Will, Kankakee County Bars & Restaurants Allowed to Re-Open
Outdoor diners at Brickstone Restaurant & Brewery in Bourbonnais in Kankakee County. (Source: Illinois Office of Tourism.)
Governor JB Pritzker and state public health officials have relaxed restrictions on bars and restaurants in Will and Kankakee counties, showing progress in battling positive cases of the coronavirus. The state reports the positivity rate has dropped from 8% to 5.6%, allowing bars and restaurants to open for limited indoor dining again.
Pritzker praised residents for helping reduce positive tests in the two counties.
“Residents chose to be all in for each other, for their small businesses, for their bars and restaurants, for their kids, for their neighbors,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Let that be a testament to the power of a community that embraces doctor-recommended mitigations proven to reduce risk and slow the spread. We can’t outrun this virus, but with the tools we know to work – masks, distancing, handwashing, and respect for public health and each other – we can beat it back enough to keep our businesses open and our neighborhoods safer all at once.”
Pritzker urged residents of the two counties “don’t let up now.”
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike says limiting large gatherings and increasing mask wearing brings down the number of COVID-19 cases.
“Because of the speed in which the rate can change, we must continue to wear our masks, watch our distance, and follow the guidance of Phase 4 of Restore Illinois. It will take all of us working together to get through this.”
After Governor Pritzker slapped additional restrictions on the two counties last month, leaders of 11 Chambers of Commerce in Will and Kankakee counties sent him a letter criticizing his actions as “unfair restrictions targeted at the restaurant and bar industry.”
They wrote that Pritzker had not allowed restaurants to reduce the number of patrons inside, as state officials had done in the Metro East area near St. Louis, which remains under further restrictions.
Around 690,000 people live in Will County, while Kankakee County is home to around 110,000 people.