Illinois to issue shelter-in-place order: report

The directive follows similar moves in California and New York

Governor of Illinois J. B. Pritzker (Credit: Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
Governor of Illinois J. B. Pritzker (Credit: Joshua Lott/Getty Images)

Illinois is expected to become the second U.S. state to issue a shelter-in-place order in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker plans to announce the directive, effective Saturday, during a news conference Friday afternoon, sources told the Chicago Tribune.

Pritzker’s order means all Illinois residents must stay in their homes unless they’re performing essential activities, such as grocery shopping, going to the pharmacy, gassing up their cars and taking a walk outside.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a similar order Thursday night, two days after the San Francisco area went under one.

Also on Friday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out what amount to shelter-in-place rules, including barring employees of non-essential businesses from reporting to work. Instead of calling it shelter-in-place, Cuomo dubbed it “New York on Pause.” [Tribune]Brianna Kelly