St. Louis Loosening COVID-19 Restrictions Today

CBS St. Louis

May 14, 2021

Illinois will see COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen in mid-May and could see a fully re-open state by mid-June according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The State of Illinois will see COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen in mid-May and could see a fully re-open state by mid-June, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Speaking at a press conference last week, the governor said restrictions will be loosened May 14, which includes allowing businesses to increase capacity limits to 60%. Those changes are considered to be the bridge phase before fully opening the state, which currently is scheduled for June 11.

“I’m pleased to announce that the concerning upward movement of cases and hospitalizations we were seeing a few weeks ago have stabilized – a testament to the lifesaving, community-protecting power of vaccinations,” said Pritzker. “As a result, on Friday, May 14th, the State of Illinois will move into the Bridge Phase of our mitigation plan – one step closer to removing nearly all of the remaining mitigations, and a very hopeful move toward fully reopening. I want to thank people across Illinois who are getting vaccinated, wearing their masks, and continuing to do their part to make your friends and family safer and your communities healthier.”
As the state enters the Bridge Phase, Pritzker plans to adjust to the new CDC guidelines that will allow for fully vaccinated people to go without a mask.
"I firmly believe in following the science and will revise my executive orders in line with @CDCgov guidelines lifting additional mitigations for vaccinated people," he tweeted Thursday. "The scientists’ message is clear: if you are vaccinated, you can safely do much more."