Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file
More than a quarter of the city’s COVID-19 contact tracers who left their jobs as of early this year still had access to patient data for at least a month after their termination, an investigation from the city’s watchdog found.
Inspector General Joe Ferguson’s office investigated Chicago’s contact tracing program, which is run by an organization under contract with the city, and found the Chicago Department of Public Health “did not consistently remove terminated users’ access” to a system of tracking COVID-19 patients within seven days, which is a standard.
Of the almost 600 contact tracers hired last year, the report found 50 of those workers had been fired or resigned as of Feb. 15, 2021. While all of the departing workers should have had their access to a system with patient data cut off within 7 days, only 11 had the ability removed. A month later, more than a quarter of those contact tracers were still able to look at patient
Sun-Times file
Mayor Lori Lightfoot famously warned African-American aldermen who dared to vote against her 2021 budget, “Don’t ask me for s -t for the next three years” when it comes to choosing projects for her five-year, $3.7 billion capital plan.
Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) was so infuriated, she said it proved Lightfoot was “no better than Daley or Rahm.”
On Monday, that mayoral threat, coming before the closest budget vote Chicago has seen since Council Wars, was all but forgotten at a feel-good press conference launching the five-year capital plan at the start of the 2021 paving season.
There was no more talk about punishing recalcitrant aldermen. Instead, a City Hall news release distributed before the press conference talks about a capital plan that relies on “data to select and prioritize investments across the full array of public assets, address the worst first, along with an emphasis on equity and safety in order to create jobs.”
Associated Press
Mayor Lori Lightfoot had a warning Tuesday for anyone who dares to hijack peaceful protests tied to the Derek Chauvin verdict and use those demonstrations as an opportunity to launch a third round of looting in Chicago.
“Don’t test us. … Don’t test us. … Don’t test us, because we are ready,” Lightfoot told reporters.
“We are prepared and we are ready to arrest and bring to prosecution anyone who would dare to take the dreams of our small businesses by looting.” Lightfoot said she asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker to activate the Illinois National Guard and send 125 uniformed guard members to Chicago to be on “standby,” keeping them close in the event they are needed to support Chicago police.
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This afternoon will be cloudy with scattered snow showers and a high near 39 degrees. A freeze watch is in effect for tonight, which will see a low around 33 degrees. Tomorrow, rain is in the forecast, along with a high near 43 degrees.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot had a warning today for anyone who dares to hijack peaceful protests tied to the Derek Chauvin verdict and use those demonstrations as an opportunity to launch a third round of looting in Chicago.
“Don’t test us. … Don’t test us. … Don’t test us, because we are ready,” Lightfoot told reporters.
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