April 20 briefing: Gov. J.B. Pritzker discusses hospitalization rates and ventilator usage across Illinois.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he's considering a regional approach to reopening the state's economy following the coronavirus pandemic.
Pritzker said at a news conference Monday that he still hasn't decided if he'll extend the statewide stay-at-home order beyond April 30. When it comes to reopening the state, the governor said he'll weigh factors such as the hospital capacity of a given area and the region's environment.
"There's a lot of distance, as you can imagine, between people's homes in rural areas of Illinois," he stated. "And so, you know, the idea of people going outside and wearing a mask, you know, on a property of theirs that might be 100 acres or 10 acres, you know, is much different than the prospect of somebody, you know, on the North Side or the West Side Chicago."
Pritzker added he wants to do whatever possible to keep people safe without further spreading the virus.
"None of this is done on a whim," Pritzker said, referring to making decisions regarding the stay-at-home order. "All of this is done listening to the people who understand the virus and know how it gets transmitted."
The governor said a decision on whether to extend or change the stay-at-home order could possibly come by the end of the week.
