A new covid variant is spreading through Illinois, leading to new mask mandates in hospitals and other public places and leading to renewed calls for wider mask mandates to halt the potential spread of the new offshoot virus. Illinois as covid numbers have begun to spike again as the year nears its end. In Illinois, 1,225 new COVID-19 hospitalizations were reported last week, up 22 percent over the previous week. The number of counties listed at the “high” level for COVID-19 hospitalizations has doubled from five to 10 Illinois counties in central Illinois, including Sangamon, according... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois will drop its indoor mask requirement starting Feb. 28, but the mandate will remain in place for all Illinois schools, Gov. JB Pritzker announced in a press conference today. “We’re seeing the fastest rate of decline in our COVID-19 hospitalization metrics since the pandemic began,” Pritzker said, “Our daily total of patients has fallen…66 percent. Our ICU bed care has seen a 63 percent drop… as a result of that, if these trends continue, as we expect them to, then on Monday, Feb. 28, we will lift the indoor mask requirement for the State... Read More