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* Unlike the cancellation of the International Housewares Association event (56,000 people) this is a somewhat smallish event (5,500 attendees), but it’s the second convention cancellation in a few days and is therefore a worrisome development. Crain’s…
Software giant Oracle today announced it will shift an upcoming conference scheduled at McCormick Place to an online-only format amid coronavirus concerns, becoming the second event this week to cancel its trip to the Near South Side convention because of the outbreak.
“Due to increasing concerns about the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, and to help protect the health and safety of our customers, employees, partners, and everyone who helps host the event, Oracle is postponing the in-person component of our upcoming Oracle Modern Business Experience conference,” the Bay Area-based company said on its website. The conference had been slated for later this month. […]
The cancellations deal a blow to the convention center and the many hotels and businesses that thrive on its event visitors. Tourism bureau Choose Chicago estimated the nine major events scheduled there over the next 90 days would account for more than $460 million of spending.
…Adding… Good news…
The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation as it relates to the upcoming NSBA Annual Conference in Chicago on April 4-6.
We want to assure conference participants and attendees that your health and safety are of utmost concern and our top priority. We are in close communication with Choose Chicago (the Chicago Convention and Visitor Bureau) and McCormick Place authorities. In addition, we are seeking guidance from the local health, public safety, and transportation authorities to make sure that appropriate disease prevention, monitoring, and response protocols are in place for the conference.
Based on the information currently available, NSBA’s current plan is to proceed with the conference as scheduled. We look forward to seeing you in Chicago.
* Meanwhile…
Public health leaders in the state are getting ready to make their way to Washington D.C. They will update Congress about the local impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Before heading there, the director of the state’s department of public health updated state lawmakers about the need for more resources to continue fighting the virus.
“The risks to the Illinois public still remains low but we still want people to pay attention to what’s going on around the world and to prepare,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Illinois Department of Public Health director.
Dr. Ezike said the state will need more testing supplies to combat the novel coronavirus. “We are using them daily, I know at last count was about 2,200 so we are requesting for the CDC to send additional reagents so that when this runs out, there won’t be any pause and we will continue to test.” […]
Ezike said the agency is considering drive-thru style testing where people can pull up and be tested in their cars, eliminating the risk of spreading the virus. For now, new labs in Springfield and Carbondale are open in addition to the original testing lab in Chicago.
While 22 people in Illinois are awaiting test results, Ezike said 116 people have been tested for the virus in total. Only four people have been diagnosed with the illness, no one has died of the aliment in Illinois yet.
* Greg Hinz…
A state and city that have had trouble paying their bills even in good times are facing a potentially budget body blow as the coronavirus begins to infect the local economy.
Fiscal experts and some officials are warning that a region that serves as a logistics and meetings center and as a major international exporter is particularly vulnerable to disruption from the spreading virus. That means less tax receipts at a time when government needs more. […]
“We don’t have any reserves. We don’t have any unrestricted funds that are being held in abeyance,” either at the state or city level, warns Laurence Msall, president of the watchdog Civic Federation.
“It is reasonable to forecast tens of millions of dollars of revenue impact for the city and hundreds of millions for the state, depending on how long a possible recession continues,” he added. Both state and city officials should be doing the same thing now, in his view: “They should be refreshing their Plans B and preparing alternatives.”
* Roundup…
* Man hospitalized in Arlington Heights with coronavirus had not traveled abroad recently
* Coronavirus fears cause Illinois college to cancel basketball games: The Chicago State University men’s basketball team will not travel for two regularly scheduled Western Athletic Conference games this week, and its women’s team will not host two games, the school said late Tuesday, citing the spread of the coronavirus.
* Northwestern University cancels all international spring break trips amid coronavirus fears
* Feder: 4 ABC 7 employees stay away from work fearing possible exposure to coronavirus - According to media reporter Robert Feder on Tuesday, precautions were taken after an interview with a food service worker at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, where a coronavirus patient is being treated.
* Chicago To Deliver More Cleaning Supplies To Schools Amid Coronavirus Concerns
* Archdiocese of Chicago Issues Coronavirus Protocols For Parishes
* Stocks sink after Fed chief’s virus warning
* Worst of coronavirus is yet to come for U.S. factories - Unlike retailers or airlines that feel the immediate hit of missed lattes and canceled flights, the supply-chain pain wrought by the coronavirus takes more time to manifest.
* Coronavirus shakes hotel industry—including Hyatt - The Chicago-based hotel operator said new corporate travel restrictions in North America and Europe would hurt results and make it difficult to forecast the rest of the year.
* Kendall County Health Department chief provides update on coronavirus spread: Dr. Amaal Tokars, executive director for the Kendall County Health Department, said during the Tuesday, March 3 County Board meeting that health officials have been working with community members as the spread of the coronavirus continues. She said local health officials aren’t aware of any cases in the county currently. “And I say those words very carefully,” Tokars said. “We don’t know of a case, because you can see cases coming up in the country where people don’t know where those originated from.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 11:05 am
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–…Adding… Good news…–
The ‘good news’ may be in the eye of the beholder.
Without the city or state public health department providing clear recommendations on “whether the show must go on”, it’s going to be a hodge podge contradictory, confusing private sector messages.
Comment by King Louis XVI Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 11:51 am
We are very fortunate that the Illinois rainy fund has been replenished. I hope I am wrong, but I think we’re going to need it.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 11:54 am
Regarding the fear of COVID-19, and the cancellations/closings that are occurring because of it;and individually, now more circumspect as to whether one should go to an event/meeting, I keep having a line from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid run in my mind: “…..Would you make that jump if you didn’t have to?”
Comment by Sayitaintso Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 11:56 am
I wonder if the corona virus is being blown out of proportion. When compared to the seasonal flu, the number of corona virus cases and deaths is minuscule.
I get that the corona virus is an unknown infection. Public health officials are scrambling to get information about the infection.
The CDC estimates that for the 2019-2020 flu season, there have been at least 32 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalized, and 18,000 deaths. And this is only for the USA.
As of today, the CDC says there are 125 cases of the corona virus with 9 deaths.
Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 11:58 am
===has been replenished===
Way too early to be that drunk.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 11:59 am
The archdiocese seems to be sticking out in its response.
Continuing the gathering of large numbers of people, with only minor adjustments, gives the appearance they might be worried more about attendance(donations) than the health of their parish.
Can’t say I’m surprised though.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 12:01 pm
– The Chicago State University men’s basketball team will not travel for two regularly scheduled Western Athletic Conference games this week –
Corona virus aside, the biggest question I have is why is Chicago State in the WAC? The travel budget must be huge.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 12:26 pm
Regarding Chicago State basketball team’s cancellation of their trip out west, their team is 4-25. Given the school’s financial issues, the decision may be more fiscal, than safety.
Comment by bogey golfer Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 12:31 pm
Will be interesting to see the downstream revenue effects for the city. I believe the increases to restaurant and ride sharing taxes may fall short on projected revenue given the travel decreases.
Comment by njt Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 12:44 pm
=== Northwestern University cancels all international spring break trips amid coronavirus fear ==
There is a domestic spring break and what you can catch on those trips joke here, but I am way too classy to take it.
The other issue for Oracle (and others) is some companies are significnatly cutting back on even domestic travel and asking staff to evaluate the ROI on those trips and going to Chicago to listen to Oracle trying to sell you stuff does not have a high ROI.
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 1:00 pm
Important to see the forest through the trees. 18,000 people have died from the flu this season. Some strains of the flu can be pretty lethal, but we go about our lives. Freak down people. As bad as these viruses are, they do eventually normalize. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/925984
Comment by Ed Equity Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 1:36 pm
Huh?
Using the CDC’s numbers, this year’s flu has a 0.06% fatality rate while coronavirus is 7.2%.
Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 2:41 pm
Dance Band - last I checked, the risk of death is 100%. We are all going to die of something. Whether it is a heart attack, corona virus, or drift off in our sleep from old age.
In the US, there have been 125 pediatric deaths from the seasonal flu this year.
The uproar from the corona virus is out of proportion to the risk of exposure.
Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 3:03 pm
Huh? The Trump Koolaid goes down smooth. The real problem is we have had some potential disease in the past that weren’t that bad. We know this one is easily transmissible and if your over 70 a very serious threat to your health. To compare this to the flu is dangerous and not at all true.
Comment by Southern Illinois Mayor Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 3:19 pm
Huh? Did you see the graphic that the death rate for those 80 and older is close to 15% And the seasonal flu is a serious issue, but the vaccinations, some partial immunity from previous infections, and effective antiviral medications make it very different from the COVID-19 situation
Comment by Groundhog Day Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 4:08 pm
Oh well. Have made a couple of posts defending my position that can’t get through the screening process. Must be in the corona virus quarantine area.
Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Mar 4, 20 @ 6:28 pm
So some Channel 7 workers are being quarantined at home because they spoke with a food service worker from a hospital that has corona patients? That hospital in AH is huge, is full service operational this week including regular admittances, tests, surgeries, allows guests to visit patients, etc. I know this because a close friend had major surgery there on Monday. This response from a news organization to a casual interview is the type of thing driving irrational fear and I am very sorry to see it. People need to get a grip.
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 7:04 am
What Responsa said times ten.
The media coverage is doing the public a disservice by stoking fear of a disease, that while contagious, there is limited risk of contracting.
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 7:09 am