CHICAGO (WSIL) -- Illinois will reopen more businesses and loosen more restrictions on Friday, but Governor JB Pritzker is still preaching caution.
He says face coverings are still encouraged.
“We’ve seen what’s happened in other states that have allowed politics or short-term thinking to drive decision-making. Many other states are now seeing significant increases in cases, hospitalizations, and intensive care bed usage and they’re being forced to move backward and stay at home â€� that’s not the story in Illinois,â€Â said Governor JB Pritzker. “Here, we have been gradually restoring business and leisure activities in a highly deliberate manner, guided by doctorsâ€� advice. Illinoisans are following the mitigations that we can each do ourselves, like wearing face coverings, keeping 6 feet distance between us, and washing our hands frequently. It’s because of the people of Illinois that we’re seeing a trajectory of relative success where other parts of the country are not.â€�
According to a press release from Governor Pritzker's office:
All four Restore Illinois health regions have met the IDPH health benchmarks to advance into Phase 4. Metrics include reductions of positivity rate and hospital admissions and availability of hospital surge capacity.
On a statewide level, Illinois flattened the curve, passed the peak and saw a sustained decline in key metrics since the coronavirus pandemic began. Looking at 7-day rolling averages � which smooth out daily fluctuations and allow trends to emerge � Illinois is seeing marked declines in cases, deaths, case positivity and covid-related hospitalizations.
