Coronavirus Illinois: Gov. Pritzker reveals 'Restore Illinois' plan to reopen state as total COVID-19 cases near 66K with 2.8K fatalities
Illinois reports highest daily COVID-19 death toll since crisis began
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Gov. JB Pritzker unveiled his new plan to reopen Illinois on Tuesday as health officials reported the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a 24-hour period since the outbreak began.
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Health officials announced 2,122 new cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including 176 additional deaths, on Tuesday, bringing Illinois' statewide total of coronavirus cases to 65,962, including a total of 2,838 deaths.
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Gov. Pritzker detailed a five-phase reopening plan for four Illinois regions: Northeast, North Central, Central, and South. Pritzker said each region is able to move through phases separately. During these phases, face coverings and social distancing rules apply.
"There is no modern precedent for this," Pritzker said. "We are quite literally writing the playbook as we go."
You can read Gov. Pritzker's full plan to 'Restore Illinois' at the bottom of this article.
Illinois started in Phase 1, which is where the state was until April 30. More than six weeks into the stay-at-home order, Illinois is currently in Phase 2, with garden centers and nurseries now open, non-essential retail open for pickup and delivery and golf, boating, and fishing allowed with strict rules.
"Over the next few weeks, we'll be able to move to Phase 3," Pritzker said.
To get to Phase 3, officials said infection rates, hospitalizations and demand for ICU beds must be stable or declining. If that occurs, manufacturing, offices, hair salons and all retail can open. Additionally, all gatherings of 10 people or less, not just essential ones, will be allowed.
Based on current data and benchmarks, how soon could we get there?
"The earliest that a region can move to phase three is May 29," Pritzker said.
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Getting to Phase 4 will require a continued decline in infection rates and hospitalizations, which would allow restaurants and bars, child care and schools to reopen under strict safety guidelines. Gatherings of up to 50 would also be allowed.
"If there are signs that we are headed in the wrong direction, I will make sure to signal the alarm as soon as possible, and we will have to make whatever course correction is necessary," Illinois Director of Public Health Dr. Ngozi Ezike said.
Finally, Phase 5 would mean a full lifting of restrictions. To get there, officials say likely requires a treatment or vaccine.
"It brings me no joy to say this," Pritzker said. "Large conventions festivals and other major events will be on hold until we reach Phase 5."
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The governor was asked specifically about Lollapalooza, which is set to happen from July 30 to August 2. He would not say if that should be canceled, but some people should watch the data and added if there is an effective treatment, all bets are on.
"I believe in the people of Illinois, now more than ever, and together we will finish the work that we are in," Pritzker said.
The specific benchmarks and metrics for getting to each next phase will be determined by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Officials said that as we move through those phases, there may be a need to tighten or loosen those requirements.
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Illinois' spike in COVID-19 deaths comes a day after health officials reported 46 fatalities, the lowest daily death total since April 19.
While the decrease in the number of deaths is encouraging, Governor Pritzker warned that the numbers could spike again. Pritzker said it needs to be looked at in the context of multiple days to determine if it's a true downward trend.
"I know that it's attractive when the sun is out for people to go out and gather in groups, but I want to remind everybody that it's a mistake," Pritzker said.
The governor renewed his call for people to stay home after several situations over the weekend of people ignoring the order and social distancing. He said the state continues to make progress in combating COVID-19, but that if people continue to defy his stay-at-home order, more restrictions could be put back into place.
"And to the extent people are not following them and gathering in groups," Pritzker said. "They're going to spread the virus and they're going to cause us to go back into a, you know, a previous executive order or a more stringent lockdown than what we've had, if, in fact, there's a spike of cases as a result of people not following the rules."
From Friday through Sunday, Chicago police had to break up almost 950 gatherings around Chicago that defied the governor's stay-at-home order, but there were no citations or arrests.
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Hospitalization numbers appear to be flattening statewide. At Rush University Medical Center, they remain relatively high, but the lobby converted into an extra care facility for non-COVID patients has not been needed and is now being used to test staff and medical students for antibodies. But Dr. Paul Casey, the chief medical officer at Rush, issued a warning about people letting their guard down too soon.
"It's not time with nice weather to bring a bunch of people together," Dr. Casey said. "We really got to maintain this social distancing for a period of time to be successful."
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In northwestern Illinois, a pastor who sued the governor and lost his bid for a temporary restraining order still met with nearly 100 people at Beloved Church, but again, there were no arrests.
"If people are persistently defiant, they can be put in jail," Pritzker said. "I'm not suggesting that that's the best answer or the first answer, but it is something that's an option for local law enforcement."
The governor deferred to local law enforcement to handle that as opposed to calling in the state police, but he remained concerned about the potential consequences.
"It's an enormous mistake and I am very hopeful that we aren't going to need to send teams in to do mass testing among the people who, you know, may be spreading the virus in their community," Pritzker said.
And it's not just in Chicago. In northwest Illinois, several dozen people attended a Sunday church service, defying the ban on gatherings of more than 10.
After the pastor there sued Pritzker arguing his civil rights had been violated, a judge denied that preacher's request for a temporary restraining order over the weekend.
"I'm very hopeful that we aren't going to need to send teams in to do mass testing among the people who may be spreading the virus in their community," Pritzker said.
READ: GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER'S FULL 'RESTORE ILLINOIS' PLAN:
Governor Pritzker Announces Restore Illinois: A Public Health Approach To Safely Reopen Our State
