Today, March 20, 2020, at a 3pm Press Conference, Illinois Governor, J.B. Pritzker issued a “stay at home” executive order for all residents from Saturday, March 21st – Tuesday, April 7th. This is something that we have not seen before…probably ever. I didn’t even know that this type of order was a thing.

I agree that a “stay at home” order sounds scary and big brother-ish, but I want to assure you that it’s not that bad. To be truthful, it’s not any different from what our federal, state, and local leaders have been advising us to do over the past week.

Stay home. Go out, only if you need to. Schools are closed. Gyms should be closed. Remote work should be made available, when possible.

The problem has been that people are not doing this. We saw the bars packed downtown for St. Patrick’s Day weekend and beaches crowded for spring break. Playdates are being arranged and group runs are still happening. Our leadership had to make this stop. This order is a no-nonsense way to get people to do what they should have already been doing.

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But fear not, you can still do a whole lot!

Grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, doctor’s offices, food banks, and take-out/delivery restaurants will remain open. You can still go for a walk, run, and bike ride…alone.

You can still play in your backyard with your kids and take the dog out for a walk.

Practice social distancing while you are taking part in outdoor athletic activities, just as you should have been doing this past week.

Although this order from the Governor seems daunting, it is not. You are good. And, life will return to normal, but for now, let’s do our part to protect those that need it. Stay home, go to the grocery store, and go for a run.