Pritzker to discuss COVID-19 in Illinois
Gov. J.B. Pritzker will hold a COVID-19 briefing at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Chicago, just days before Phase 4 of his reopening plan is set to begin.
That phase has different restrictions on businesses moving forward with various regulations on event capacity.
\Phase 5 wouldn’t come around until there’s a COVID-19 vaccine or a readily available treatment.
Businesses across Illinois prepare to enter Phase 4
NFIB Illinois State Director Mark Grant said a lot of their small independent business members are preparing as much as they can in the next four days to enter Phase 4, but some may not be able to open right away.
He said there could be problems hiring back employees. Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Scott Dahl said while it will be good to have historic sites and museums open for guests, not being able to book large conventions will continue to hurt the area’s economy.
Illinois courts face mountain of cases backed up by pandemic
Courtrooms in Illinois are facing a mountain of cases as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Many courthouses were closed because of the pandemic.
Changes to procedures have slowed things down, such as a defendant’s right to a speedy trial.
Public health officials report 26 additional COVID-19 deaths
In the latest daily report, there were more than 18,200 COVID-19 tests conducted and 462 positive cases.
The state’s seven-day positivity rate now stands at 2 percent. That’s down a full percentage point from the previous report.
There were 26 additional deaths public health officials say are related to COVID-19.
Group warns about Legionella concerns
Because many businesses and schools have been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an advocacy group is warning that stagnant water systems could be hiding a silent killer.
The Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease is warning dormant water distribution systems could increase the growth of Legionella bacteria and other pathogens.
That could lead to the risk of Legionnaires’ disease when buildings are reopened and the stagnant water sources start running again.
Amazon bringing 2,000 jobs to Illinois
Online retailer Amazon is expanding in the Chicago suburbs with two fulfillment centers.
The Matteson and Markham locations could employ around 2,000 people and will sort and fulfill online orders.
