Editor's Note: The governor said Thursday that he plans to continue his weekday briefings for now, despite earlier claims from his spokesperson that he would switch to a weekly format next week.
Since Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an emergency declaration amid the coronavirus pandemic, he has been conducting frequent press conferences to keep residents informed on the state’s response to the virus.
Until now.
According to a spokesperson for the governor, Pritzker will no longer conduct press briefings throughout the week, but will instead conduct briefings weekly.
The news comes as Illinois prepares to move into Phase Three of the “Restore Illinois” plan later this week. Under that phase, all non-essential retailers will be allowed to open their doors with capacity limits and social distancing guidelines in place. Gatherings of 10 or fewer people will be permitted, and a variety of other services, including haircuts, tattoos and outdoor seating at restaurants and bars will also be allowed.
When the coronavirus crisis began, Pritzker held daily press briefings. Earlier this month, the briefings were moved to occurring on weekdays only, with daily information still released on newly confirmed cases and deaths still being released via email from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
That practice is expected to continue, but Pritzker will only take questions from reporters during weekly updates on the coronavirus pandemic, according to his spokesperson.
