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* CBS 2 …
Hundreds of people gathered in a hotel ballroom on Wednesday, toasting the newlyweds.
But in the midst of a pandemic, how is this allowed? This is also what we wanted to know. So Charlie De Mar from CBS 2 went to the Hilton Chicago / Northbrook to find out.
The wedding at the hotel could be described as a potential COVID-19 super-spreader event, and on the same day, Illinois passed the grim milestone of 238 deaths in one day – the highest number since the start of the pandemic. The national death toll was also a single-day record.
The bride entered a room filled with hundreds of people on her special day. All eyes were on her and no mask blocked the smiles.
At the Northbrook Hilton, where they promise a cleaner stay in the COVID age, we saw no social distancing at the wedding – and the groups of people walking around without masks. Only a small number of people covered.
* From the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association…
“The large rally that has been allowed to take place at the Hilton Chicago / Northbrook is unacceptable and does not reflect the careful efforts of the hospitality industry as a whole since the start of the pandemic to protect guests, employees and our communities. When I discovered this situation, I then contacted public health officials to determine the appropriate next steps and reminded hotel management that they must adhere to Level 3 mitigation and security protocols. to ensure the health of their employees and customers. Additionally, we reached out to our hotel members across the state to once again stress the importance of following all health and safety guidelines. The hospitality industry is committed to working with policy makers and public health officials to prevent this from happening again, ”said Michael Jacobson, president and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association.
* Tribune …
Dr Rachel Rubin, chief medical officer and co-director of the Cook County Department of Public Health, told a press conference on Thursday that she felt “deep dismay” after hearing of the wedding.
“This event should not have happened,” she said. “It puts a lot of people at risk.”
County officials said they are currently investigating. According to the health department, violations of state order banning indoor meals and other congregations inside of this type could result in arrest, a fine of $ 1,000 per offense and other actions.
* Governor Pritzker was asked about this today …
Well first of all I am deeply concerned about the people who attended this wedding. I understand that people were very close to each other. I understand that these people will return home or return to their communities and may in fact have infected other people.
And this is of great concern to all of us at a time when COVID-19 is rampant throughout the Illinois community. Here we have people, who are focused, who now have the capacity to go and spread it wherever they return, so I am deeply concerned for them and for the communities they return to for their families and so on. I hope each of them isolates themselves and passes a test.
Now for what should happen, what we have done, we’ve reached out to the Cook County Health Department and other authorities in Cook County as well as the City of Chicago. And we’ve made sure they follow up on it. It is their local enforcement that is very important to us and they are indeed doing exactly what I saw in the latest news article that Cook County is now following with potential lawsuits. So we’ll have to see the following here, but I certainly want to encourage them to do so. We have rules and regulations in place that they must follow to ensure follow-up.
It is very irresponsible and it is also irresponsible of the hotel to host an event like this. They too have broken the rules and should be held accountable.
* Meanwhile…
Monday, December 14, 2020 at 7 p.m. EST
Thelma Keller Convention Center
Audience Hosted by Darren Bailey for the 55th District of the State SenateJoin us for a Christmas fundraiser on December 14th at the Thelma Keller Convention Center in Effingham.
We will have Christmas deserts, hot chocolate and coffee, bingo and even SANTA will be there! ? Join us for a fun night out and support our efforts for #RestoreIllinois!
Tickets cost $ 25 for individuals or $ 50 for a family ticket! LIMITED TICKETS available, so don’t wait until the last minute!
Buy your tickets at: [redacted]
Sponsorships are also available at the following levels: $ 2,500 – $ 1,000 – $ 500 – $ 250
*** UPDATE *** From the Hilton Chicago / Northbrook …
“Last night the Hilton Chicago / Northbrook hosted a family wedding with about 150 people in attendance. Although the event was booked prior to the implementation of the latest state mitigation measures, we sincerely regret allowing this gathering to go ahead and our family apologizes to our guests, employees. and the community of Chicagoland.
The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for the hospitality industry and our family business. However, our hope of keeping the hotel afloat and the work of the employees should not take precedence over health and safety.
We are committed to working with national and local health authorities to ensure our hotel meets all safety measures and mitigation guidelines. We immediately reviewed our bookings to ensure that any businesses that did not comply with state guidelines were not being held at this property, and we are committed to following contact tracing and testing protocols recommended by health officials. .
It will take time, but we hope to restore the trust our customers, staff and community have placed in us for so many years, ”said Holly Allgauer-Cir, General Manager, Hilton Chicago / Northbrook.
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