April 2, 2021 Update from the Mayor
COVID-19 Positivity Increases
As vaccinations become more readily available, we really are getting much closer to the end of this pandemic. It is becoming increasingly clear from the science that these vaccines are great at protecting from infection and preventing the further spread of the virus. Even the most acclaimed infectious disease doctors have said that the vaccines are working better than they could have ever anticipated. Nevertheless, this does not mean that we all can simply go back to our pre-COVID, normal lives.
This is becoming clear as the positivity rate once again trends upward. As reported in the Chicago Tribune this morning, Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady warned Thursday that the statewide uptick in COVID-19 cases could cause a significant increase in illness, hospitalizations and deaths. Arwady said the growth in cases in Chicago is being driven primarily by young people. She said that as the numbers have increased here officials have been watching the spike that’s happening in Michigan. There are now 1,183 confirmed cumulative COVID cases in Hickory Hills and 22 COVID related deaths.
Even if you are vaccinated, please continue to practice mask wearing, social distancing and good hand hygiene. We all have come too far to let our guard down just because we have pandemic fatigue or we see others who have had it with continuing to follow these precautions. Please stick with these practices for just a little bit longer as more and more people get vaccinated and we get closer to the end.
Support Our Pollinators
Below is a message from the Sag Moraine Native Plant Community, a local organization based in the Southwest suburbs created to advocate for the use of native plants in residential, commercial, and public landscapes:
Native plants are the foundation of the food chain and I am sure that you are familiar with the tremendous decline in the ecosystem’s pollinators. Native plants are key to supporting these pollinators.
Sag Moraine is a nonprofit organization that provides in-person and online learning opportunities, community outreach and project sponsorship and oversight.
We also ask that you support the Illinois Monarch Project info@illinoismonarchproject.org. This is a statewide call to action to increase monarch butterfly and other pollinator habitats. Our iconic monarch population has declined 80 percent over the last two decades. Without help they will continue toward extinction. Illinois is a vital state in the prevention of this because it is a major part of their migration route.
The City will be working with Sag Moraine to help provide educational resources for our residents on the proper use of native plants in residential landscapes. There is so much possibility to improve our ecosystem with simple solutions.
Wait, those are not Easter Eggs!
Reindeer Cyclone
Enjoy this wonderful spring weather and Happy Easter to all of you who celebrate this holiday.
Mayor Mike