CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signaled that it won't be business as usual for large summer events this year. In other words, concerts, festivals and other activities where crowds gather are not likely to happen, even if other types of COVID-19-related restrictions are lifted.
Pritzker, who has issued a "stay at home" order for Illinoisans through April 30, said the risk of a novel coronavirus resurgence is too great, without a vaccine in hand.
"I think everybody needs to think seriously about canceling large summer events," Pritzker said Thursday at his daily coronavirus briefing with reporters. "From my perspective today, I do not see how we are going to have large gatherings of people.
"Until we have a vaccine, which is months and months away, I would not risk having large groups of people getting together anywhere."
Pritzker's comments came as he offered a measure of good news -- that the state may be seeing a "bending" of the COVID-19 curve, but not a flattening. He and other officials say this is likely because residents have followed directions not to congregate in public.
Pritkzer said it's possible there could be a resurgence in the fast-spreading, potentially fatal virus if the state doesn't successfully ramp up its efforts to do mass testing, trace people who come into contact with an infected person and treat patients.
