SE Illinois News

Everywhere he looks, Republican state House candidate Paul Jacobs laments he sees yet another example of what he views as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s dereliction of duty. 

“As I look around the state and I look around my district, I see businesses that are probably never going to reopen,” Jacobs, running in the 115th District, told the SE Illinois News. “I know that we all would like to think that the governor’s quarantine is designed to protect the people of Illinois, but as this drags on it does give the appearance of a political move to ruin the economy of the state so that they are positioned to request federal assistance.”

Even with the governor now allowing parts of the state to move into Phase Four of his five-phase Restore Illinois plan, where more businesses are free to open with fewer restrictions and gatherings of up to 50 people and indoor dining at restaurants is now permitted. Jacobs worries it may be too little, too late.

“There comes a time when we have to realize people are dying from other things, businesses are dying from other things, and we need to try to return to normal” he added. “We always can quarantine if necessary, but I think as we get further along we will probably be safe.”

Jacobs, a Carbomdale resident, said the state knows much more now about how to fight the virus than what officials did when the governor’s stay-at-home order went into effect in March. He hopes that will make any reopening go smoother.

“I say with the knowledge that we’ve garnered in the past few months we should be able to open more fully and safely now,” he said. “Let us watch in Florida and Texas to see if it is only the COVID diagnosis that’s going up or a real increase in the hospitalizations and deaths. Caution obviously is something we must do.”