During a briefing on Sunday, Gov. JB Pritzker said he is shutting down all the bars and restaurants in the state of Illinois effective at the end of the business hours on Monday. This order will last until March 30.
Resturants will still be allowed to operate through take-out, delivery services or drive-through.
With the concerns over St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Pritzker said “the time for persuasion and public appeals is over,” and now is the time to make the hard decisions.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot supported Pritzker’s decision and said the decision will be enforced at the city’s level.
Sam Tola, president and CEO of Illinois Restaurant Association, said the association has been and will continue to work with the government to ensure the paycheck of people who work in the industry.
At the briefing event, Illinois Department of Public Health announced 29 more confirmed cases of COVID-19, adding the total count in Illinois to 93 across 13 counties.
Five additional counties are now reporting cases: 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.
