Pritzker to extend stay-at-home order through April

Illinois’ stay-at-home order will be extended through April, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday afternoon.

The order, which went into effect March 21, was originally set to expire at the end of Tuesday, April 7.

Pritzker said the decision weighed heavily on him due to the impact the order is having on residents and businesses. But he said his main priority is keeping Illinoisans alive and medical experts have advised him that the step is necessary.

“If we can end these orders earlier, I’ll be the first one to tell you when we can start to make strides toward normalcy again,” he said. “But that time is not today, and it’s not April 7.”

The order requires Illinoisans to stay at home, with exceptions for essential activities and trips, like getting groceries or seeking medical services. Residents are still able to go outside for walks and other activities as long as they exercise “social distancing.”

Businesses and operations deemed non-essential must remain closed.

Officials reported 26 more deaths Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 99. There were 937 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 5,994 in 54 counties. There have been 35,225 individuals tested in Illinois.

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