82 Comments - QC Man - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:49 pm: I think we should move back to phase 3, every time I drive by a restaurant or bar it is jammed packed with people with no social distancing or capacity limits in place. Also with Iowa just across the river and cases skyrocketing there it’s only a matter of time. I wouldn’t be opposed to moving back to phase 3 right away until the cases start slowing down nationwide. - Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:49 pm: 5. We weren’t consistently following restrictions, guidelines, and other public health requirements and recommendations before, we’re not now, and moving to Phase 3 provides even greater opportunity to those who weren’t making a good faith effort to prevent the spread of the pandemic before to spread it to others. - Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:50 pm: Oops, moving to Phase 4. Not that it made a difference which phase we were in to anyone in my community. - Streator Curmudgeon - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:50 pm: Voted “4″. I’m seeing more and more maskless people here. Either they believe the danger is over or their political affiliation makes them exempt from wearing a mask. Continued vigilance by everyone is necessary if we don’t want to backslide. - JS Mill - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:51 pm: I voted 5. We are not doing smart things like simply wearing a mask. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:53 pm: Voted “5” “I have met the enemy, and ‘he’ is us” Too many people are too Covidiot to understand. - Huh? - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:57 pm: Voted 4. It is likely that the State will move back to Step 3. It would not surprise me if we moved to Step 2. As others have said, the danger has not passed and the public is acting like nothing has happened. - So_Ill - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:58 pm: Voted 4. I went out in Springfield last Friday and saw hardly any masks, no social distancing or any other behavior associated with trying to stop the spread of COVID. It seems like only a matter of time. - BilboSwaggins - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 1:58 pm: The problem isn’t the state plan for re-opening per se. The problem is people get excited, they get lazy, lose their vigilance, and make poor choices. I don’t think enough has been done to communicate to people that this is a problem we are all probably going to have to sink the next year or two of our lives into dealing with. While I sympathize with the states that re-opened too early, the unfortunate truth about their predicament right now is that they are going to serve as a cautionary tale. Perhaps by watching them, we can be pro-active in stepping backward in the plan should we need to. - Democrat Grrrl - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:01 pm: I voted “3″ because I want to remain hopeful, but the more I see pictures of folks without masks, not social distancing, I feel like it is a matter of when, not if, we are held back for summer COVID school. - Dance Band on the Titanic - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:02 pm: 4. Seems inevitable due to the disregard for social distancing cited by others above. - thunderspirit - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:02 pm: I voted 4. Particularly with the holiday weekend approaching, I see no scenario where people who refuse to wear face coverings — and I see far too many of them indoors with other people — don’t tip Illinois backwards. - Papa2008 - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:07 pm: Voted 5. For most of rural Illinois the problem isn’t real. We are just a disaster waiting to happen. Very few wearing masks, bars are packed, restaurants are packed, and, I am going to assume, the mini casinos are packed today. The seriousness of this disease has not been driven home. We need a few PSA’s, with graphic video like the anti-smoking ones, to try to get people on board. The lack of concern is mind numbing. Sigh… - Rachel - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:07 pm: Voted 5. No so much worried as just level 5 certain it’s going to happen. People around here are very slow learners. - Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:08 pm: 4. Too many people not following the new rules. - Sonny - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:09 pm: Bars are a problem. Whether it’s the people who are going, the indoors, the lack of masks, whatever it is they are a transmission vector and the need to be closed now. Then go from there. Opening gyms seems idiotic. Do classes outside. We cannot repeat April or May here or fail to learn the lessons of Texas, Florida, Arizona. - TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:10 pm: Voted 1. I’m not worried about it. It’s going to happen. No sense in being worried. My current behavior is now mirroring my behavior in the last week of Feb/Early March. I’m actively preparing for what is coming, not worrying about it. - Nagidam - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:10 pm: I voted 4. The question I have is will people obey any directive to move back a phase. I think the train is moving down the tracks and short of a full blown crisis where deaths are increasing, I don’t think very many people will listen. It is easy to blame young people for the increased COVID numbers when people are looking for an easy mark but there is no way to talk around increased deaths. - Benjamin - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:10 pm: I voted 3. Not because I don’t think it’s likely we’ll return to Phase 3–I think it’s extremely likely to happen before the end of the year–but because I’ve resigned myself to it, and am therefore not that worried. Seriously, people, wear your masks. Don’t socialize. This is all we’re asked to do. - IPA - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:12 pm: “3″ Early in the pandemic I worried quite a bit about quite a lot. As it has progressed, I’ve learned to worry less about the things I can’t control. I can’t control what other people do, but I can choose not to go to a “corona trap” (i.e. Wrigleyville). Why am I not worried about regressing to Phase 3? The Governor has earned my trust. And quite honestly, moving to Phase 4 hasn’t changed much in the way of the places I go and the things I’m comfortable doing right now. I really do miss going to my local breweries, my group fitness classes, all of which have reopened. But, in sitting back and watching how people act, it’s not worth the risk to me. - A Jack - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:14 pm: 5 I went into a grocery store on the first day of phase 4. There were two persons dressed as health care providers, standing in the middle of an aisle so no one could socially distance around them. They were talking at length without masks. If health care professionals aren’t even following the rules, I have little hope for the general public to follow the rules. - Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:14 pm: I voted 4 simply because I live in a small rural town that it is easy to isolate from. If I lived in a larger city, I’d be a five. - 32nd warder - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:16 pm: i voted 5. people who think that we can return to pre cover normal are delusional. they are also causing spikes in cases that will drive us back into sheltering in place. this is our fate until we have a widely accessible vaccine. deal with it. - 32nd warder - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:17 pm: also, i really want my kids back i school this year. if given the choice, i would roll everything back in exchange for that. - LoyalVirus - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:21 pm: 4 - mostly based on seeing the pix of people gathering at bars in Wrigleyville. Gotta wear masks & stay distanced or we’re just gonna repeat it all & no one wants that. - Rudy’s teeth - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:21 pm: Protest marches are planned in Chicago. One is Thursday near the Civic Opera on Walker. More are scheduled near Daley Plaza, Thompson Center, the Federal Plaza and Grant Park on Saturday. Can’t imagine any social distancing or mask wearing will take place. Look for the numbers to rise after those events. Hope that there’s no return to looting as before. - Capt. Tripps - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:22 pm: Voted 5 CDC, Dr Faucci, and lots of other Public Health professionals have been warning the nation that this isn’t over. Its just not sinking in for a good portion of the nation, so we will all be in more danger due to their stupidity. - Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:22 pm: I expect it to happen. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:23 pm: ===Can’t imagine any social distancing or mask wearing=== lol Most have been wearing masks. Also, the protests have been ongoing almost every day. You just don’t read about it any more because there’s no violence. If it bleeds, it leads. - SSL - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:23 pm: I’m not worried but I have to admit I haven’t been too far outside my community to witness some of the behaviors discussed here. The worst I’ve seen so far is people wearing masks improperly. I’m much more concerned that the potential vaccines won’t be effective. - Jocko - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:24 pm: Voted 4. I suspect bars (and various July 4th gatherings) will undo the gains of may/june. - Now What? - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:26 pm: Voted 4. Essentially, the inconsistencies in enforcement make me the most nervous. I teach, and live close to Wisconsin, so I see the differences and impact of the various messaging. While bars and restaurants are the current labs, schools will truly determine how we attempt to move forward. - AnonymousOne - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:26 pm: 5 Not sure why some think this way, but some I know are just tired of complying with caution. Short attentions spans apparently. - The Opinions Bureau - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:37 pm: I voted 5 because according the Mayor of the City of Chicago the media has whipped me into a frenzy. - Amali - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:37 pm: Wrigleyville bar lines…so much stupid. Level 5. - Earnest - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:38 pm: 4. More travel, less mask and distancing compliance, more opportunities to gather unsafely indoors. I think mask compliance has a bigger economic impact than phases–many people won’t go to places if they don’t feel safe. - illinifan - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:40 pm: A 4 as time goes on people will get careless. Dining in and the bars will also be an issue. - Mama - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:41 pm: I voted 3 because it all depends on where one lives in IL. - Mama - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:45 pm: I have been seeing more and more people in the Springfield area not wearing a mask in public or restaurants. How do does the government, etc. get people to understand they need to wear a mask every time they are in public to keep us all from going back to staying at home? - GregN - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:48 pm: 2 In the western burbs people are masked, restaurants have customers opting for outside even inside is open (which is happening very slowly, the bar where I play Golden Tee is taking all guidance seriously been 4 times, only customer 3 of 4 and the 4th was 25 feet away. So maybe a higher numbered phase for some, but not worried if we all move backward. And what Rich said re protests. - Mama - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:50 pm: Rich, who is sponsoring the Mask-less- protest in Springfield in July? I heard it has something to do with teachers & school-aged kids & college kids do not want to wear a mask, but not sure if that is true. - Nick Name - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:51 pm: Voted 5. We are bound and determined to go over the cliff. - Busy Mom - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:52 pm: I am out and about in my small community in a more rural Illinois county. Mask wearing seems to be only about 1/2, and we have and two new cases in our county this week after holding for a month. - snowman61 - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:54 pm: voted a 4. With more freedeum, people will become more lax with face mask and social distancing. All ready is seeing it with small private get togethers. Not looking forward to 4th of July family picnic at a house with a pool. Yes we are family but we haven’t seen each other for awhile. All it takes is one person. ugh - Keyrock - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:55 pm: California joins the parade marching backwards on bars and restaurants: https://twitter.com/zekejmiller/status/1278411510721720321?s=21 - Logical Thinker - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:55 pm: 5 Foregone conclusion because the focus is still on cases instead of hospital capacity/ICU beds. We might as well shutdown until there is a vaccine. - Cassie - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:55 pm: I’m worried that we will not move back. (We should.) (And provide generous UI and stimulus payments to workers and small businesses.) - ajjacksson - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 2:56 pm: Voted 1. Despite the large gatherings with protests beginning June 1, which is more than 14 days ago, we do not have a spike in cases. In fact, in the last two days, we have 2 deaths–only 2–for people under 60 outside of Cook County. - Mama - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:03 pm: Dr Oz said when with a group of people wear a mask, stay at least 6-feet from everyone or only stay there for 15 minutes. The national news needs to remind people everyday that one can not tell by looking at someone if they are a carrier of the virus. Plus they need to keep reminding them the virus affects all ages and no one is immune. Some young people may have a mild case while other young people die from it. - West Sider - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:05 pm: I voted 3, but with Covidiots in Wriglyville, and young people hanging on the streets, plus ICU hospital capacity in much of the state limited, it is almost an inevitability. - Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:05 pm: Voted 1, not at all concerned. I hope we do move back to phase 3 post haste. The only concern I have is if we don’t go back, we’re gonna turn out like those other states - Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:12 pm: Voted “4.” I’m not “worried” in the sense that I think it would be a bad thing. If anything, I’m worried we won’t move back to phase 3 soon enough to avoid severe problems. - The Doc - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:17 pm: Voted 4. Anything that encourages - implicitly or otherwise - groups of people congregating indoors for extended periods of time is going to end up badly. - AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:17 pm: Voted 5. Our country is suffering. - lake county democrat - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:28 pm: 5. I don’t see a willingness to enforce mask-wearing - I think it’s easier to make a region or two go back to phase 3 and hope the example sets a message. I also see the “only the old people die, I’m tired of this, I’m done” expressed more frequently. - @misterjayem - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:30 pm: I voted 4 because there is a possibility that people will see what is happening in Texas, Florida and Arizona, and adjust their behavior accordingly. But I wouldn’t bet on it. – MrJM - Consultant101 - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:35 pm: I voted 4. I didn’t have any issues with Phase 3 and would not be worried about going back there if it increased safety. I’m more worried about k-12 school in the fall and how the back-slide could effect the current plan. - Flapdoodle - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 3:50 pm: The question was, How *worried* are you about moving back? I’m *not* worried about that because it’s exactly what will need to be done when the consequences of our collective irresponsibility begin to appear. So I answered “2″. However, I’m off the chart worried about that irresponsibility, what it says about our character and society, and the consequences. We’re on a collision course with Big Mama Nature and that never turns out well for us puny human beings. - Nameless - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 4:02 pm: I voted five because I was worried about the states around us having seen a resurgence. Now, Illinois has joined them. - Don't Bloc Me In - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 4:04 pm: 5…because I live in the Eastern Bloc. Some people are cutting hair without masks, mask-wearing is well below 50% in Walmart, and you can find at least 2 restaurants with crowded tables and fully open buffets. Oh, and last night I was told that people going to hospitals are just panicking and acting. So, yeah, I won’t be surprised if we go backwards. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 4:05 pm: ===and fully open buffets=== More stupid than usual. - Wensicia - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 4:07 pm: I believe it’s inevitable, at least in the northeast region. I also believe schools will not be opening up on schedule this fall, remote learning only. - Not a Billionaire - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 4:26 pm: 5 California was doing things right went to Phase 4 equivalent. Northern took it seriously southern did not. I hope Pritzger moves before Newsome did - Former Merit Comp - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 4:36 pm: I voted 3…….today, purely because of positivity numbers. I’m a numbers person. If those numbers increase my vote changes. - dbk - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 4:45 pm: Voted “5″ because once the numbers start going up again, in absence of remediation measures, they’ll just keep rising - so we’re going to have to step back to (at least) Phase 3, maybe 2, depending on how much the Gov delays an announcement. Unfortunately, I’d agree that it’s unlikely schools will open for onsite teaching - kind of makes that Clay County case moot, oh well. - jimbo26 - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 5:00 pm: I voted 5…Lots of bars with no masks and no social distance in Springfield and especially the small towns around Springfield. Springfield bar on June 12 https://www.facebook.com/karl.hall.52/videos/pcb.4186584948026008/4186575208026982/?type=3&theater - TinyDancer(FKASue) - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 5:24 pm: We should go back to phase 3 and stay there until we have a functioning testing, tracing, and isolation program or a vaccine. - thoughts matter - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 7:23 pm: I voted 3, but I’m going to have to amend that to 5. The positivity rates in the Southern states means ours will eventually go up too. It’s finding its’ way into local assisted living centers just when they were opening up for outdoors family visits. Restaurants aren’t making their employees wear masks just when they finally opened inside seating. Allowing gatherings of 50 is going to make it sire as quicker. - thoughts matter - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 7:25 pm: Last sentence should have been make it spread quicker - zatoichi - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 8:32 pm: Live in eastern bloc. Far fewer masks even at retail stores. From several discussions ‘we live in a small town’, ‘no one I know has it’, ‘not worried’, ‘it’s over blown’. I’ll stay with a mask. It is easy and too many stats backing it up. - RDB - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 8:33 pm: 1. I’m not worried about this. If we have to move back, so be it. - Chatham Resident - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 8:55 pm: ==I voted 5…Lots of bars with no masks and no social distance in Springfield and especially the small towns around Springfield. Springfield bar on June 12== I’m not a liquor drinker or bar goer. But what bar was that? Not surprised regardless of which Springfield bar that is. - Cool Papa Bell - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 9:21 pm: 1 - Not sure we even roll back to Phase 3 - guessing its a modified phase 3. Bars close and indoor dining is rolled back or eliminated. Worried - not really. Lived just fine in Phase 1 so 3 is a cake walk. But I will say keep your cool on what you hear or see as “packed”. Examined the inside of a small diner in very rural central Illinois and there were two people inside. More people than not are doing mostly the right thing and Illinois is starting now at a much lower viral load than some of these other states. Still feel we are in a good spot. - Morty - Wednesday, Jul 1, 20 @ 9:51 pm: Given the behavior and spin from some, I think it’s almost inevitable. - DeputyDog - Thursday, Jul 2, 20 @ 12:33 am: Man I’ve never seen a bigger group of people who are ok with the absolute destruction of the livelihood of their fellow citizens. My question for you all, where does it end? Do you propose we just stay shutdown for years? Does money grow on trees in your world? Are the unemployment coffers bottomless? - Osborne Smith III - Thursday, Jul 2, 20 @ 1:55 am: Voted “5″ Unfortunately, based on what I’ve been seeing as I’ve been out and about (full disclosure, I wear a mask every time), I think it’s inevitable that not only will we roll back to Phase 3, but I wouldn’t bet against going back to Phase 2. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 2, 20 @ 7:29 am: === Man I’ve never seen a bigger group of people who are ok with the absolute destruction of the livelihood of their fellow citizens.=== Keep up. You can’t have an economy with a pandemic. Control the pandemic, you can have an economy. If you can’t grasp that, then of course you blame others… as you don’t wear a mask too. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 2, 20 @ 7:35 am: This alone; === My question for you all, where does it end?=== Start… start with mandatory masks. Lives are not worth LESS than money. ===Do you propose we just stay shutdown for years?=== Not ONE person said that, but good try, but if everyone wore a mask we’d be more like Europe not like Florida ===Does money grow on trees in your world?=== I’m not going to die… so you can have money. Nope, if you own a business, please tell me where it is so I can avoid it at all costs. ===Are the unemployment coffers bottomless?=== If you had any clue about anything, you’d understand unemployment numbers in regards to “bottomless” or “full employment” Reading your mouth breathing silly, choosing money over lives, I’m not too confident you grasp “economic” things. - Siriusly - Thursday, Jul 2, 20 @ 8:08 am: I voted 5 because it is inevitable. Too many people in the collar counties not following health guidance. I wish the state would just close indoor activities again, close indoor dining, the indoor air circulation is a risky place to be. We all understand the pressure to “open up”, but if we lose our progress just because people wanted to go to the gym and eat out - we risk schools not being able to open in person again. The online learning experience was really unequal and really bad for students in some districts. The focus should be on keeping the population healthy and spread low so that schools can reopen. Sorry indoor businesses, this is the season when people can do stuff outside, I fear rolling back is imminent. - Chatham Resident - Thursday, Jul 2, 20 @ 8:11 am: I voted 3 because it’s inevitable that we might fall back to Phase 3 anyway unless the latest case spikes are contained quickly. The big question is will State offices that have already reopened (SOS especially), close again and employees work remotely again? And I apologize that this story comes from Springfield’s Channel 20, but science does back bar closures to stop COVID-19: https://newschannel20.com/news/coronavirus/closing-bars-to-stop-coronavirus-spread-is-backed-by-science Also, close to home for me, the Walgreen’s in Chatham temporarily closed recently for a deep cleaning after an employee tested positive: https://newschannel20.com/news/local/chatham-walgreens-employee-tests-positive-for-covid-19 They have since reopened. I’m thinking that telling people to wear masks (but not enforcing it) at stores is not enough. Like at work, I am thinking that we need to start taking temps before anyone enters a store. - Commisar Gritty - Thursday, Jul 2, 20 @ 9:04 am: I’m supposed to get married in December, venue is in the Loop. Aka the last part of the state that will allow 150ish people to congregate in-doors. How do I put 6? - TinyDancer(FKASue) - Thursday, Jul 2, 20 @ 9:30 am: =we need to start taking temps before anyone enters a store.= And how does that stop asymptomatic spread? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.