IDPH Director Pleads with Public to Wear Masks
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike speaks at a February news conference. She pleaded with residents Friday to wear a mask in public to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
As state officials moved half of Illinois’ 102 counties onto the COVID-19 warning list, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike broke down in tears Friday pleading with the public to wear a mask in public to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Ezike was targeted earlier this month by protestors in front of her home over the postponement of the high school football season and has been one of the faces of the backlash from residents in some parts of the state.
“I understand the mental, the social, and the emotional toll this pandemic continues to have on people,” Ezike said. “People are tired of not seeing their families, they’re tired of postponing the weddings and other life celebrations.”
Ezike says the sacrifices people have made from not seeing loved ones in long term care facilities to a night out with friends is weighing on people.
“The way we work, the way we live, the way we play has all changed, and the harsh reality is the sacrifices that we’ve made and that we continue to make do not have a future expiration date,” she said. “And I know that’s difficult.”
After announcing the latest case numbers, Ezike broke down in tears and turned around from the lectern momentarily before resuming her comments.
Governor JB Pritzker praised Ezike.
“Dr. Ezike is Superwoman,” he said. “Since the very beginning of this coronavirus, she has had the weight of the public health of the people of Illinois on her shoulders. The people of the state of Illinois are her patients.”
The 51 counties at a warning level are Adams, Bond, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, Edwards, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Gallatin, Greene, Hamilton, Henderson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lee, Macon, Macoupin, McDonough, McHenry, Mercer, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Perry, Pike, Pulaski, Rock Island, Saline, Shelby, Stephenson, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Wayne, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, and Winnebago.
As cases continue to rise, Ezike forcefully called on the public to take COVID-19 seriously.
“I’m desperate to find the message that will work,” she said. “The virus has caused this, and instead of pitting one group against another, we need to get [it] and fight against the virus. We don’t have a cure yet, we don’t have a vaccine yet, but we have a mask. And we’re asking people to use that.”
Four of the regions in the Governor’s “Restore Illinois” plan are facing increased mitigations, including the banning of indoor service at bars and restaurants. Pritzker said two other regions, one in the Metro East, which previously faced mitigations, is seeing another rise in cases. McHenry and Lake Counties, in the far northeast corner of the state, are also slightly below the 8% mitigation threshold and trending upward.
The lowest rate in the state is in the city of Chicago, which has jumped a full 2 percentage points in the last 8 days, and is reporting a positivity rate of 7%.