Thread by @BauerJournalism

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other city leaders have a COVID-19 update at 3:30 p.m. Expecting an update on the vaccine mandate with information about non-compliant workers.

I'll live tweet. Follow for updates and let me know if you have questions.

blockclubchicago.org/2021/10/15/chi…

You'll be able to watch here:

https://twitter.com/chicagosmayor/status/1450198617671806983

BREAKING: More than one-third of Chicago's cops didn't comply with the vaccine mandate, which means they could be disciplined and fired. blockclubchicago.org/2021/10/18/mor…

Reported vaccinations by city department in Chicago.

Lightfoot: "We've just learned that there's been a shooting involved a Chicago police officer." Very little info. An officer was shot.

Lightfoot: I'm pleased to announce that, as of today, 13 departments are at 100% registration on the vaccine portal.

Lightfoot: In total, 79% of city employees have complied with the vaccine mandate; of those, 84% are fully vaccinated, "meaning that we're now one step closer to moving past this pandemic. And fundamentally what this is all about is about saving lives."

Lightfoot: Take out Police Department and Fire Department and percentage of city employees who submitted their info jumps to 96%.

This is a "huge win" for the city's constituents.

Lightfoot: The health of our city workers impacts the health of people they interact with on a daily basis.

Lightfoot: We understand some people still need time to get vaccinated, which is why there's a temporary testing option.

But testing is not the best way to ensure a safe workplace. "Therefore, getting fully vaccinated remains our goal. We'll continue to push."

Lightfoot: Workers who didn't comply will be given "one last opportunity to do the right thing" before being put on no-pay status. "We're gonna ask them if that's correct or not. We're gonna be right there with a computer to help them get registered in the portal. ...

"And my hope is that we don't have to take any actions for folks, 'cause it's a simple process ... ."

Lightfoot: Since this morning, Police Department started at HQ and then branched out to other divisions to go to individuals "on that list" to talk to them and verify if they've reported their status on the portal.

...

In instances where officers aren't complying after being contacted, they're being put on no-pay status. It's a "very small number" who aren't complying.

Arwady: She's talked with state health department about taking a regional approach to the state's mask mandate to see if it could be removed for Chicago.

But she's concerned to see nearby states (Michigan, Minnesota) see cases going up. blockclubchicago.org/2021/10/18/cov…

Arwady: "Where we can get folks vaccinated now, it helps protect them through the flu season and what will likely be, I would expect, some increase [in COVID cases] related to weather."

Arwady: We'll have a better sense by Thanksgiving.

"Right now is the time if people are not vaccinated to start getting that vaccine if you want to be fully vaccinated by Thanksgiving."

Lightfoot: A year ago, we were in the midsts of a fairly substantial surge. We didn't have vaccines.

Lightfoot: Reporting vaccine status is a very simple, non-burdensome process.

Lightfoot: "I really hope that the men and women of the Chicago Police Department, who have been fed a lot of stuff ... are not gonna ruin their careers over going to a website and saying 'yes' or 'no.' And I think that recognition is starting to occur to folks."

Lightfoot asked about concerns to public safety: "You know me well enough from this podium, I don't engage in a lot of hypotheticals. Obviously we have contingency plans that have been in place for quite some time. ... I'm not seeing, at least for this day, that there's gonna ...

"be any disruption in our ability to keep our neighborhood safe." Very few officers are ultimately not complying.

Lightfoot: The police union filed a TRO on Friday. She has not heard of Fire Department union pursuing legal action.

Lightfoot: Everybody that's a city employees that is not vaccinated has to get tested on their time and their dime.

CPS is its own system.

Lightfoot: There are testing resources all over the city. "Testing is still very widely available, so there should not be any issues."

Lightfoot: "The bottom line is we worked hard with every single union that represented city workers to make sure that we've got their feedback, and the policy was absolutely modified" based on feedback.

Police union has said city leaders didn't negotiate properly.

Lightfoot: "We were at the table and consistently trying to reach an accommodation with them — but the record, I think, speaks for itself."

Lightfoot: "We gave them every opportunity to come to the table, and, candidly, the FOP ... they tried to rope-a-dope us. They didn't come to the table. ... We get what the game is ... ."

Lightfoot: "What we're focused on is making sure that we get a new, strong, independent inspector general who understands the importance of staying in their lane but, importantly, making sure that they're true to their mandate" of doing investigations quickly.

Lightfoot on Soldier Field future: They need to think about that whole campus and take advantage of every opportunity while being consistent with the law. "I think there's lots of opportunities for us." They'll look at what other cities in similar situations have done.

Lightfoot: August-January, it's locked up, primarily around Bears-related activities. The rest of the year, not much goes on there. We need to provide dining opportunities on that campus so families have more options.

Lightfoot: "I just think there's a lot we can think about and do, and obviously the Bears are gonna be part of that" discussion. But this is a bigger issue than whether the Bears stay or go.

Lightfoot: "I deeply believe that the only way we can maximize safety in our workplace is by getting our employees vaccinated."

Lightfoot: "I don't view this as Lightfoot against the FOP. ... What this is, is Lightfoot and all of these city commissioners and leaders saying, 'We're gonna stand up for public health and public safety, and we'e gonna make sure our workforce is as fully vaccinated as can be."

Lightfoot: "What I have concerns about is seeing more officers die needlessly of COVID-19." Four died before vaccines were available.

Lightfoot: 4,543 civilians and officers in Police Department still need to report vaccine status.

Lightfoot: They're giving workers "every opportunity" to answer reporting form.

Press conference over.

Story: blockclubchicago.org/2021/10/18/mor…