CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced greater restrictions for the entire state — essentially limiting capacity at businesses that are still allowed to operate, closing others — to help halt the new wave of COVID-19 that threatens to overwhelm hospitals.
The new restrictions are not quite as severe as the blanket stay-at-home order earlier this year but come as Illinois grapples with exponential growth in the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
Beginning Friday, the entire state goes under a “Tier 3” model of mitigation. Retailers cannot have more than 25% of customer capacity in stores, and supermarkets and pharmacies cannot exceed 50% of that capacity. Cinemas, museums and casinos will be closed.
Fitness centers cannot operate beyond 25% capacity, and indoor group classes cannot be held.
Pritzker said the dramatic rollback was necessary to avoid another stay-at-home order. He said the state could see another 17,000 to 45,000 death between now and March 1 without additional mitigations.
"We can't let that happen," Pritzker said.
Several regions of the state already were under enhanced mitigations, and Pritzker recently issued a rule temporarily banning indoor service at restaurants and bars. State health officials recently advised residents to limit their travel and errands to essential ones.
On Tuesday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 12,601 new confirmed or probable cases of coronavirus, including 97 deaths.
Pritzker again discouraged people from hosting large gatherings for Thanksgiving, beyond the people who live in their own bubble.
He said he will be spending Thanksgiving in Chicago with his son, while his wife and daughter stay in Florida. He said it's the first time he and his spouse have been separated during the holiday.
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