All Illinois businesses and activities will be allowed to re-open June 11, marking an end to COVID-19 safety mitigations, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Friday.

According to a press release, the new comes after several steady weeks of decreases in COVID-19 cases and vaccination numbers. 

“After a tremendously challenging year, Illinois has now reached a defining moment in our efforts to defeat COVID-19,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Thanks to the hard work of residents across the state, Illinois will soon resume life as we knew it before – returning to events, gatherings, and a fully reopened economy, with some of the safety guidelines we’ve adopted still in place. As we fully reopen, this administration remains laser focused on ensuring a strong recovery for our small businesses and communities. Our FY22 budget invests $1.5 billion in small business relief, tourism, job-creating capital projects and more and we look forward to getting these dollars to communities across our state as quickly as possible.”

Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan will allow fully vaccinated Illinoisans to attends conventions, festivals and other events. Individuals will not be required to wear masks in most outdoors in most situations. 

“This pandemic has robbed us of many of our freedoms such as going to ball games and concerts, celebrating graduations, weddings, and birthdays, going to dinner with friends, and even sharing a hug with loved ones we don’t live with,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “The vaccine is giving us our freedoms back and allowing us to move to Phase 5. Let’s keep the vaccination momentum going so we can put this pandemic in the rearview mirror and not look back.”

Allison Richard

Legislative Consultant