Hey there! It’s Friday, and I can’t stop thinking about this illustration of President Joe Biden that was on NPR’s website. Here’s what you need to know today.

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1. CDC warns of potential surge in coronavirus cases

The U.S. is reporting a rise in cases that could become another surge if local officials do not remain vigilant and maintain safety measures.

That warning comes from Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who today said the nation’s seven-day average in new cases is 57,000 per day, a 7% increase from last week. [CNBC]

In Chicago, officials have increasingly issued warnings this week about a potential wave of infections. The city is reporting a seven-day average of 370 cases per day, up 24% from last week.

This number is important to keep track of because Dr. Allison Arwady, the city’s public health commissioner, said reaching an average of 400 cases per day would be a “sign of real concern.” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said this week she will revive business restrictions if the situation does not improve. [COVID Dashboard]

Another thing to watch is whether hotspots, like prisons, that emerged early in the pandemic will once again play a significant role. WBEZ’s Patrick Smith reports that only 27% of people who work in Illinois prisons have received at least one vaccination. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, Illinois officials say vaccinations can be opened up to anyone 16 and over in areas where demand for shots is beginning to ease. [WBEZ]

2. Loretto Hospital gave vaccines to a nearby Greek church

Embattled Loretto Hospital gave more than 100 vaccines to a Greek Orthodox parish earlier this month, and the church says 28 doses went to people who were not eligible, reports WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos.

Loretto Hospital faces mounting criticism over its handling of vaccinations after Block Club Chicago reported last week that staff members at Trump Tower were improperly given shots. WBEZ also reported that Cook County judges and their spouses were improperly offered early access to the vaccines at a time when many eligible people who could not get appointments.

Dr. Anosh Ahmed, a hospital administrator at the center of many of the scandals, resigned this week as Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for an independent investigation of the hospital. [WBEZ]

And now West Side residents, who depend on the hospital, have started a petition for the removal of Loretto CEO and President George Miller. [Block Club Chicago]

3. Why aren’t shootings in Chicago viewed as mass shootings?

The past two weeks in Chicago have seen several shootings that have left many people wounded or dead, as pointed out in this tweet from Chicago Sun-Times reporter Tom Schuba.

The situation in Chicago can feel disorientating as the national conversation over gun violence largely focuses on recent mass shootings in the Atlanta area and Boulder, Colo.

The Trace, a news organization that examines gun violence in the U.S., has this new report that argues Americans view mass shootings in a way that ignores Black Americans.

“The most newsworthy shootings seem to break an assumption that a particular place is safe,” Shannon Morrissey, a doctoral student at the University of Chicago who co-authored a study of Chicago shootings, told The Trace. “Our research suggests that in Chicago, shootings in majority-Black neighborhoods are not breaking those assumptions, at least for the people living outside of them.” [The Trace]

4. Dominion Voting sues Fox News over election fraud claims

Dominion Voting Systems today filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, accusing the cable news giant of intentionally spreading a baseless pro-Trump conspiracy theory about rigged voting machines in an effort to boost ratings.

Today’s lawsuit follows a similar one filed last month by Smartmatic, a voting technology company that is suing Fox News, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and others for $2.7 billion. Both Smartmatic and Dominion say their businesses and reputations have been damaged.

“The truth matters. Lies have consequences,” Dominion’s lawsuit says.

Fox News said in a statement today that it stands by its coverage of the 2020 presidential election. [NPR]

5. Will long-simmering tensions between CPS and the CTU get in the way of reopening high schools?

The Chicago Sun-Times takes a deep dive into the bitter relationship between Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union, raising questions over whether both sides can overcome their differences and reopen high schools before the end of the school year.

Here’s just one illuminating scene from the piece: The school district sent an email to families and staff members saying it had a target date for high schools to reopen on April 19. The Chicago Teachers Union quickly refuted the email and said there was no agreement on the date.

But a CPS spokeswoman sent reporters a screengrab of an internal email exchange in which CTU President Jesse Sharkey reviewed and suggested changes to the email to families about the April 19 reopening date. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• Chicago is set to move forward with the next vaccination phase on Monday. [Block Club Chicago]
• Jacob Blake filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Kenosha police officer who shot him in the back in August. [NPR]
• Wealthier school districts were less likely to report declines in attendance than poorer ones during the pandemic, according to a WBEZ survey of 25 suburban districts. [WBEZ]
• Metro Chicago’s population of Mexican immigrants dropped by more than 100,000 since 2010, researchers say. [WBEZ]

Oh, and one more thing …

Earlier this week, I mentioned that “vaccine hesitancy” among minority communities may be overblown in reports about why Illinois is still seeing racial disparities in vaccinations.

If you missed it, WBEZ’s Natalie Moore moderated a really good panel discussion with health experts last night. These experts argued the problem is accessibility, not hesitancy.

Dr. Arshiya Baig, UChicago associate professor of medicine, mentioned that a recent poll found that seven out of 10 Hispanic people nationwide say they want a vaccine.

“If more than 70 percent of a community wants something, I don’t think that’s hesitancy — I think that they want it,” said Baig. [Block Club Chicago]

Tell me something good …

I finally completed watching the four-hour Zack Snyder cut of the Justice League, and I’d like to know who would be on your superhero team if you could pick anyone.

Renuka writes:

“How about She-Ra and her warriors? Joining the rebellion is where I want to be right now!”

Thanks for all the responses this week! I’ll see you on Monday. 

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