Chicago Mayor Lightfoot predicts stay-at-home order will extend into May
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CHICAGO -- Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says she believes the stay-at-home order issued by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker will extend past April 30 and into May.
Mayor Lightfoot made the prediction Monday afternoon at a press conference in Chicago.
“I think that’s going to be difficult for us to say April 30th everything [opens] up. I don’t expect that to happen. I think it will extend beyond that. And we are already in the process of thinking about even when we get to a point where we feel safe from a public health standpoint, what would be the sequencing of lifting that [stay-a-home order?] That’s a conversation of course we need to have with the governor and his team,” Lightfoot said.
Governor Pritzker said Sunday that he and his staff are working on figuring out when and how things will open back up, and when people will get back to work.
"The last thing we want is to open things up and have a big spike in infections," he said.
Illinois health officials on Monday announced 1,173 new cases of the coronavirus, raising the state’s case total to 22,025.
There are also another 74 deaths from the disease in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state’s death toll is now 794 people.
The virus has been reported in 87 of the state's 102 counties. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
Of the 74 new deaths announced Monday, the youngest is a man in his 30s, while the oldest is a woman in her 100s, IDPH said.
Governor Pritzker also said Sunday the state has set up a way to get in touch with a mental health professional if the COVID-19 pandemic is causing you anxiety. Just text "TALK" (or "HABLAR" for Spanish assistance) to 552020. You can also text the words "UNEMPLOYMENT," "FOOD" or SHELTER" to the same number for assistance.
The state is also launching a remote care program for COVID-19 patients whose symptoms are not severe. Healthcare workers will connect digitally with patients on a daily basis. And, depending on the severity of the situation, the state might provide kits with blood pressure cuffs and thermometers.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.
Associated Press contributed to this report.