Gov. Pritzker announces statewide mask mandate to end Feb. 28

Posted on February 9, 2022
Gov. Pritzker made the announcement Wednesday afternoon. (Photo courtesy: WJBC/File)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Those of you ready to unmask: circle Feb. 28 on your calendar.

Gov. JB Pritzker Wednesday announced his road map to the rollback of mask mandates.

The first phase applies to indoor spaces other than schools.

“The equation for schools just looks different right now than it does for the general population,” Pritzker said. “Schools need a little more time for community infection rates to drop for our youngest learners to become vaccine eligible and for more parents to get their kids vaccinated.”

Republicans immediately criticized the governor for not having a plan on schools and for “mistreating” school children.
And Dr. Emily Landon, of University of Chicago Medicine, issued a warning: “There are some who will see these changes as some sort of confirmation that covid really isn’t that bad,” she said.

But please open your eyes: common colds don’t kill almost a million Americans, The flu does not kill the parent of one in 500 children.”

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].

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