Chicagoans should prepare to stay inside a bit longer if today's press conference is any indication.
As it stands, the Illinois "stay-at-home" order is set to expire after April 30, but Governor J.B. Pritzker has already extended the deadline once (the order was originally set to expire on April 7), and Mayor Lori Lightfoot seems confident that he'll do so again.
During a press conference on Monday, April 13, Mayor Lightfoot answered a question from a reporter and explained that it's difficult to predict when it will be safe to lift the "stay-at-home" order and allow non-essential businesses (as well as public spaces like Chicago's lakefront and the 606 trail) to reopen to the public. "I think that’s going to be difficult for us to say April 30 everything comes up," Lightfoot said. "I don’t think that’s gonna happen, I think it will extend beyond that."
While Gov. Pritzker has recently lauded a "leveling" of confirmed cases and deaths in Illinois, his comments recommending that event organize consider canceling summer events and festivals last week signals that he doesn't expect a complete return to normalcy in the coming months. He's repeatedly stated that he's basing his decisions on the advice of scientists and doctors.
"I think it's likely that there will be adjustments to the orders we've put in place," Pritzker said at a press conference today, answering a question from a reporter. Pritzker elaborated that in order to allow people to feel safe in public, robust testing, a contact-tracing system and effective treatment must be available. He also revealed that he's been talking to industry leaders to consider if certain industries may be able to reopen in phases, based on the safety of workers that are able to return to work.
Previously, Pritzker's press secretary stated that the Governor "can only do disaster proclamations 30 days at a time," meaning that an extension of the "stay-at-home" order could run through May 30.
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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