Amid 'second surge' of pandemic, state and city officials warn of further restrictions in public

Amid ‘second surge’ of pandemic, state and city officials warn of further restrictions in public places, urge residents to take precautions in private settings


With coronavirus cases rapidly rising across Illinois and Chicago suffering what Mayor Lori Lightfoot called a “second surge” of the pandemic, officials on Monday cracked down on businesses in southern Illinois while warning that tighter restrictions on bars, restaurants and gatherings could be coming in the city and many suburbs.

“Every region of the state has started to move in the wrong direction,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference in Murphysboro, where he announced the tightening of restrictions in far southern Illinois. “Cases, positivity rates, hospitalizations and deaths are rising statewide.”

Lightfoot used her strongest language yet to warn Chicagoans that tougher rules are coming if numbers don’t improve. But even as she threatened to bring back restrictions on restaurants, bars and gyms, the mayor made the argument that those kinds of places aren’t really driving the spike in infections in Chicago.

Rather, lockdown-weary friends and family are spreading it to each other when getting together in homes and letting down their guard — and taking off their masks. Lightfoot and Pritzker both implored residents to follow rules on face masks and social distancing even in small gatherings with family and friends.

Read more: https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-illinois-chicago-20201019-ym6hlm4qvvhcfn6btkt45jjpwm-story.html