The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced October 20 that it would place Region 8 under additional COVID-19 mitigations beginning October 23.
Senator Jim Oberweis represents portions of Region 8, which includes DuPage and Kane counties. He is critical of the decision to place the entire region under further restrictions based solely on the state’s metrics.
“The Pritzker Administration is yet again making decisions on a one-size-fits-all basis, which hurts businesses and residents in an entire region without consideration of where the higher incidence of COVID-19 cases are found, and what populations are being affected. It could be that the higher numbers reflect a surge in cases in a localized hot spot.
At the beginning of this pandemic, we understood the need to stay at home and help flatten the curve to protect the public and help our front-line health workers. Seven months in, our employers and residents have been working very hard to learn about the protocols and do what is necessary to conduct business safely, responsibly and reasonably.
Oberweis Dairy will survive. But my heart goes out to those who are losing their businesses and jobs as a result of this government action. Based on their progress, we should take a closer look at the state’s guidelines, and the thinking behind the metrics to determine if these mitigation measures can be adjusted or fine-tuned. It is possible to fight COVID-19 AND keep our small-business owners operating, and our residents employed.”