Illinois’ COVID-19 disaster proclamation to end in May

for programs like Medicaid, additional benefits for those on food stamps and the ability to quickly deploy emergency workers to respond to areas in need, like hospitals with severely shor t staffing.

“Our state’s disaster proclamation and executive orders enabled us to use every resource at our disposal from building up testing capacity and expanding our health care workforce to supporting our vaccine rollout and mutual aid ef forts,” Pritzker said in a statement.

Pritzker said 1.4 million children in Illinois received nutrition support under the additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. He also pointed to the expansion of telehealth during the pandemic under his disaster proclamation, which has largely been adapted into state law after it proved popular with doctors and patients alike.

“Let me be clear: COVID-19 has not disappeared,” Pritzker said in the statement. “It is still a real and present danger to people with compromised immune systems — and I urge all Illinoisans to get vaccinated or get their booster shots if they have not done so already.”

Opponents to Pritzker’s repeated issuance of disaster proclamations insisted the governor was limited to the 30 days laid