Illinois governor orders closure of bars, restaurants statewide
Photo Courtesy of Tribune News Service
A quiet morning along the South Side Irish Parade route on Western Avenue, Sunday, March 15 after coronavirus concerns cancelled the event leaving parade route bars without the usual throngs of customers.
March 15, 2020
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will order all Illinois bars and restaurants to close at the end of Monday’s business day to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The closures will last until at least March 30. Drive-through, delivery and curbside pickup options will still be available to customers.
“The time for persuasion and public appeals is over. The time for action is here. This is not a joke. No one is immune to this, and you have an obligation to act in the best interests of all the people of this state,” Pritzker said in a news conference Sunday at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago.
Pritzker said he was considering COVID-19 closures on NBC’s “Meet the Press” earlier on Sunday.
Pritzker said the state is working with owners at restaurants and food delivery services to see how they can keep kitchens clean and safely bring food to people’s homes.
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This is a developing story. The Daily Illini will update as more information is released.
