Counties in various parts of Illinois are giving their residents and businesses the 'thumbs up' to open back up and DeWitt County Board Chair David Newberg weighed in on what they might do.

Newberg stresses anything the County Board would take action on would only impact those businesses that are in unincorporated areas. He explains that it is the only direction they could give as each community would have to establish their plans and directions for their residents and businesses.

According to Newberg, they need to look at a reopening plan very closely. He says the statistics in DeWitt County do not warrant continuing with the closure and credits the responsibility of the residents.

DeWitt County falls in an interesting place geographically in central Illinois sandwiched between Bloomington/Normal, Champaign, Decatur, Springfield, and Lincoln. Newberg indicates he keeps tabs on what other counties are doing and he notes most are taking different approaches.

Newberg feels people need to take responsibility for their health and wellbeing. He says we don't know that reopening will create a spike in cases. Additionally, he believes allowing people to get back out and businesses to reopen is a risk we need to take. 

He adds if business owners aren't comfortable reopening they can remain closed and if residents are not comfortable going out, they can remain inside.