Illinois mask mandate for most indoor settings will be lifted by the end of the month

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday a plan to roll back indoor mask requirements.

With cases of COVID-19 falling from the recent omicron-driven peak, the governor said the mandate will be lifted for most public places at the end of the month.

"If these trends continue, and we expect them to, then on Monday, Feb. 28, we will lift the indoor mask requirement for the state of Illinois," Pritzker said Wednesday.

The state will continue to require masks for everyone in health care settings, long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and congregate settings such as prisons and shelters.

Requirements for day care settings will be set by the state Department for Children and Family Services. Requirements for public transportation, like trains and planes, are set by the federal government.

Masks are still required for adults in both day care and transportation settings.

Masks will also still be required in preschools and K-12 schools, according to Pritzker.

Masks in schools are one of the subjects at the center of a continuing legal battle working its way through Illinois courts.

A series of lawsuits spearheaded by Greenville attorney Thomas DeVore resulted in a temporary restraining order going into effect Friday which voids several COVID-19 related emergency rules from the state's health department and board of education.

An appeal led by the attorney general's office is currently in an appeals court in Springfield.

IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike said that masks are still "highly recommended."

"Our path forward includes keeping the tools we've talked about close," Ezike said, citing masks, vaccinations and upgraded air filtration systems.

"We can coexist with COVID," Ezike said.

Pritzker added that this does not stop businesses or local governments from creating and enforcing mask requirements.

In Springfield, there is no standing mask requirement from the city.

"We ask that everybody abide by the mandate," said Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder.

Langfelder also encouraged people to get vaccinated, despite his own initial hesitancy to the vaccine.

"If you don't do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones," he added.

Previous story: Will Illinois keep its COVID mask mandate? Gov. JB Pritzker hints 'stay tuned'

New York announced its plan for dropping indoor mask mandates Wednesday as well. New Jersey and California have already announced their plans to drop their mandates.

Republicans in the state legislature have criticized the governor's approach.

“The governor’s continued piecemeal approach isn’t working and leads to confusion and frustration," said Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods. "It’s time to get back to living in a sense of normalcy and that begins with empowering individuals to be responsible for themselves."

House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said Wednesday morning that Republican leadership had not been including in discussion of the mask mandates.

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In Sangamon County, test positivity was 13.5% during the last week of January, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The department's target for test positivity is 8%.

Over the same period, 7.5% of intensive care unit beds were available, falling short of IDPH's 20% goal.

On Feb. 9, there were 119 new positive cases in Sangamon County, bringing the total for the county to 53,142 cases, according to the Sangamon County Department of Public Health.

The department also announced four additional COVID deaths in Sangamon County. The new deaths include a man in his 70s who tested positive on Jan. 21, a woman in her 80s who tested positive Jan. 27, a woman in her 60s who tested positive Jan. 3, and a man in his 80s who tested positive Feb. 1.

There were two more deaths in Menard County, the department said. The new deaths were of a woman in her 70s who tested positive on Jan. 18 and a man in his 70s who tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 24.

This brings Sangamon County to 359 deaths and Menard County to 15.

In Jacksonville, Morgan County Health Department's COVID-19 drive-thru has closed due to a lack of demand from the community.

Individuals experiencing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate themselves immediately and contact their primary care physician or medical provider, a press release stated.

This story will be updated.

Contact Andrew Adams: aadams1@gannett.com; (312)-291-1417; twitter.com/drewjayadams.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Illinois mask mandate update: Requirements end by late February