Gov. JB Pritzker announced Illinois’ stay at home order will be extended until May 30 with some modifications starting May 1.

A few of those modifications will include elective surgeries being allowed to be scheduled once again, some state parks will be reopened as long as there is no more than 2 people doing activities such as hiking or boating, greenhouses will remain open, and retail businesses which were not open before will be allowed to begin online retail and curbside pick up services. 

Also starting May 1, face coverings will be required by those older than the age of two and can handle a face covering while out in public. 

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“If we lifted the stay at home order now, we would see our deaths per day shoot into the thousands by the end of May and that would last well into the summer. Our hospitals would be full and very sick people would have nowhere to go,” Governor Pritzker said.

In Illinois, there were 123 deaths in the past 24 hours, making the death total 1,688. There have been 1,826 more cases of COVID-19  diagnosed in the past 24 hours, making  36,934 cases all together in Illinois.

In Jackson County, there are 53 positive cases of COVID-19 and 7 deaths. Williamson County has 19 cases of COVID-19 all together but no recorded deaths. 

Staff reporter Alex Williams can be reached at [email protected].

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