AS COVID-19 CASES SLOWLY RISE AGAIN, STATE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THEY AREN’T PUSHING FOR ANOTHER MASK MANDATE YET. 

DURING A BRIEFING ON NEW COVID REPORTING METRICS, STATE PUBLIC HEALTH ACTING DIRECTOR DOCTOR AMAAL TOKARS (toe-cars) WAS ASKED ABOUT REQUIRING MASKS ONCE AGAIN.

TOKARS (toe-cars) SAYS AT THIS POINT, THEY ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT REQUIRING MASKS AGAIN.

ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN CASES, TOKARS SAYS HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS CONTINUE TO REMAIN LOW. ALL PARTS OF THE STATE EXCEPT FOUR COUNTIES IN FAR SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS ARE CONSIDERED AT LOW COMMUNITY LEVELS OF THE VIRUS.