Jessica Hockett, PhD

Here’s the Illinois State Dental Society letter I mentioned earlier this week in my post about J.B. Pritzker’s change of heart on his pointless vaccination, testing, and mask orders for most healthcare facilities.

The 6,000-member organization sent Pritzker the request on October 7th, asking for an end to asymptomatic testing and mandatory masking. Ten days later, he announced that masks are now recommended (not required) in healthcare and long-term care facilities when community transmission is high, and unvaccinated employees are no longer subjected to weekly testing. (Vaccination and testing requirements for state-run congregant facilities remain, as do applicable federal mandates.)

Pritzker’s press release suggests the reversal was prompted by his own desire to “cautiously roll back” mitigations that most states abandoned months ago and follow the CDC. 

But ISDS says CDC updated its guidance for dental offices on September 23rd; ergo, it hardly seems the Governor is keeping close tabs on the agency’s latest *science”. Maybe other medical associations sent similar requests? Regardless, it appears Pritzker acted under pressure (from ISDS and the upcoming election) — not because he wants to give up power over people’s bodies and medical decisions. 

Admittedly, the ISDS letter is somewhat toothless and comes too late in the game. More than anyone, dentists know masks don’t stop aerosolized respiratory viruses. (Ours hasn’t required them of patients for over a year.) They also know the vaccine doesn’t prevent transmission, and that testing in the absence of symptoms makes zero sense, irrespective of vaccination status.

Still, the fear of losing a license or being censured is real. Both the ridiculous covid-specific amendment to Illinois’ Healthcare Right of Conscience Act and California’s unconstitutional AB 2048 aren’t making it easy for even large organizations to want to speak up.

Bravo to ISDS and to any other medical professionals who -individually or as a group – urged J.B. Pritzker to take another step toward real normal before we get a chance to…

VOTE. HIM. OUT.