Pritzker asks sports teams to cancel games or bar fans

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday asked the owners of all the state’s major sports teams to cancel games or play without fans until May 1 as efforts continue to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Pritzker said during a news conference that he also is mandating events of 1,000 or more people be canceled or postponed immediately and requested that events of 250 people be canceled or postponed as well. Pritzker said he is not ordering schools to close “but we are monitoring the situation on a day to day basis.”

Pritzker also asked that every private business that is able to have employees work remotely consider doing so immediately. He said businesses that do not need to consider plans to promote “social distancing” to combat the spread of COVID-19.

“I wish I could tell you that going about your everyday lives without adjustments was the best course of action right now,” Pritzker said. “It is not. And I owe you honesty.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

The number of coronavirus cases in Illinois now totals 32, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“The virus is here in Illinois. While it may not be in your community now, we anticipate it will be eventually. We all need to take action now by postponing large events and restricting visits to nursing homes to limit the spread,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.

The spread of the coronavirus has made the University of Chicago to move to remote learning for undergraduate and graduate classes for the entire spring quarter beginning March 30.

The announcement came a day after Illinois, Southern Illinois, DePaul, Northwestern and Illinois State universities announced the suspension of in-person classes due to coronavirus concerns.. Loyola University in Chicago also announced the cancellation of in-person classes. Western Illinois University said it is cancelling classes from March 14 until March 20, and that when classes resume they will take place online, until at least April 3.

The schools joined colleges and universities nationwide that have announced a halt to face-to-face instruction for several weeks to stem the spread of the coronavirus, now declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. None of the Illinois universities have reported cases of COVID-19 on their campuses.

Meanwhile, the Illinois High School Association said Thursday it will significantly limit attendance at the remaining games in this year’s 2020 Boys Basketball State Series and other IHSA events to preemptively reduce the potential spread of COVID-19. The IHSA said it plans to invoke the 60-spectator per school limitation across all remaining basketball games this season. Competing schools will be provided a protocol for determining who receives tickets.

Games affected by this change include the 2020 IHSA Class 1A/2A Boys Basketball State Finals on Friday and Saturday, as well as the remaining contests at the Class 3A and Class 4A sectionals, super-sectionals and state finals. The IHSA State Series’ in Debate, Drama & Group Interpretation and Scholastic Bowl will be limited to competing students, coaches and essential meet personnel.

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