This essay is the 10-year anniversary of my writing every other week in The Voice. In two news items, we have learned that AstraZeneca Laboratories and Johnson and Johnson Company are experiencing difficulties with the efficacy of their vaccines. The former may have been formulating their product based upon outdated
By Jason Crane More than 70 supporters of the A-Town Boxing Club gathered Monday evening outside the locked facility at 551 Fourth Avenue on Aurora’s near East Side to participate in a rally seeking an update to the future of the Club and work out again. According to a press
In collaboration with Jewel-Osco and the Kane County Health Department, Mayor Richard C. Irvin and the City of Aurora are hosting a fourth MASS VAX AURORA Community Vaccination Clinic on Thursday, March 18.The first dose of the Pfizer vaccine will be available to AURORA RESIDENTS in qualifying categories. This clinic
By Grace Barbic The University of Illinois System received Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Monday for its saliva-based COVID-19 test. The statewide, seven-day, rolling positivity rate reached 2.4%. The FDA approval allows for the covidSHIELD test to expand beyond the U of I System.
There will be free COVID-19 care to start Monday, Feb. 22 at Restore Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity 2303 West Indian Trail Road, Aurora. The hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. No appointment necessary No symptoms to get tested Completely FREE Open to the public For
By Bobby Narang With basketball in full force throughout the state, the biggest underlying issue for high schools team is making sure the season runs its course. Several teams in the state have experienced “shutdowns” because of cases of COVID-19. Many regions experienced upticks following Super Bowl Sunday parties, which
Are you as tired of the pandemic as I am? We have read a lot about COVID-19 fatigue. According to the American Medical Association, “people are tired of being cooped up due to restrictions on indoor gatherings outside the home. They are tired of wearing masks, social distancing, being away
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Region 8, including DuPage and Kane Counties, moved to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan, effective this week. Now, all four Aurora counties, including Will County in Region 7 and Kendall County in Region 2, are in Phase 4. Restaurants and bars
By Dawn M. Staszak One of the most controversial aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the concept of shutdowns. Earlier, many of us did not understand why grocery stores could stay open and bars and restaurants were targeted for closure. Of course, none of us is an infectious disease
The Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission is alerting Kane County veterans to a one-time shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine that will be available Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Aurora VA outpatient clinic, 161 S. Lincolnway in North Aurora, from 8 a.m. to 4 :30 p.m.. “This is a special, one-time
February 1, 2021Dear editor; As a newly-elected Kane County Board member, I want to provide as much information to the public as I can. The question I receive most often is, “When can I get vaccinated? ”Unfortunately, the only answer I can give people is “soon”, and I feel it
By Bobby Narang The green light was given for the start of the high school basketball season last week. In a shocking turn of events, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced that boys and girls basketball could start immediately with practices and run until March 13 for games with
The following column is from June 4, 2020, and continues to be my position today: “I am very careful, and hopefully humble in knowing that I don’t know everything about this disease.” Dr. Anthony Fauci said these words May 13, 2020 during a virtual Senate hearing. After more than 50
The Kane County Health Department (KCHD) announced that a mobile testing unit managed by the Illinois Department of Public Health will be at Elgin Community College all next week to provide Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) tests to the community. The mobile testing unit will be available each day Monday, Feb. 1
By Jerry Nowicki Two more regions of the State moved to Phase 4 COVID-19 guidelines, meaning five of 11 regions can now allow both indoor dining and organized sports. Region 1 in northwest Illinois and Region 2 in north-central Illinois each moved to Phase 4, which allows for indoor dining
Following a sustained improvement in positivity rates, ICU bed availability, and the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) stated that Regions 8 and 9 are on track to move to Tier 1 of the Restore Illinois plan, Tuesday. Most notably, under
By Robert W. Panton, MDElmwood Park At a time when Illinois lawmakers should be supporting health-care heroes who are working tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic, we instead receive unwelcome new legislation that will drive up the costs of practicing medicine in Illinois and send more physicians packing to move to
I learned belatedly that my friend, Wayne “Red” Kaufman, had died of COVID-19. Saddened, I drove to the West Plaza Barbershop in Aurora to talk with Ed Bunce, one of Kaufman’s original partners, and Carlos Martinez, the current owner of the shop. Because I was the only patron at lunchtime,
By Bobby Narang Nearly a month after Christmas, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) delivered a very belated, but pleasing gift to high school athletes. Just when the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly was set to end some sports, in particular football and boys and girls basketball, the IHSA reversed course and
In an effort to continue to fight COVID-19 in Aurora, Illinois’ second-largest city, mobile testing units will be dispatched to neighborhoods that have been most heavily impacted by COVID-19. “As we wait for the continued rollout of vaccines, we must continue to stay focused on mitigation efforts,” said Aurora mayor
