ILLINOIS (WBC/DANA COMM.) — The state is planning to move to a more open economy soon. Governor J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday Illinois will set a “Bridge” Phase before totally reopening to Phase 5. To get to a place where capacity limits are raised on indoor and outdoor events and inside restaurants, 70% of residents over the age of 65 need to have at least 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Pritzker says there is no specific timeline for either phase to begin but the state is vaccinating people at a high rate.

Southern Illinois lawmakers are reacting to the Governor’s plan.

Republican State Rep. Patrick Windhorst said the governor is not leading.

State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), who has been outspoken with her demands for a plan to move Illinois to Phase 5 says, “While I’m happy that the Administration is finally heeding our calls to allow Illinois to move closer toward reopening, I continue to be disappointed with the way the Governor is handling this process. For weeks, I have urged the Governor to bring lawmakers to the table to work together to establish transparent and clear guidelines for allowing Illinois to fully reopen in a safe and efficient manner. He has ignored our calls for cooperation and refuses to release his unilateral grip on the future of this state. So it comes as no surprise that the Governor is once again walking back on his plan to reopen Illinois. While this newly created ‘bridge’ gives a glimmer of hope, it’s certainly not enough. The people of this state want stability, transparency and clarity. We want to know that Illinois will finally be able to put this pandemic behind us.”

State Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg), “While I am encouraged that the Governor is hearing Republican calls to allow Illinois to move closer to a full reopening, I continue to urge his Administration to recognize the importance of transparency and bipartisan cooperation in the decision-making process. I believe that the safety and wellbeing of the people of this state is everyone’s top priority, and together we can create a plan to fully open businesses, bring students back to their classrooms and build a stronger future for Illinois.”

Phase Five, a reopening without restrictions, can begin when 50% of the states’ eligible population has at least one shot in their arm. The governor also announced that starting in April, all residents 16+ will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.