Illinois issues indoor mask mandate, orders vaccines for educators

• "Hospital staff are becoming overwhelmed and overburdened. People are dying who don’t have to die."

Details: The mask mandate, effective Monday, applies to all Illinois residents ages 2 and up, regardless of vaccination status.

• The vaccine requirement for educators is set to start Sept. 5. School employees who are exempt must be tested once a week, per Reuters.
• The state will also begin requiring vaccines for eligible students and health care workers.
• This month, Pritzker announced a mask requirement in all Illinois public schools.
• Per Illinois' new vaccine rule, teachers who refuse to be vaccinated will be required to submit to testing at least once a week.

Zoom in: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday that all city employees, including police officers, park employees and sanitation workers, must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15.

• Chicago and Cook County already have indoor mask mandates in place.