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Gov. Pritzker Says Illinois Isn't Quite Ready For Phase 4

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Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Illinois)

Despite calls to reopen, Governor J-B Pritzker says Illinois is not ready.
Senate republicans and some other local officials would like to see the state move to phase four now, saying businesses don't understand why they can't fully re-open when protests with hundreds and even thousands of people are being held. But, Governor Pritzker says the pandemic isn't anything states were expecting or knew how to deal with at first.

"In Illinois, what we've done the right way, is rely upon the data, rely upon the science, rely upon the experts. You wouldn't want political decisions being made here about public health."

Pritzker says there has to be time to assess the status of the pandemic after going to phase three late last month.

"At the moment, the challenge that we have in the state is each time you move from one phase to another, you need to take a measure of all that reopening, what's the effect on hospitalizations, on cases, on deaths."

Under the governor's Restore Illinois plan, the earliest the state could move to phase four is June 26th. All four designated regions of Illinois currently meet the metrics for that to happen.

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