UPDATED 12:20 p.m. MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2020
SPRINGFIELD (WSIL) � Governor JB Pritzker has launched a new $5 million awareness campaign to encourage Illinois residents to wear a face covering every time they’re in public.
The campaign uses local information to advertise on broadcast and cable television, radio, billboards and social media to the communities with the greatest risk from COVID-19.
, 11 counties have reached the Illinois Department of Public Health's (IDPH) “warning level� for virus spread.
“I’m proud to launch a new public awareness campaign today that has a straightforward message for Illinoisans: A mask is like anything that keeps us safe. It only works if you wear it,� said Governor JB Pritzker. “We’ve made so much progress since the beginning of this pandemic. Let’s protect that progress. This is our moment to pull together as families, friends and neighbors. We’re all safer and stronger when we go all in, Illinois.�
“This campaign connects the dots between daily actions we take to keep ourselves safe and one the best things we can do to fight COVID-19: wearing a mask,� said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. When you get in a car, you buckle your seatbelt to protect yourself in case you get into an accident. When you play football or ride your bike, you put on a helmet to reduce your risk of seriously injuring your head or brain. When you’re on the water, you put on a life jacket so you don’t drown. And when you’re in the bedroom, you use a condom to protect against STIs. A mask is no different. It only works when you wear it.�
Gov. Pritzker introduced Illinois� mask-wearing requirement on May 1, the same day Illinois moved into Phase 2, and called for a national mask mandate during testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives on July 8.
The $5 million campaign will be in both English and Spanish. According to the governor's office, costs of the campaign are reimbursable by the federal government.
ORIGINAL STORY
(WSIL) -- Gov. Pritzker is set to announce a new COVID-19 public awareness campaign on Monday, August 3, 2020.
The press conference will be held at 11:00 a.m. in Springfield at the IEMA State Emergency Operations Center.
The governor’s office says the new campaign is to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
You can watch the announcement here on our website or on the WSIL .
