha restaurant in Geneva.

  • Maurice Gordon receives a mask as Leo High School faculty...

    Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune

    Maurice Gordon receives a mask as Leo High School faculty and staff members distribute meals and 1,000 masks to families and the elderly in Chicago on April 29, 2020. The meals and masks were donated by a relief fund created by Leo alumni and Big Shoulders Fund.

  • Guests eat inside an enclosed, outdoor dining room outside Boqueria...

    John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Guests eat inside an enclosed, outdoor dining room outside Boqueria restaurant at 807 W. Fulton Market, Dec. 31, 2020, in Chicago.

  • A masked scooter rider maneuvers through downtown Evanston as Illinois...

    E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune

    A masked scooter rider maneuvers through downtown Evanston as Illinois reports four days of record numbers of COVID-19 cases, Nov. 13, 2020.

  • Students from School District 25 complete their e-learning in the...

    Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune

    Students from School District 25 complete their e-learning in the multipurpose room in South Middle School on Sept. 11, 2020, in Arlington Heights.

  • A sign tells travelers about COVID-19 testing Feb. 14, 2021,...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    A sign tells travelers about COVID-19 testing Feb. 14, 2021, at Terminal 5 of O'Hare International Airport.

  • From left, Brionna Walker, 27, drinks on the patio behind...

    Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune

    From left, Brionna Walker, 27, drinks on the patio behind Frances Cocktail Lounge with Connie Holloway, 35, in the Chatham neighborhood on Oct. 22, 2020, in Chicago.

  • People dance while musicians play on Aug. 9, 2020, during...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    People dance while musicians play on Aug. 9, 2020, during a weekly event organized by El Corrillo de Humboldt Park. Bystanders picnic in the grass and enjoy the show each Saturday and Sunday during the free gathering.

  • Fitness instructor Martha Patricia Montes addresses her students before a...

    John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Fitness instructor Martha Patricia Montes addresses her students before a virtual yoga class from her home studio in the North Mayfair neighborhood Jan. 15, 2021, in Chicago. Montes has been teaching fitness classes from her home since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • New social distancing circles are drawn on a lawn as...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    New social distancing circles are drawn on a lawn as visitors relax June 15, 2020, at Millennium Park as the park reopens following COVID-19 pandemic closures.

  • Guests dine inside tents along the Chicago River outside RPM...

    John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune

    Guests dine inside tents along the Chicago River outside RPM Seafood, Dec. 31, 2020, in Chicago.

  • People in cars line up for drive-thru COVID-19 testing on...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    People in cars line up for drive-thru COVID-19 testing on Jan. 7, 2021, at Charles A. Prosser Career Academy in Chicago. Illinois COVID-19 infection numbers surpassed 1 million on this day.

  • CTA riders with facemarks to protect them from coronavirus disembark...

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    CTA riders with facemarks to protect them from coronavirus disembark from a CTA train at Addison, in Chicago, March 30, 2021.

  • Mary Zalatoris, a registered nurse at Amita Health St. Alexius...

    Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune

    Mary Zalatoris, a registered nurse at Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center, cares for COVID-19 patient Paul Kjeldbjerg, 90, of Chicago on Jan. 7, 2021, in Hoffman Estates. Kjeldbjerg, who lives in an assisted living home in Chicago, had been in the hospital for 12 days. He said he most looks forward to the days when he can visit the garden at the home where he lives and walk two miles a day.

  • A shopper in downtown Oak Park on Nov. 13, 2020....

    Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

    A shopper in downtown Oak Park on Nov. 13, 2020. A stay-at-home advisory has been issued for suburban Cook County.

  • Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in...

    Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune

    Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel.

  • Server Katherine Ceron delivers food to customers dining on the...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    Server Katherine Ceron delivers food to customers dining on the outdoor patio at Tweet in Edgewater on June 3, 2020, for the first time since coronavirus restrictions closed restaurants.

  • Nurse clinician Vicki Johnson gives a second COVID-19 vaccine injection...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Nurse clinician Vicki Johnson gives a second COVID-19 vaccine injection to Tracy Everett, an emergency room nurse at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago on Jan. 7, 2021.

  • Cate Readling of the People's Lobby lights candles inside paper...

    Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune

    Cate Readling of the People's Lobby lights candles inside paper bags, formed into a heart shape to remember the lives lost in the COVID-19 pandemic, during a rally demanding changes from the incoming Biden-Harris administration at Federal Plaza on the eve of the Inauguration, Jan. 19, 2021, in Chicago. Readling said she was in attendance to support Cassandra Greer-Lee, whose husband passed away from COVID-19 in Cook County jail.

  • Tom Wilschke plays with his dog Jasper as his wife...

    Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

    Tom Wilschke plays with his dog Jasper as his wife Jess Mean, from left, talks with James Moes and his wife Bridget McMullan at Loyola Beach on a sunny and warm Nov. 8, 2020, in Chicago.

  • Paul Hogan warms up as his coach Ryan Nightingale looks...

    Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune

    Paul Hogan warms up as his coach Ryan Nightingale looks on at CrossTown Fitness in Chicago on June 24, 2020.

  • CTA "L" riders wait for a train at the State/Lake...

    Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

    CTA "L" riders wait for a train at the State/Lake station in downtown Chicago on July 14, 2020.

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Chicago Tribune
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:

For the second time in a week, Illinois officials reported a new daily count of coronavirus cases that hovered just under 2,000.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 1,953 new known cases of COVID-19 in the state over the prior 24 hours, and 21 additional deaths of people with the highly contagious illness. Today’s number is the highest daily count of cases since the end of May.

Those numbers raise the statewide totals to 188,424 known cases and 7,594 deaths since the pandemic began earlier this year. The seven-day statewide average positivity rate stands at 4%. It was 2.6% a month earlier.

Earlier Thursday, the Chicago Park District has announced that restaurants and concessions east of Lake Shore Drive are now allowed to reopen. Beachside establishments must adhere to the same COVID-19 safety guidelines that pertain to other businesses and restaurants in the city. While the Park District is working with each concession on its health and safety plans, proprietors can open as early as this week.

Here’s what’s happening Thursday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:

9:03 p.m. (update): Coronavirus relief talks in Washington on brink of collapse as sides still ‘far apart’

Washington talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money are teetering on the brink of collapse after a marathon meeting in the Capitol Thursday night generated lots of recriminations but little progress on the top issues confronting negotiators.

“There’s a handful of very big issues that we are still very far apart” on, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who depicted impasses on aid to states and local governments and renewing supplemental unemployment benefits.

Both sides said the future of the talks is uncertain. President Donald Trump is considering executive orders to address evictions and on unemployment insurance, but they appear unlikely to have much impact.

A breakdown in the talks would put at risk more than $100 billion to help reopen schools, a fresh round of $1,200 direct payments to most people, and hundreds of billions of dollars for state and local governments to help them avoid furloughing workers and cutting services as tax revenues shrivel.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York emerged to give a pessimistic update about the chances for an agreement.

“We’re very far apart. It’s most unfortunate,” Pelosi said.

Read more here. —The Associated Press

8 p.m.: Chicago alderman who was at news conference with Lightfoot tests positive for COVID-19

A day after attending a news conference with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other top city officials, West Side Ald. Michael Scott announced he tested positive for COVID-19.

Scott, who’s Lightfoot’s education committee chairman on the City Council, said he was tested last week during a community event and received the results on Thursday.

“I am home now, currently with no symptoms,” Scott said. “I am following all the necessary health protocols in accordance with the Chicago Department of Public Health. As a public official, it is my responsibility to share this news because I have a public facing life.”

Scott was at City Hall with Lightfoot, Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson and public health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady when they announced Wednesday that CPS would start the year with remote learning in the fall.

A message to Lightfoot’s press office was not immediately returned. Earlier in the day, Lightfoot abruptly canceled an afternoon news conference without explanation.

Read more here. —Gregory Pratt

7:30 p.m.: What went wrong? How the US has uniquely failed to control the coronavirus

Nearly every country has struggled to contain the coronavirus and made mistakes along the way.

China committed the first major failure, silencing doctors who tried to raise alarms about the virus and allowing it to escape from Wuhan. Much of Europe went next, failing to avoid enormous outbreaks. Today, many countries — Japan, Canada, France, Australia and more — are coping with new increases in cases after reopening parts of society.

Yet even with all of these problems, one country stands alone as the only affluent nation to have suffered a severe, sustained outbreak for more than four months: the United States.

When it comes to the virus, the United States has come to resemble not the wealthy and powerful countries to which it is often compared but instead to far poorer countries, like Brazil, Peru and South Africa, or those with large migrant populations, like Bahrain and Oman.

As in several of those other countries, the toll of the virus in the United States has fallen disproportionately on poorer people and groups that have long suffered discrimination. Black and Latino residents of the United States have contracted the virus at roughly three times as high of a rate as white residents.

How did this happen? The New York Times set out to reconstruct the unique failure of the United States through numerous interviews with scientists and public health experts around the world. The reporting points to two central themes.

Read more here. —The New York Times

7:11 p.m.: Illinois will test athletes daily in hopes of containing the spread of the coronavirus and kicking off the football season

Illinois offensive tackle Alex Palczewski wore a mask and couldn’t hug his teammates, but he smiled as he talked about returning to the practice field Thursday after limited interaction for months amid COVID-19 restrictions.

“We have to sacrifice a few months,” said Palczewski, a senior from Mount Prospect whose mom is an intensive care unit nurse. “If at the end of the season, we’re Big Ten champs, it’s all worth it.”

Illini players, coach Lovie Smith and athletic director Josh Whitman stressed during video conferences with reporters the importance of reducing the spread of the coronavirus in hopes of completing a season as uncertainty swirls around the nation about the possibility of kicking off this fall.

Illinois athletes will be required to take daily tests, with at least two PCR tests per week required by Big Ten protocol and saliva tests administered through the university. Currently, saliva tests are available only on weekdays, but the university expects those to be available soon on weekends too.

The amount of testing at Illinois exceeds what most programs have announced.

Read more here. —Shannon Ryan

6:34 p.m.: Tribune Publishing in talks to leave Prudential Plaza offices amid pandemic

The Chicago Tribune’s offices could be on the move for the second time in less than three years, as the newspaper’s parent company seeks an exit from Prudential Plaza amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Tribune Publishing is in talks with Prudential Plaza owner Sterling Bay for a buyout of its approximately 137,000-square-foot lease in the office complex overlooking Millennium Park, according to real estate sources.

Sterling Bay and Tribune Publishing’s brokers from Jones Lang LaSalle have begun informally marketing the entire space to potential tenants in anticipation of the company’s exit, according to sources.

Tribune Publishing is among many companies taking steps to reduce real estate and other costs during a pandemic that has left many office employees working from home since March.

Measures companies are taking include stopping rent payments, seeking rent relief and offering space for sublease. Uber and Groupon are among those with sublease space on the market, and a wave of additional sublease offerings is expected to flood the market in the coming months.

Read more here. —Ryan Ori

6:10 p.m.: Diversey Express Driver Services Facility temporarily closed after positive test

An employee at the Diversey Express Driver Services Facility tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Office of the Secretary of State. The facility will be closed until August 10 “out of abundance of caution,” according to a news release Thursday afternoon.

“The Illinois Department of Public Health has been consulted and confirmed that public is not directly impacted by this situation,” the statement said.

Employees who work at the facility are being quarantined for 14 days. The facility is scheduled to be cleaned and sanitized.

—Jessica Villagomez

5:32 p.m.: Loyola University Chicago says it won’t open residence halls this fall amid ongoing COVID-19 fears

Loyola University Chicago announced Thursday it will not reopen its residence halls this fall because of continued worries about the spread of COVID-19.

“Evaluating current health conditions, and factoring for uncertainty in the months ahead, has led us to make the very tough decision to suspend plans to host students in on-campus residence halls until conditions are favorable,” according to a letter that went out Thursday, signed by President Jo Ann Rooney and several other administrators.

“Like you, we hoped that the trajectory of the virus would subside over the summer. In fact, it grew stronger,” the statement reads.

The campus leaders said that under Chicago’s emergency travel rules, 700 dormitory residents would be coming from “hot spot” areas and would have to begin a two-week quarantine upon arrival.

Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney

4:40 p.m.: City Colleges faculty and staff threaten to strike if everyone isn’t allowed to work remotely this fall

Faculty and staff at City Colleges of Chicago are threatening to hold their first strike in more than a decade if administrators don’t allow all employees to work from home when fall classes begin in late August.

While most instructors have been approved to teach remotely next semester, about 450 employees, including academic advisors and technological support and clerical staff, were required to return to campuses on Monday, according to unions representing those workers. Employees deemed essential by the community college network have been working in person since May despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tony Johnston, president of the Cook County College Teachers Union, said his members plan to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss taking a vote of no confidence in the administration, a move that could potentially escalate into a safety-related strike.

“The simple truth is that our colleges, much like K-12 schools, were not made to deliver instruction and student services under these pandemic conditions,” Johnston said.

A spokeswoman for CCC, the state’s largest community college system with seven campuses, said in-person services are being offered because not all students can access technology from home.

Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney

4:17 p.m.: Illinois is extending unemployment benefits by 20 weeks. Meanwhile, some gig workers are learning they’ve been overpaid.

Illinois extended jobless benefits another 20 weeks as laid off workers continued to struggle with the claims process, including some who say they have to return funds because they were overpaid.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security, the state agency tasked with handling jobless claims, said the extension was available starting Thursday to people who have gone through 26 weeks of state benefits. Illinois is among 19 states providing 20 weeks of extended benefits, the agency said in a news release.

More than 25,000 Illinoisans filed for unemployment insurance for the first time in the week ending Aug. 1, down from more than 33,000 the week before, according to the state’s latest figures.

At the same time, several gig and contract workers who were able to apply for benefits under the federal coronavirus relief package told the Tribune they owe thousands of dollars back to the state after learning they were overpaid.

Some claimants say the state is deducting funds from their weekly benefits to pay down the debt.

Chris Markacek, of Orland Park, has been out of work as a DJ since March due to event cancellations. He said the state notified him he owes about $4,000. By late July, Markacek said his benefits were being deducted to pay off the amount.

“There was no explanation for anything. It all happened very sudden and it was confusing,” Markacek, 34, said.

Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez

3:50 p.m.: Indiana state superintendent says schools can safely reopen

Indiana’s top education official said Thursday that she think schools can safely reopen despite mounting reports of students and staffers testing positive for the coronavirus within days of returning to the classroom in some districts.

Jennifer McCormick, the state’s school superintendent, said that she thinks it’s best for medical experts to determine if, when or how schools should reopen.

“Based on what I have been told, we are good to go — with provisions,” she said during a webinar in Indianapolis.

Read more here. —The Associated Press

(Updated: 2:40 p.m.) 12:33 p.m.: Negotiators trade public broadsides on stalled coronavirus relief package, likely to miss agreement deadline

President Donald Trump and the Senate’s top Republican huddled Thursday over a huge COVID-19 rescue package, but hopes on Capitol Hill for a deal are souring and there’s increasing worry that bipartisan congressional negotiations might collapse.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is a key player in the troubled talks and possesses far more experience than Trump’s negotiating team, which is publicly frustrated by the inflexible tactics of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The Democratic duo has not yielded much ground from an unprecedented $3.5 trillion House-passed rescue package.

McConnell seemed to downplay the significance of the Trump meeting, telling a reporter “we talked a little bit about everything.”

Pelosi and Schumer are exuding confidence in a political and legislative landscape that’s tilted in their favor. Trump and McConnell both badly want an agreement, but Democrats control the House and may actually provide the lion’s share of votes in the Senate.

Read more here. —The Associated Press

(Updated: 2:08 p.m.) 12:11 p.m.: 1,953 new known COVID-19 cases, 21 additional fatalities

For the second time in a week, Illinois officials reported a new daily count of coronavirus cases that hovered just under 2,000.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 1,953 new known cases of COVID-19 in the state over the prior 24 hours, and 21 additional deaths of people with the highly contagious illness.

Those numbers raise the statewide totals to 188,424 known cases and 7,594 deaths since the pandemic began earlier this year. The seven-day statewide average positivity rate stands at 4%. It was 2.6% a month earlier.

Officials reported 1,941 new known cases on Friday, which was the highest daily tally of new cases since late May.

—Jamie Munks

1:09 p.m.: Chicago’s legendary FOBAB beer festival canceled due to COVID-19, but the competition will go on

Few things could be less appealing in the era of COVID-19 than getting buzzed on intensely boozy beer while crushed shoulder-to shoulder with a bunch of strangers in a bland event space.

So it comes as no surprise that Chicago’s legendary Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer has been canceled for 2020, the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild announced Thursday.

However, the Guild will press on with FOBAB’s annual competition, in which medals are handed out across 12 categories to honor excellence in wood-aging beer and cider.

Read more here. —Josh Noel

1 p.m.: Millions of Americans thrown out of work because of the coronavirus endure loss of $600 aid: ‘My worst nightmare is coming true’

An unemployed makeup artist with two toddlers and a disabled husband needs help with food and rent. A hotel manager says his unemployment has deepened his anxiety and kept him awake at night. A dental hygienist, pregnant with her third child, is struggling to afford diapers and formula.

Around the country, across industries and occupations, millions of Americans thrown out of work because of the coronavirus are straining to afford the basics now that an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits has expired.

“My worst nightmare is coming true,” said Liz Ness, a laid-off recruiter at a New Orleans staffing agency who fears she will be evicted next month without the added help from Washington. “Summer 2020 could be next year’s horror movie.”

Read more here. —The Associated Press

12:32 p.m.: Working from home leaving necks aching and shoulders sore? Ergonomic experts weigh in on how to make your workspace work for you.

Neck ache, back pain, sore shoulders — it’s not just you. University of Chicago physical therapist Zachary Stapleton said these are the most common complaints he receives from people who work desk jobs. “Desk jobs” these days may be more aptly called “couch jobs” or “kitchen table jobs” for some, but as more companies move to make work-from-home a more permanent measure, it might be time to reevaluate your workspace for the long term.

“I encourage people to establish environments that lead them to be as efficient as possible,” said Stapleton, who is also board-certified in orthopedics. Whatever your setup, he said it’s important that you have your feet on the floor and elbows at a 90-degree angle. The top of your computer monitor should be even with your brow and angled upward to take some tension off of your neck, he said.

Read more here. —Lauren Leazenby

11:18 a.m.: Lakefront restaurants to reopen this week, many as early as Friday

While beaches remain closed, you’ll still get a chance to enjoy the sand and surf this summer: The Chicago Park District has announced that restaurants and concessions east of Lake Shore Drive are now allowed to reopen.

Beachside establishments must adhere to the same COVID-19 safety guidelines that pertain to other businesses and restaurants in the city. While the Park District is working with each concession on its health and safety plans, proprietors can open as early as this week.

Read more here. —Grace Wong

10:49 a.m.: Bright Horizons buys Chicago-based Sittercity as parents scramble for in-home child care and tutoring

With families scrambling to figure out child care options for kids attending school remotely this fall, day care company Bright Horizons announced it is purchasing Sittercity, an online platform that matches people with child care providers.

Bright Horizons said the partnership will help it fill the wide range of new child care needs families are facing as a growing list of workplaces and schools, including Chicago Public Schools, delay plans to return to offices and classrooms during the pandemic.

“With the child care strain families have been experiencing the last five months paired with the prospect of remote learning, this acquisition will allow us to expand our in-home offerings and virtual solutions that are increasingly critical to families,” Bright Horizons CEO Stephen Kramer said in a news release Thursday. Terms of the transaction with Sittercity were not disclosed.

Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach

10:16 a.m.: ‘This is really devastating.’ Airline workers face tough decisions on whether to exit or hold on through COVID-19 pandemic.

American Airlines flight attendants were warned recently that flying won’t be the same after Oct. 1, even for those who avoid furloughs and keep their jobs.

Flight attendants will work more hours, trips will be longer and more will be assigned to on-call “reserve” shifts, even those with 35 years of experience. Some flight attendants may have to relocate across the country to remain employed.

The future of flying is starting to take shape at major airlines, and it won’t be as friendly as the past seven years have been for employees.

Read more here. —The Dallas Morning News

10:13 a.m.: Thinking of home schooling? Here’s how to do it.

Families across the Chicago area will be getting yet another taste of home schooling this fall, as many school districts opt for some degree of remote learning due to risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But others are thinking about untethering from traditional schools altogether, adopting their own, more flexible curricula that can be better adapted to parents’ schedules and children’s needs.

Indeed, interest in home schooling — which first gained traction among religious families over the past few decades — has spiked since the pandemic began. Taking responsibility for your children’s education, however, can seem daunting. We spoke with some experts for their tips on how to home-school this fall.

Read more here. —Jennifer Day

5 alternative school options parents are weighing as more Chicago-area districts opt for remote learning

8:24 a.m.: 1.2 million seek unemployment aid after $600 federal pandemic boost ends

Nearly 1.2 million laid-off Americans applied for state unemployment benefits last week, evidence that the coronavirus keeps forcing companies to slash jobs just as a critical $600 weekly federal jobless payment has expired.

The government’s report Thursday did offer a smidgen of hopeful news: The number of jobless claims declined by 249,000 from the previous week, after rising for two straight weeks, and it was the lowest total since mid-March.

Still, claims remain at alarmingly high levels: It is the 20th straight week that at least 1 million people have sought jobless aid. Before the pandemic hit hard in March, the number of Americans seeking unemployment checks had never surpassed 700,000 in a week, not even during the Great Recession of 2007-2009.

Read more here. —The Associated Press

7:20 a.m.: City Colleges unions to announce opposition to in-person classes

Unions representing teachers and other workers at the City Colleges of Chicago was scheduled to hold an online news conference Thursday to “announce (members’) willingness to strike for safety,” according to a news release.

The Cook County College Teachers Union as well as other unions representing City Colleges workers were scheduled to hold a news conference at 11 a.m. Thursday to call on the college system’s leadership to pause reopening “until a safe plan is in place,” according to the release.

The unions say that the City Colleges last week “demanded that student service employees such as college advisors and clerical staff return to buildings,” even though the unions say the workers “have been performing their jobs exceptionally well from home,” according to the release.

Check back for updates. —Chicago Tribune staff

Breaking coronavirus news

Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.

Here are five stories related to COVID-19 from Wednesday.

Central Illinois Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis said he’s tested positive for COVID-19.

Chicago nurses joined a national day of action over PPE and federal assistance.

Millions of US jobs may be gone for good because of the pandemic.

Alternative school options have seen a surge of interest as COVID-19 prompts districts to go remote.

A new University of Chicago center will collect thousands of X-rays and CT scans to aid with COVID-19 research.