Taylor Avery
Despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker lifting the mask mandate for most public settings, Illinois House Democrats are sticking to rules requiring face coverings in their chamber. One maskless Republican insisted, “It’s time to stand up for sanity in here.” But Democrats accused unmasked colleagues of throwing “insults” and “tantrums.”
As she prepared to leave the public stage on March 14, the state’s top doctor spoke of serving as a key adviser, calm leader, comforting voice — and “a role model to young girls, girls of color, little Black girls, that they can be leaders in any field.”
“Things seem to be pretty good. Hospitalizations are way down. Cases are way down, and we hope we can sustain that through the spring and the summer and frankly, forevermore,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at Navy Pier.
State Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, apologized Tuesday for telling state Rep. Lakesia Collins last week to “Keep my f------ name out of your mouth” after the Chicago Democrat mistakenly named him as violating Illinois House masking rules.
Democrats accused the nine maskless GOP lawmakers of wasting time on political theatrics, but the Republicans blasted the Democrats as hypocrites knuckling under the “tyrannical rule” of Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The decision by the bipartisan legislative oversight committee appears to temporarily suspend the emergency rule for schools across the state. Republicans called it a rejection of “Pritzker’s tyrannical reign,” but the governor’s office argued “masks are the best way to preserve in-person learning and keep children and staff safe.”
Just eight COVID-19 deaths were reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health on Monday, the state’s lowest daily death toll since late November. Hospitals saw their lowest occupancy numbers since before Thanksgiving.
Las mascarillas no se exigirán en las tiendas, los restaurantes y otros lugares de reunión, pero sí en los hospitales, en el transporte público y en otros lugares, como las escuelas.
Masks won’t be required in grocery stores, restaurants and other gathering points, but they’ll still be required in hospitals, on mass transit and some other settings, including schools. The Chicago and Cook County public health departments indicated the city and suburbs would follow the state’s lead.