'We seem to have come off the peak,' Pritzker says as weekly death tolls are dropping
Death and hospitalization rates for COVID-19 hit significant low points Tuesday as Illinois moves toward looser COVID-19 restrictions Friday, although officials urged residents to be cautious.
The week ending May 16 resulted in 780 deaths, which "signals the first week that there have been fewer deaths than the previous week," Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said.
"I am hopeful this is the beginning of a downward trend," she said.
Preliminary data on the IDPH website indicates there were 675 deaths the week ending May 23, which would be another milestone.
As of Monday night 3,788 COVID-19 patients were in the hospital - a six-week low.
"All regions continue on track to move into Phase 3 by the end of the week," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said, referring to a five-phase reopening plan. "We seem to have come off the peak."
The governor said positivity testing for COVID-19 is at an average of 9.2% compared to a high of 23% in April, but he cautioned residents to continue wearing masks to avoid a resurgence.
On Friday, the state plans to take a significant step by easing stay-at-home restrictions, allowing outdoor dining at restaurants, hair salons' and barbershops' reopening, golfing in foursomes, and gatherings of 10 or fewer.
Asked how to safely see relatives or friends again, Ezike said, "I can't give anyone a COVID-free pass.
"If you expand your circles, obviously there's more risk of transmission. People will have to learn to coexist with COVID. People will have to make these calculated decisions and assume a risk that they're comfortable with. There's no way to know for sure if someone is harboring the virus or not. ... It's a little bit of a wild card."
The number of deaths of COVID-19 in Illinois grew by 39 Tuesday and cases increased by 1,178, officials said. That brings the total cases to 113,195, with 4,923 Illinoisans dying from the respiratory disease.
In the Chicago metro region, metrics are meeting thresholds to ease restrictions, although the positivity testing rate for COVID-19 reported Tuesday is at an average of 14.5%, higher than statewide figures.
Meanwhile, East Dundee Republican state Rep. Allen Skillicorn is seeking to recall Pritzker, who he says botched the handling of an unemployment claims surge and overstepped his authority with the four-region, five-phase state reopening plan.
"I have constituents who tell me they have dialed in hundreds of times a day for weeks without getting through," Skillicorn said in a statement last week. He needs bipartisan support from 10 senators and 20 representatives, then 636,825 signatures, for a recall election.
Pritzker has admitted the Illinois Department of Employment Security was swamped but said that with the help of consultants claims are being processed adequately now. Recently, however, a data breach exposed claimants' names.
"IDES and IDPH have been left behind after many years of representatives like that one ... who has consistently voted against budgets funding vital agencies we need in this pandemic," Pritzker said, referring to Skillicorn.
Tuesday's briefing followed a historic and partisan General Assembly special session.
Pritzker rebuked lawmakers who dropped his request for legislation allowing police to issue citations fining businesses that flout his stay-at-home order. Last week, he pulled an executive rule enabling police to charge scofflaws with Class A misdemeanors, which drew protests.
"I think (lawmakers) abdicated their responsibility," Pritzker said.
Here's a snapshot of what to expect in Phase 3, which begins Friday:
• Masks are required in public settings.
• Restaurants and bars can provide outside service with tables 6 feet apart for groups of no more than six people. Customers must wear masks except when eating and drinking.
• Golfers can play in foursomes with one person per cart or one household per cart.
• Hair salons and barbershops should provide 6 feet between chairs and the state prefers a barrier between stations. Reservations are required; walk-ins aren't allowed.
• Youth sports organizations can hold drills, lessons and practices for groups of 10 or less that allow for social distancing and do not involve contact between individuals. Participants must wear masks and may have their temperatures taken upon entry.
• In malls, face masks are required and indoor food courts are prohibited. Water fountains will be turned off except for touchless ones to refill water bottles. The state is encouraging 6-foot markers, see-through shields at checkouts and touchless transactions.