(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday blamed snowballing COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations on people who won’t get vaccinated.
He said the Omicron variant has wreaked havoc on the state’s hospitals, limiting the supply of beds for people who may experience other medical emergencies. Many hospitals are following his request to postpone elective surgeries until conditions improve.
“The unvaccinated are the ones filling up 85% of our COVID hospital beds and 95% of our ICU beds and nearly 100% of our ventilators,” Pritzker said. “So, getting vaccinated and boosted remains the best way for all of us to take care of ourselves and each other and alleviate the strain on our healthcare workers and hospitals.”
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Pritzker prefaced his first news conference of 2022 by saying he’s “optimistic that 2022 will be a year of recovery and success for everyone.” But he quickly segued into complaints that things could be markedly better two years COVID after swept across the globe.
“It is frustrating and tragic that two years into the pandemic, with multiple and widely available and free life-saving vaccines, that we are once again in this horrible position,” the governor said.
Chicago and Cook County are now requiring many types of indoor businesses, such as restaurants and bars, to make sure sit-down customers have been vaccinated. The businesses are expected to inspect patrons’ vaccination cards.
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