March 20, 2020 – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday ordered all state residents to remain in their homes except for essentials, joining similar dramatic efforts in California and New York to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Pritzker’s order, which takes effect Saturday at 5 p.m. and is set to expire April 7, still allows the state’s 12.6 million residents to head outside to buy groceries and medicine.
So what are “Essential Services”? According to the Official Proclamation by the Governor, the following are listed as essential services:
- Healthcare and Public Health
- Stores that sell groceries and medicine
- Food production, beverage production, and agriculture
- Charitable and social service agencies
- Human services operations
- Media
- Gas stations and businesses related to transportation
- Financial Institutions
- Hardware Stores
- Essential Infrastructure
- Essential Government Services
- Critical trades
This article will be updated.