Governors Tell Midwesterners To 'Mask Up,' Stay Safe This Winter

ILLINOIS — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and a bipartisan group of governors from six neighboring states are urging Midwesterners to follow the advice of health experts and take precautions to stay safe this holiday season.

"As we head into the holiday season and the cold, winter months, we wanted to take a moment to talk to our families in our region about how you can protect your loved ones and our front-line workers, as well as our small-business owners, from COVID-19 and the pandemic," said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a video posted to YouTube.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers also participated in the video, which can be viewed above.

As cases and hospitalizations skyrocket across the country, Illinois health officials have asked residents to "stay at home as much as possible" over the next three weeks. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot also announced a stay-at-home advisory for 30 days in response to spiking coronavirus cases in the city; county health officials followed suit with their own stay-at-home advisory for suburban Cook County.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is discouraging traditional Thanksgiving gatherings and other holiday parties, recommending instead that celebrations be kept within a single household or among those family and friends who consistently take measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Experts say the coronavirus is airborne and that tiny droplets containing the virus can linger indoors for hours as aerosols, making indoor events such as Thanksgiving dinner especially risky, since guests have to remove their masks to eat and drink.

Instead, people are urged to consider having a meal outdoors, or host a virtual gathering via Zoom or other teleconferencing software.

Keep Thanksgiving Virtual Or Within Own Household In IL: CDC

“For eight months, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated American families everywhere. To fight this virus, governors across the country have listened to medical experts, stepped up and worked around the clock to protect our families, the brave men and women on the front lines, and our small-business owners. And no matter the action we take, we understand that our fight against COVID-19 will be more effective when we work together,” the governors said. “That is why this group of bipartisan governors is joining forces today to urge families across our region, and Americans everywhere, to do their part to protect themselves and their families from the spread of COVID-19. When it comes to fighting this virus, we are all on the same team.”

Pritzker called a recently announced vaccine, which developer Pfizer says is more than 90 percent effective, "great news."

"But it doesn't mean that we can let our guard down and loosen the safety measures we have made in our daily lives," he said.

Pritzker also encouraged Illinoisans to get a flu shot to prevent a double pandemic this winter.

Masks and social distancing are more important than ever, the governors said, to ensure more people make it through the winter and receive the vaccine this spring.

"It's crucial that we keep our infection rate low, so that we can distribute the vaccine as quickly as possible when it's ready," Holcomb said.

Whitmer, who has come under attack from President Donald Trump and others for her efforts to combat the virus in Michigan, concluded the video with a message of unity.

"When it comes to fighting this virus, we are all on the same team," she said. "Let's make sure to stay smart and stay safe this winter. We will get through this together."