April 27, 2020

Statement from Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot on Judge McHaney’s Ruling Against the State’s Stay At Home Order

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

“Today’s ruling is troubling and wrong. I understand that the State Attorney General's office will appeal this ruling, which we support. One of the many problems with this ill-advised opinion is that it will destroy the collective progress we have made, giving Illinoisans the wrong impression that we have beaten the COVID-19 pandemic. Let me remind everyone that the Governor’s Stay at Home Order has played a crucial role in our data-driven, robust response to COVID-19. In fact, recently published City data has shown that staying at home and limiting human interaction is one of the major reasons why Chicago is beginning to see the flattening of the curve. And let me be clear, this does not mean that we can, nor should, return to our normal day-to-day lives, in fact it means the opposite. Continued compliance will be needed to keep flattening the curve and ultimately lead to a decrease in cases. Contrary to what this ruling suggests, we must all be in this together, and only through cooperation and collaboration can we contain and limit the effects of the virus.

“I applaud and unequivocally support Governor Pritzker’s actions to extend the Stay at Home order to protect all Illinois residents. Nothing about today’s ruling will change the City’s intention to continue imposing the Stay at Home restrictions. We need this effort to keep all Chicagoans safe and healthy, and we will stay the course.”
 
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