BREAKING: Illinois Covid Numbers Exploding Again, Is A Shutdown On The Way?
BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid-19 numbers exploded over the last week, roaring up almost 30 percent, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The most recent map of covid infection levels in Illinois shows the state rapidly increasing in numbers after it had been declining.
Despite a statewide mask mandate and other mitigations in place, Illinois Department of Public Health recorded a 29% increase in cases from the week prior, with numbers jumping from 17,462 to 22,600 cases in one week.
Illinois health officials also reported 129 additional deaths and over 439,291 new vaccine doses administered. Since the pandemic began, 1,735,586 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state, according to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The additional deaths reported this week bring the state to 26,077 confirmed COVID fatalities, according to reports.
Gov. JB Pritzker had been waffling on lifting the mask mandate before the holidays, and now, IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike said it’s probably not going to happen.
“As we’ve moved indoors, we haven’t maybe taken our masks indoors with us. So a lot of unmasked indoor gatherings are likely part of the problem,” Ezike said. “Of course, COVID is so complicated. It’s been throwing us curveball after curveball.”
Locally, Rock Island County health department also reports 146 cases of COVID-19 since the last report on Friday. The total number of cases is 19,583. Currently, 29 patients are hospitalized in the county with the virus. The average age of newly infected patients is 33.
The Illinois Senate voted 31-24 to approve the proposal; the measure passed out of the House on a 64-52-2 vote. Pritkzer signed the amendment into law a week ago Monday.
The Health Care Right of Conscience Act amendment bans employees from using their moral beliefs as a reason to refuse to comply with a 
workplace’s covid mandates, which could include mandatory vaccinations.
“Masks, vaccines, and testing requirements are life-saving measures that keep our workplaces and communities safe,” said Pritzker, who added he was grateful that the act “is no longer wrongly used against institutions who are putting safety and science first.”
The law doesn’t take effect until June 1, 2022. However, the law could go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, if there is a new vote that garners greater support within the Illinois House and Senate. Pritzker would be expected to sign that into law should the vote take place to push up the mandate.
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