PEORIA, Ill. — Gov. J.B. Pritzker spoke Thursday at the Peoria City/County Health Department to address a local COVID-19 situation that has become more dire.
The region has seen seven consecutive days of an increased positivity rates, and three straight days of increases in hospital admissions.
Pritzker said four more days of the hospitalization trend, and the region could see consequences.
“That means bars will close again, a possible reduction of service in restaurants, and smaller capacity limits on other activities,” he said.
“The specifics of the reversal will be determined and dependent upon the types of activities most likely causing or that could cause greater community spread of the virus.”
The state’s rolling seven-day positivity rate was at 3.8%. In Peoria’s region, it’s at 4.3%.
Peoria is one of four counties on the warning level by the Illinois Department of Public Health because of an increased level of COVID-19 emergency department visits and an increasing number of cases, period.
Prtizker said a large block of recent cases has been seen in people 29 and younger.
If the Peoria region or any other region were to be bumped back a phase of Restore Illinois, Pritzker said it’s likely the 28-day rule would be implemented, in which a region would have to wait 28 days to meet certain metrics to advance to the next phase.
Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis pleaded with area residents to take proper precautions.
“We’re on the verge of stepping back. And that is not what we need,” he said.
“Our businesses need to be open. They need more business.
“Taking a step [back] right now is very likely to be the end of a lot of our small businesses that can’t take it.”
Ardis took it a step further, and suggested people police peers.
“I kind of equate this to a different crime, where people say if you see something, say something. If you see somebody without a mask, say something to them,” he offered.
“You don’t have to be rude about it, but bring it to their attention. People need to know how serious this is.
“The governor is not here to issue a threat. It’s reality.”
