Governor Pritzker updates COVID-19 Executive Order

CHICAGO (25 News Now) - Governor JB Pritzker is relaxing some of the COVID-19 testing and vaccine requirements across the state.

In an executive order issued Wednesday, The Governor announced he is dropping the vaccine mandate for higher education employees.

The mandate for students and emergency medical service providers will not be reissued.

Vaccine mandates however, will remain for K-12 schools, daycares, state-run 24/7 congregate care facilities, and any health care facilities not covered under the federal CMS vaccine mandate (including independent doctors’ offices, dental offices, urgent care facilities, and outpatient facilities).

According to a release from the Governor’s office, Illinois currently requires at least weekly testing of health care staff who are unvaccinated. Under the updated requirements, which was issued Wednesday, long-term care facilities with the most vulnerable residents, including skilled nursing homes, will now test staff who are not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccine weekly if located in an area of moderate community level transmission and twice weekly in areas of substantial or high community level transmission, as recommended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Unvaccinated staff at hospitals and other healthcare facilities that are certified by CMS will now be required to test weekly only if located in areas of high community level transmission.

To find a site to get the COVID-19 vaccination, including for children between the age of six months to four-years-old, go to https://www.vaccines.gov/.