Illinois’ COVID-19 Disaster Proclamation Will End In May, Pritzker Says

CHICAGO — Gov. JB Pritzker’s years-long disaster proclamation for the COVID-19 pandemic will end May 11, the governor announced Tuesday.

Pritzker enacted the statewide disaster proclamation in March 2020, at the start of the pandemic, to obtain federal funding and coordinate the government’s response to the virus. He’s continued it for years as COVID-19 has continued to tear through Illinois.

But the federal government is ending its public health emergency May 11, and Illinois will do the same, according to a state news release.

The virus continues to drive illness and kill people in Illinois and across the world, but readily available vaccines and treatments have made it so many people no longer view it as the threat they once did.

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