SE Illinois News

Republican state House candidate Paul Jacobs has grown weary of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s one-man approach to leading the state's COVID-19 response. 

“I believe that the state legislators should have more say in how the state is reacting to the crisis,” Jacobs told the SE Illinois News. “I think that the state was set up in a fashion that all of these hard decisions would be made by the total government that was elected by the people of the state of Illinois.”

Citing rising COVID-19 infection rates that have recently soared to the point at least 11 counties are now at “warning levels” for the spread of the virus, Pritzker recently pronounced another shutdown could be looming.

Running in the 115th District, Jacobs argues residents first deserve real answers. 

“I don’t think that the single element that should be weighed is the positive COVID-19 testing,” he added. “We need to have more accurate records on the cause of death and that they are being diagnosed correctly. Unfortunately we cannot use hospitalizations because the hospitals are being forced to admit COVID patients even if it’s just CLI, or COVID-like illness.”

Jacobs wonders how much more residents are expected to be able to take, especially small business owners struggling to maintain their livelihoods and save their businesses.

“The imposition of additional restrictions or closings on bars, restaurants and other businesses is a devastating blow to the economy,” he said. “All we can do is hope and pray that we all pull through this and are able to look back at it and gain some knowledge from it. Some knowledge that we have gained already has been that the number one group that has trouble with the COVID-19 and higher death rates are folks that have severe underlying medical conditions. We must continue to protect that group.”