The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Thursday October 15, 2020

Olivia Butts
 
Noah Beacom and John Shaw of the Primary Health Care Clinic in Des Moines say STI testing has dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Noah Beacom and John Shaw of the Primary Health Care Clinic in Des Moines say STI testing has dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. Natalie Krebs/Side Effects Public Media

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Thursday October 15, 2020

Today's headlines:

  • As the holiday season gets closer, state public health officials are urging safety at family gatherings during the Coronavirus pandemic.

  • The Supreme Court this week ruled that counting for the 2020 census can stop. Illinoisans have until today to self-respond to the population survey.

  • Champaign Unit 4 elementary school students will have the option to return to some in-person instruction at the end of this month.

  • The Illinois Department of Public Health has changed how COVID-19 data for east-central Illinois is reported. The University of Illinois testing data, which was previously included in Region 6, will be reported separately to better identify testing needs and trends in this part of the state, according to Illinois health officials.   

In today's deeper dive, sexually transmitted infections – or STIs – have been on the rise for years. But the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted public health efforts to address the issue. We learn more from Side Effects Public Media.

217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts and hosted by Brian Moline. Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Mary Hansen, Lee Gaines, and Natalie Krebs.