© 2024 WNIJ and WNIU
Northern Public Radio
801 N 1st St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-9000
Northern Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
WNIJ News and NPR is committed to connecting you with the latest news related to COVID-19 in northern Illinois and across the country. We are taking precautions to keep staff safe while providing you with the resources you need. Thank you for your continued support which allows us to remain your trusted source on the coronavirus pandemic.

Rep. Bustos Says More Test Kits Needed In Illinois

Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos says there continues to be a disconnect between Washington D.C. and Illinois on the availability of COVID-19 test kits.

The Democrat says she was recently on a call with Vice President Mike Pence and national health experts Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx.

Bustos says they indicated they were doing “great” on getting test kits out.

But in a White House briefing this week, Dr. Birx claimed the testing companiesaren’t running at capacity.

“What’s happening in actuality is that in Illinois because Abbott Labs is based in Illinois and that’s the machinery to do the testing, we don’t have a shortage of the machinery, we have a shortage of the tests,” Bustos said.

Meanwhile, Bustos praisedJohn Deere’s recent move to manufacture face shields for frontline workers.

The 17th District representative says reaching older adults continues to be a priority. This week, Bustos partnered with Peoria City/County Health Department Medical Director Dr. Gregg Stoner for a telephone town hall to address concerns from seniors.

Jenna Dooley has spent her professional career in public radio. She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and the Public Affairs Reporting Program at the University of Illinois - Springfield. She returned to Northern Public Radio in DeKalb after several years hosting Morning Edition at WUIS-FM in Springfield. She is a former "Newsfinder of the Year" from the Illinois Associated Press and recipient of NIU's Donald R. Grubb Journalism Alumni Award. She is an active member of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association and an adjunct instructor at NIU.