Pritzker Announces Most Stringent Rules Since End of Stay-At-Home Order
The Jumer’s Casino & Hotel in Rock Island will be shut down for the second time this year under Governor JB Pritzker’s new COVID-19 restrictions that take effect Friday.
Governor JB Pritzker has announced the entire state will move into a new tier of restrictions Friday due to the spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state. The restrictions fall short of moving the state back into a stay-at-home order, which was in place from March to June.
The new restrictions, known as “Phase 3” will close casinos, indoor fitness classes, indoor group sports, banquet halls, theaters, and museums. Unlike during the original stay-at-home order, small retailers, hair salons, and fitness centers will remain open with occupancy limits. Bars and restaurants will remain closed for indoor service but will continue to be allowed to operate outdoors and with pickup and delivery.
Pritzker says COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen 69% since November 3.
“The best way for us to avoid a stay-at-home order is to stay home,” said Pritzker. “[COVID-19] thrives when we gather indoors without masks with people we don’t normally live with, and you’ll see these mitigations reflect that reality.”
Pritzker says the public should temporarily avoid all dinners, events, gatherings, or meetings beyond your own household.
The Governor is asking people to use personal responsibility in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
“We are relying on you here,” he said. “We’re asking people to hold themselves and each other accountable.”
He said the new mitigations boil down to “if you don’t need to do it, don’t.”
Some members of the business community, who were critical of the Governor’s closure of small businesses this spring, praised his move Tuesday.
“While additional capacity restrictions will impose significant hardship on retailers already devastated by the pandemic, especially during what is usually the busiest shopping time of the year, we are glad customers will continue to have numerous safe shopping options,” said Illinois Retail Merchants Association President and CEO Rob Karr. “It is our hope the same science that provides for safe shopping can soon be applied to restaurants and bars so they can again allow inside dining, albeit at a reduced capacity.”