Pritzker calls for closure of schools, bars and restaurants

The number of Illinois’ confirmed cases of new coronavirus nearly tripled over the weekend, leading state officials to take drastic steps to control the pandemic.

Gov. JB Pritzker announced Sunday that every bar and dine-in restaurant in Illinois will be shut down for at least two weeks, starting at the end of business Monday. That came two days after he announced the closure of all K-12 schools, starting Tuesday. Both restrictions will tentatively run through March 30.

“The time for persuasion and public appeals is over,” Pritzker said at Sunday’s press conference. “The time for action is here. This is not a joke.”

Some businesses may stay open for delivery or drive-thru service, Pritzker said. Illinois state parks, fish and wildlife areas, recreational areas and historic sites have also closed as well as the Illinois State Museum in Springfield.

The news comes as the number of confirmed cases in Illinois rose to 93 on Sunday in 13 counties. A total of 1,025 Illinoisans have been tested for coronavirus as of Sunday, including the confirmed cases. Of those, 932 came back negative.

There are no reported deaths in Illinois.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the state’s public health director, said Saturday to expect the number of cases to “dramatically” increase as results come in from private labs.

The restriction on bars and restaurants comes after Pritzker called out establishments for hosting large crowds on Saturday for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The festivities were held despite officials calling last week for the cancellation of any large public gatherings, on top of the mandated cancellation of all public events of more than 1,000 individuals.

While it may seem like an “extreme step,” closing bars and restaurants will help reduce community spread, especially as new cases are now being reported across the state, Ezike said.

“People should assume that this novel coronavirus is in their communities, and we all need to take steps to protect ourselves and prevent the spread,” she said.

Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, expressed support for the plan.

“First and foremost, we want to protect the health of our customers and our team members,” he said. “That is the number one concern of the restaurant industry.”

He added they will advocate for economic relief for small businesses and their employees.

Pritzker also said work is being done to ensure grocers have enough supplies and requested that municipalities remove their prohibition on overnight food deliveries. Officials made a plea Sunday that Illinoisans not “hoard” meals.

“Please be reasonable,” Pritzker said. “There is enough food to go around, but we need people to not be selfish.”

Starting Tuesday, school districts will be providing two meals a day to children who qualify for free and reduced lunch. Officials said local school districts will contact families to provide more information.

Chicago Public Schools will provide grab-and-go breakfast and lunch for children between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pritzker said food will be given to any child who needs it, “no questions asked.”

In addition, Pritzker said Saturday that his administration will file a federal Medicaid waiver to tap into the increased flexibilities available to the program after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Friday.

Pritzker also said Sunday that the federal government will be increasing staff at O’Hare International Airport. Over the weekend, travelers returning from Europe were forced to wait for hours in close quarters at the Customs and Border Protection checkpoint.

Along with tweeting about the situation, Pritzker appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sunday morning, telling host Chuck Todd that lack of guidance from the federal government has left states to their own devices in coming up with a response to the pandemic.

“We’re the ones who have had to provide the leadership because the federal government just has fallen down on this,” Pritzker said.

During Sunday’s press conference, Pritzker said he had since spoken to Vice President Mike Pence, who promised to double Customs and Border Protection staff at O’Hare.

President Donald Trump defended the administration’s actions in a tweet Sunday afternoon.

“We are doing very precise medical screenings at our airports,” he wrote. “Pardon the interruptions and delays, we are moving as quickly as possible, but it is very important that we be vigilant and careful. We must get it right. Safety first!”

The CDC reported 1,629 confirmed and presumptive positive cases of the disease as of Sunday.

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