CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Governor Pritzker warned about it the other day. Now, he is taking even tougher steps in the fight against the increase in COVID-19 infections in the State of Illinois.
Governor Pritzker announced Thursday a new, statewide indoor mask mandate for everyone 2 and older, as well as a vaccine requirement for all PreK-12 and higher education employees.
"Illinois will join several other states who have reinstituted statewide indoor mask requirements, regardless of vaccination status effective on Monday," Pritzker said.
"Masks work. Period."
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The new, indoor mask mandate goes into effect statewide Monday, Aug. 30.
Masks will not be required while outdoors, but the state does strongly encouraged wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings like festivals and concerts as well as for activities that require close contact with people who are not vaccinated.
The City of Chicago and suburban Cook County already have an indoor mask mandate in place.
Additionally, in Illinois, vaccinations will be required for all P-12 teachers and staff, all higher education personnel, all higher education students, and healthcare workers in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, urgent care facilities, and physicians' offices, Pritzker said Thursday as a news conference.
"Effective Sept. 5, individuals working in these settings who are unable or unwilling to receive their first dose of vaccine will be required to get tested for COVID-19 at least once a week. And DPH and ISBE may require more frequent testing in certain situations, like in an outbreak."
Governor Pritzker had warned Tuesday he may need to look at the "menu" of COVID mitigation options if conditions worsened, including a move back into mitigation phases.
“I will remind you that if we are not able to bring these numbers down, if hospitals continue to fill, if the hospital beds and ICUs get full like they are in Kentucky — that’s just next door to Illinois — if that happens, we’re going to have to impose significantly greater mitigations,” Pritzker said Tuesday.
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The Governor added that those who shout at school board meetings, because they don’t like mask mandates for schools are in the minority.
Chicago Public Schools has already put a vaccination requirement in place for all employees. Additionally, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday a vaccine requirement for all city employees.