Illinois Bars and Restaurants closed

Photo courtesy to Pritzker Facebook page

NORMAL, Ill.- As the state continues to take action to minimize the spread of Coronavirus in our communities, Governor JB Pritzker announced that all bars and restaurants in the state of Illinois will be closed to the public, beginning at close of business Monday, March 16 through Monday, March 30.

The Illinois Department of Public Health just today announced 29 new cases of Coronavirus across Illinois.

There are now five additional counties that have reported cases

These cases are in Champaign, Clinton, Sangamon, Whiteside, and Winnebago counties.

Other locations with cases include Chicago and Cook, Cumberland, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, St. Clair, and Woodford counties.

In an official press release Pritzker stated, “This is another hard step to take. I know how difficult this will be on small businesses around the state. But we must do everything we can to safeguard the health of the citizens of Illinois, and that requires this urgent action.”

He went on to state, “The time for persuasion and public appeals is over — the time for action is here. This is not a joke. No one is immune to this, and you have an obligation to act in the best interests of all the people of this state.”

However, he also announced that he has plans for a temporary reduction of government functions and workforce while maintaining core functions and essential operations.

Select employees will continue to report to work.

However, the remaining workforce will either work remotely or be asked to remain home on call while receiving pay.

All state employees will continue to be paid during this period.

As of now this will only effect dine-in operations. Drive-ups and carry out are open to the public.

“At this point, it is best to assume that the Coronavirus is circulating in your community and you should take the same precautions when interacting with other people that you would when interacting with someone who has tested positive for Coronavirus,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.

“This may seem like an extreme step, but this is how we reduce the number of new cases and prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed.”