Why It Takes So Long To Get Most COVID-19 Test Results

After a slow start, testing for COVID-19 has begun to ramp up in recent weeks. Giant commercial labs have jumped into the effort, drive-up testing sites have been established in some places, and new types of tests have been approved under emergency rules set by the Food and Drug Administration. But even for people who are able to get tested (and there's still a big lag in testing ability in hot spots across the U.S.), there can be a frustratingly long wait for results — not just hours, but...

Read More
https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/county-map

Infant, State Employee Are Among 13 New COVID-19 Deaths

Peter Medlin

'Embody The Love Of Neighbor': Practicing Faith In A Pandemic

To Save The Lives Of Animals, 'It Takes An Entire Community'

By Connie Kuntz • Mar 27, 2020
Connie Kuntz

The Animal Services Department of Winnebago County shut down its adoption services because of Governor J.B. Prtizker's order to stay at home. The adoption program -- not euthanasia -- is the main way animals leave the shelter. Though it’s closed to the public, the department continues to care for the animals who are still there. And its officers continue to respond to emergency calls, those where the health and safety of a person or an animal are threatened.

Brett Frazier is the administrator of animal services. He said they had an emergency call on Thursday night. 

Statewide: Finding Ways To Help And Cope

By • Mar 27, 2020

A crisis can sometimes bring out the best in people.  And it can also lead them to rise above and find ways to keep going.

On this week's Statewide, we hear about volunteers working to help those on the front lines of health care, teachers working through obstacles to comntinue educating students and artists getting even more creative.  Those stories and more on this show.

We Still Have To Eat -- Grocery Shopping During Uncertain Times

By Yvonne Boose • Mar 27, 2020
Pixabay.com

Illinois is on lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak but some businesses are open. This includes grocery stores. Many people have been rushing to them to make sure they have everything they need, during this uncertain time.  

 

Paul Simon is the spokesperson for Schnucks. He said the grocery store chain is taking precautionary steps to reduce the spread COVID-19.

Perspective: What's A 'Full-Blooded American?'

By Jim Kline • Mar 27, 2020
Unsplash

Like many Americans, I recently completed the 2020 Census online. I was prepared to engage in an act of civil disobedience -- refusing to answer any question about citizenship. Thankfully, I didn't need to. 

 

Sessions from Studio A - Crystal Gravy

By Spencer Tritt • Mar 26, 2020
WNIJ

Join us for the music of Crystal Gravy, of DeKalb, IL. They are a love-struck duo who even spent their first date writing their first song. We'll hear their performance in Studio A and talk with Crystal Gravy about their writing process, their relationship, and much more. We will even learn what "Hotel Stew" is.

Keep up with Crystal Gravy by following their Facebook page. Find more of their music streaming on Spotify and available for download on Bandcamp!

Scammers Taking Advantage of Coronavirus Pandemic

By • Mar 26, 2020
Pixabay

Scammers are taking advantage of the pandemic to trick people into giving away money and personal information.

Some of these scams take the forms of e-mails and robocalls claiming to be from a reputable organization like the CDC or WHO. There can be an appeal to urgency, such as saying you were exposed by someone to the disease, and they need your personal information. Others may be asking for donations, but those aren’t actually going to a legitimate organization. Retired NIU Professor David  Sinason specializes in fraud prevention. He said due diligence is key.

Drinkin' With Lincoln Episode 8: A Lincoln For All Veterans

By • Mar 26, 2020
WNIJ

On this episode, we feature Navy veteran Rick Otey, who took up the mantle of Lincoln at age 67 and uses Lincoln to help those around him (especially veterans). Join host Clint Cargile as he travels to Rick’s hometown of Tremont, Illinois, a town rich with Lincoln history.

In part one, we visit Rick at the Tremont History Museum and then he gives a tour of Lincoln sites around Tremont. We also hear the little-known story of a duel Lincoln took part in, and its connection to Tremont.

Illinois Artists Hurt And Heal During Coronavirus Pandemic

By • Mar 26, 2020

Artists throughout Illinois have been hit particularly hard by the social distancing effects of the coronavirus pandemic. For many, their primary source of income has dried up as gigs and events have been canceled.

For this week’s Illinois Issues report, I gathered stories of their struggles and their solutions for keeping creativity alive during a global pandemic.  

Illinois Pushes Back Income Tax Deadline

By • Mar 26, 2020

Illinois is extending its income tax filing period, days after the federal government did the same. 

Both Illinois and federal income taxes will have the same deadline – July 15.

Slam Poetry -- "The Points Are Not The Point"

By Yvonne Boose • Mar 26, 2020
Yvonne Boose

National Poetry Month is coming up in April and earlier this month Kishwaukee College held an interactive poetry workshop called, “So You Wanna Be a Slam Poet.” 

Some people may be familiar with spoken word poetry or may have attended a poetry reading. Bear Wolf is the adjunct professor of English at Kishwaukee College. He said there is a slight difference between spoken word and slam poetry. 

Pages

News From NPR

Apple's New Tool Let's You Screen Yourself For COVID-19

By • 41 minutes ago

Apple's new COVID-19 website and app allow users to screen themselves for coronavirus symptoms and receive recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on what to do next.

The tool was developed in partnership with the CDC, the White House's Coronavirus Task Force and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Both the website and the app were made publicly available on Friday.

Trump, Esper Wish Bon Voyage To Hospital Ship Bound For New York City

By • 2 hours ago

The hospital ship USNS Comfort got underway from its pier in Norfolk, Va., on Saturday after a pomp-filled benediction by President Trump complete with a coterie of American flags and a military band.

The ship is scheduled to arrive in New York City on Monday to offer its roughly 1,000 hospital beds as surge capacity for the region hardest hit by the coronavirus disaster.

Patients without the disease can get treatment aboard the ship, the president said, freeing up treatment centers ashore for sufferers in the pandemic.

Trump Says He May Quarantine New York, Connecticut, New Jersey: 'It's A Hot Spot'

By • 2 hours ago

President Trump says he is "looking at" quarantining New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, which have developed as "hot spots" of the coronavirus outbreak.

"We'd like to see New York quarantined because it's a hot spot — New York, New Jersey, maybe one or two other places, certain parts of Connecticut quarantined," Trump said Saturday outside the White House before departing for Norfolk, Va.

Why It Takes So Long To Get Most COVID-19 Test Results

By Julie Appleby • 3 hours ago

After a slow start, testing for COVID-19 has begun to ramp up in recent weeks. Giant commercial labs have jumped into the effort, drive-up testing sites have been established in some places, and new types of tests have been approved under emergency rules set by the Food and Drug Administration.

Former Sen. Tom Coburn, Fiscal Hawk And 'Dr. No,' Dies At 72

By • 4 hours ago

Former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, whose inflexible support of conservative policies placed him at the heart of many major congressional battles, has died at the age of 72. His former communications director, John Hart, confirmed that Coburn died Saturday morning "after a long battle with prostate cancer."

Coburn's former colleague, fellow Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, remembered the senator as a "friend and a leader."

More News