The #covid19 pandemic, which once seemed tame in Carbondale and throughout this region, is now surging here. It’s worse than Chicago.

If we don’t see some change here, the virus will cause businesses to close and an increasing percentage of people will get sick and die.

Southern Illinois and Metro East are both seeing troubling trends, with seven-day rolling positivity rates of 7.4% and 7.3%, respectively — the highest in the state.

I was very encouraged to see that just a few days ago the Carbondale City Council unanimously approved a city ordinance to enforce our statewide mask mandate and that the county state’s attorney is supporting the enforcement of mitigations at bars and restaurants.

We also need all our residents to take this seriously and protect themselves – no matter how young and invincible you might think you are.

Yes, the odds are high that a young person won’t die from covid-19, but you don’t want to be the reason someone else does, and you don’t want to live with the long term consequences of covid-19 either.

Each of our actions can make a difference.

This is our moment to pull together as families, friends and neighbors.

This is our moment to be the best version of community we can be.

Let’s go all in, Illinois. #allinillinois