• WJOL on Air
    • Local News
    • Prize Vault
    • WJOL Live
    • WJOL Podcast
    • WJOL Podcast Archives
    • WJOL Photos
    • Prize Claim Form
    • Community Event
    • Submit a Community Event
    • Public Service Announcement Request
    • Careers
      • AlphaMedia Careers
      • Chicago Jobs
    • Contest Rules
      • 1340 WJOL’s Money Talks Rules
      • 1340 WJOL Bracket Mania Rules
    • Contact
      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • Soundcloud
      • YouTube
      • Alexa Skill
      • Radio.com
      • Tune In
      • iHeart Radio
    • Show Schedule
      Breaking News
Everything You Want To Know About COVID-19
Local News

Summer Openings? Not So Fast

Apr 8, 2021 @ 5:31am
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Gov. J.B. Pritzker clarified statements from his chief of staff on Wednesday, a day after she said the state was headed for a full reopening this summer.

Illinois has been in Phase 4 of the governor’s 5-phased reopening plan for months. Restrictions include capacity limits for restaurants and sporting events.

On Tuesday, Anne Caprara told a Senate committee she and the governor hoped to have restrictions lifted soon.

“I think we both hope that we are going to be in a place to move to Phase 5 in the beginning of the summer,” Caprara said. “I always hesitate to say definitively where we are going to be because we have now ridden through several rises and falls of COVID cases.”

During a news conference Wednesday in Rockford, Pritzker said not so fast.

“I wouldn’t characterize it as saying that the reopening starts as the summer starts,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker once again said there are metrics to meet, including about 5 million Illinoisans, or 50% of the state’s population older than 16, need to be fully vaccinated. According to the New York Times Vaccine Tracker, 19% of people in Illinois are fully vaccinated.

The governor also has two other metrics that must be met before restrictions are lifted. For 28 days, hospitalizations and intensive care bed numbers have to be stable or decreasing.

“The number of hospitalizations is increasing, the number of cases of people going into ICU beds is increasing, and that is of great concern to us,” Pritzker said.

As of Tuesday night, 1,710 people were reported to be in an Illinois hospital with COVID-19, including 353 in the ICU.

On Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,790 new confirmed and probable cases of the coronavirus, an increase from the day before.

The state has reported 21,423 deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic started.

Popular Posts
Update: Teen With Autism Found Unresponsive In Romeoville Preserve Cause of Death Reported
Oldest Son Of Drew Peterson Faces Drug Charges In Dupage Co.
Will County Vaccine Appointments Available For Those 16 and Older Today
Manhunt In Kearney Glen Subdivision Began With Man Pointing Gun At Woman
Body Found in Theodore Marsh Identified
Recent Posts
Five Vehicle Crash Closes I-55 SB Near Black Road
19 mins ago
Highest Return Rate For Joliet Park District’s “Donate Your Weight”
8 hours ago
Ramp And Lane Closures This Weekend Along I-80
8 hours ago
  • Careers
  • Our Stations
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Contest Rules
  • EEO Report
  • WJOL Public Inspection File
  • FCC Applications

© 2021 Alpha Media LLC.
All Rights Reserved.

Will County's News, Talk, Sports
  • WJOL on Air
  • Local News
  • Prize Vault
  • WJOL Live
  • WJOL Podcast
  • WJOL Podcast Archives
  • WJOL Photos
  • Prize Claim Form
  • Community Event
  • Submit a Community Event
  • Public Service Announcement Request
  • Careers
    • AlphaMedia Careers
    • Chicago Jobs
  • Contest Rules
    • 1340 WJOL’s Money Talks Rules
    • 1340 WJOL Bracket Mania Rules
  • Contact
  • Show Schedule
CONNECT WITH US
LISTEN TO US ON