CDH / Northwestern Medicine Chief Medical Officer Tells Ives: Pritzker's Plan Means Suburbs Shut Down for "A Year… Maybe a Year and A Half."

Press Release

Today in a Zoom Interview, Dr. Kevin Most, Chief Medical Officer at Northwestern Medicine at Central DuPage Hospital, told Jeanne Ives "We may be in Phase 2 [of Governor Pritzker's re-open plan] for quite some time. For us [in the suburbs of Chicago], to get to Phase 5, the way he has described it, it may be a year from now. It may be a year and a half from now, because we may not have a vaccine by that time.

"We are hopeful that Remdesivir helps, but it is not a wonder-drug," Most continued. "It's not like an antibiotic that you take and in a couple days you feel better… that's not a cure. That's not going to slow down the spread. I'm glad we have a plan, but I would hope that plan would change in some way… It's serious. The way the Phases are broken down, we won't get to the point that we can have more than 50 people together for quite some time."

Most was referring to the plan laid out by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Phase 2 has to do with "Flattening the Curve," meaning the rate of infection among those tested increases at a slower rate. Gatherings of 10 or fewer are not permitted until Phase 3, when the rate of infection among those tested is stable in decline. Phase 5, a full economic re-open, with safety precautions, will not happen until there is a vaccine or highly effective treatment widely available or the elimination of new cases over a sustained period.

"This was an extremely enlightening interview. I recommend everyone in Illinois watches it. I appreciate that someone on the front lines of this fight would make time to talk with us," said Jeanne Ives. "What Dr. Most told me today is alarming. For the next 12-18 months, if the Governor's plan remains in place, we will be wearing face masks, practicing social distance, and not be allowed to gather in groups of over 50 people. Once we see outcomes in other states, hopefully, the Governor can assess our results compared to our neighbors, and adjust his plans because the economic impact is huge."

Most also discussed CDH being designated a test site for Remdesivir by the National Institute for Health, contact tracing and antibody testing.

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