Gov. Pritzker limits store crowds, closes theaters and casinos — and simplifies COVID-19 plan: ‘If you don’t need to do it, don’t’ – By Mitchell Armentrout and Rachel Hinton (Chicago Sun Times) / Nov 17 2020
The guidelines stave off another stay-at-home order like the one that shut down most of the state economy in the spring — for now, at least.
With the entire Midwest region “once again in the throes of the worst of this coronavirus pandemic,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday announced the closures of museums, theaters and casinos across Illinois among a slew of other business restrictions — but stopped well short of a second statewide stay-at-home order.
Capacity limits at big box stores and other retailers except for grocery stores and pharmacies will be slashed from 50% to 25% under the governor’s Tier 3 resurgence mitigations that take effect Friday.
Gyms are also being scaled down to 25% capacity, while indoor group fitness classes will be halted completely. Personal services that require masks to be taken off, such as facials and beard trims, are also suspended, as are indoor youth and adult recreational sports.
Pritzker said his enhanced guidelines boil down to a simple idea: “If you don’t need to do it, don’t.”
