Illinois State Senate District 47 issued the following announcement on Nov. 2.
Senator Jil Tracy says Illinois citizens deserve much more information and explanation about the COVID-19 data behind critical decisions that are negatively affecting Illinois communities.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced November 1 that it will place Region 2 – North-Central Illinois – under additional COVID-19 mitigations beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 4. Region 2 includes Rock Island, Henry, Bureau, Putnam, Kendall, Grundy, Mercer, Knox, Henderson, Warren, McDonough, Fulton, Stark, Marshall, Peoria, Tazewell, McLean, Woodford, Livingston, and LaSalle counties.
The announcement comes just two days after COVID-19 mitigations were announced for Region 3 – West-Central Illinois – beginning on November 1. Region 3 includes Hancock, Adams, Pike, Calhoun, Jersey, Greene, Scott, Brown, Schuyler, Cass, Morgan, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Sangamon, Logan, Menard, and Mason counties.
“The people in our communities are very frustrated. From my observation, the bars and restaurants have made every accommodation to protect the health and safety of their patrons and staff. On the same day that IDPH cracks down on Region 3, which encompasses several west central Illinois counties in the 47th Senate District, they announce the same mitigations for several other counties also in our Senate District. Once again, I state in the strongest terms that I don’t support the Governor’s action to place Region 3 and Region 2 under further restrictions,” Senator Tracy said.
“The Pritzker Administration issues these one-size-fits-all decisions that hurt an entire region without explaining why, without telling us where the higher incidence of COVID-19 cases are found or what populations are affected, and without explaining all the factors in play,” Senator Tracy said. “The data I have seen doesn’t seem to support that restaurants and bars are a major source of the spread of the virus. Many of the outbreaks are instead related to private gatherings.”
The 47th District Senator says she supports an October 28 request by Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady that the Governor’s office explain to lawmakers the data being used to implement mitigation measures on regions in Illinois, and that lawmakers hold public hearings about new mitigations.
Original source can be found here.
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