Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has expressed concern over people traveling from state to state as some of Illinois' neighbors continue to ease restrictions put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On Friday, restaurants in neighboring Iowa were allowed to open their doors to dine-in customers only if they operate at 50% percent capacity. Similarly, dine-in restaurants throughout most of Indiana have been allowed to reopen at 50% capacity, and other businesses like hair salons and tattoo parlors have reopened as well.
Illinois remains under an extended stay-at-home order that requires residents wear masks in public when social distancing isn't possible.
When asked about individuals who are crossing state borders Friday, Gov. Pritzker warned people from the Quad Cities region — which borders Iowa — to especially careful.
"I am genuinely concerned that with no stay-at-home order in place in Iowa, that people who are traveling across the border and... gathering in large groups are going into restaurants or bars... will asymptomatically come back to Illinois and spread it," he said.
Pritzker advised Illinoians who, for example, want to visit a store to stay the course.
"I would suggest that if you're looking for the opportunity to get together to do the things that you've been doing in the past to go into a retail store or something like that, we're 14 days away according to the data from you being able to do that, and we've done so well up to now," he said.
