Report Finds Illinois 'On Track' For COVID-19 Response, But Lags On Testing

From The Center Square:

By Kevin Bessler

A report by the National Safety Council is giving Illinois favorable marks on its COVID-19 response, but said the state's testing program was "lagging."

The “State of Response: State Actions to Address the Pandemic” report listed Illinois and 11 other states for being “on track” to assess the safety measures they used during the pandemic.

The report assessed the state’s efforts in five areas based on recommendations from the SAFER effort, which was created by NSC to provide guidance to businesses as they manage through the pandemic. NSC evaluated states on ow effectively they performed in employer guidelines, testing contact tracing, mental health, substance abuse and roadway safety. Each state was given a designation of “on track,” “lagging” or “off track."

Jane Terry, vice president of government affairs for the NSC, said the SAFER project is a crucial tool during the crisis.

“We got together workplaces, academia, government partners and many others to try to get the best practices down for sharing,” said Terry.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly said that Illinois is one of the leaders in the Midwest and nation for coronavirus testing, but the report said Illinois was “lagging” when it comes to testing.

Zach Kennedy, a specialist with Community and Economic Development at the University of Illinois Extension, conducted a survey of business owners, residents and government officials on the state and federal response to the pandemic. He said his survey found many Illinoisans were not happy with the way the state and federal government handled things.

“I think just the sense of mistrust of political leadership,” Kennedy said. “Something that seems like it should be politically neutral like public health.”

Eleven other states received an “on track” rating from the NSC, with New Mexico, New York and California leading the pack with the highest overall ratings. Ten states received an “off track” rating, with Mississippi and South Dakota received the lowest overall rating.

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