Senator Jil Tracy is joining her Senate colleagues in calling for greater transparency about the data behind critical decisions about COVID-19 that are negatively affecting Illinois businesses and their employees.
The 47th District Senator is especially concerned as the Illinois Department of Public Health announced October 29 that it will place Region 3 – West-Central Illinois – under additional COVID-19 mitigations beginning at 12:01 a.m. on November 1. Region 3 includes Hancock, Adams, Pike, Calhoun, Jersey, Greene, Scott, Brown, Schuyler, Cass, Morgan, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Sangamon, Logan, Menard, and Mason counties.
“Region 3 encompasses several west central Illinois counties in the 47th Senate District. Because of a glaring lack of transparency about the data behind COVID-19 mitigation decisions, I don’t support the Governor’s action to place the entire Region 3 under further restrictions,” Senator Tracy said. “The Pritzker Administration issues these one-size-fits-all decisions that hurt an entire region without letting us know where the higher incidence of COVID-19 cases are found, and what populations are affected. Perhaps one local hot spot is responsible for the increase in cases.”
Senator Tracy expressed her strong support of Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady’s call on October 28 for greater transparency about the data being used to make these critical decisions that affect Illinois communities. Brady is calling for the Illinois Senate to invite staff from the Governor’s office to explain to lawmakers the data being used to implement mitigation measures on regions in Illinois.
“When COVID-19 first started its terrible journey in Illinois, we did not question the need to stay at home, to flatten the curve and to do what we could to protect our healthcare system from being overwhelmed. Now more than seven months into this pandemic, our local businesses, residents and communities have worked hard to implement and follow realistic health and safety protocols,” Senator Tracy said. “They have a strong incentive to operate safely – the health and well-being of their customers and employees, as well as their livelihoods, their jobs and the economic well-being of their communities depend on it. So give them the data and let them decide if they want to go out or not. Let the IHSA make the decision about basketball and winter sports. Trust them to know what is best for their communities.”