US state Illinois adjusts mask mandate

Washington, May 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has adjusted the US state's mask mandate, saying fully vaccinated people will no longer be required to wear face coverings in most situations.

Following the new guidelines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued on May 13, Pritzker on Monday adjusted the state mask mandate that went into effect more than a year ago, Xinhua news agency quoted the Chicago Tribune as saying in a report.

Nevertheless, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on Monday that the third largest city in the US needs more information before changing its rules on masks.

Lightfoot said social distancing will continue to be important.

The Mayor is hoping to reopen Chicago without capacity restrictions by July 4.

Cities are allowed to have rules that are stricter than those issued by the state or federal government, and Chicago has not yet said when its mask mandate will be revised to align with the new federal guidance, the newspaper reported.

Businesses are also free to continue requiring masks.

The CDC guidelines don't apply to health care settings, and people are still required to wear masks while riding trains, buses, planes or other forms of public transportation, as well as at airports and bus and train stations.

State health officials reported 946 new confirmed and probable cases of Covid-19 Monday, the lowest since 782 cases were reported on March 15 and only the second time this year that there have been fewer than 1,000 cases recorded in a single day.

Statewide case positivity rate, the percentage of new cases as a share of total tests, was at a seven-day average of 2.4 per cent, the lowest since the same rate was reported on March 18.

Source: IANS