Thread by @GovPritzker

Illinois is using a two-pronged approach to make sure a worst-case scenario does not become our reality. 

First, we put in place protective measures to suppress the spread.

Second, we're working to increase our health care capacity statewide to meet our future need.

Here's why that's so important: We’ve seen in other countries that COVID-19 has the ability to overwhelm the health care system.

It could happen here, too.

We are not immune.

In our worst-case scenario projections — that is, without the stay at home order — in one week, we would need over 2,500 more non-ICU beds and 800 ICU beds than we have in existence in the entire state.

Further still: in two weeks, we would need over 28,000 additional non-ICU beds and over 9,400 additional ICU beds.

That’s untenable.

I want to be clear: this projection is based on no protective measures.

But over the past few weeks, we've taken several steps to flatten the curve & prevent too rapid an increase in new cases — incl. the stay at home order, limits on gatherings and school & restaurant closures.

Now, we're turning our focus to a multi-faceted approach to increasing the capacity of our entire health care system.

.@ReadyIllinois and @IDPH are building up triage units at hospitals, bringing offline hospitals and hotels online, and expanding capacity in existing hospitals by acquiring critical equipment, like ventilators, to care for the most severe cases of COVID-19.

Yesterday, I spoke w/ @POTUS about IL’s immediate needs: millions of N95 masks & hundreds of ventilators.

President Trump promised assistance & yesterday afternoon, the White House notified us that we'll receive 300 ventilators & 300,000 N95 masks from @fema in the coming days.

On that call, I also urged the President to invoke the Defense Production Act. 

This is the reality:

There is a finite supply of critical resources available around the world right now.

There is an enormous supply of governors and countries trying to get those resources.

I will continue to pound the table to get the federal government to acquire the supplies our states so critically need and allocate them accordingly.

Lives depend upon it.

I want to be 100% clear about what will drive my decision making in the weeks ahead – science.

I understand how difficult it is to see the economy slow down and watch friends and neighbors laid off from jobs. Those concerns keep me up at night. 

But I will say again – you can’t have a livelihood without a life.

As long as Americans still have breath in their lungs, we will find a way to survive and thrive.

We can revive our economy.

We can’t revive the people lost to this virus.