Quincy Reporter

Quincy Mayor Kyle Moore has said the city will not be enforcing new lockdown orders set to begin Sunday. 

“We're not going to be a county in open defiance of the governor,” Moore said. “I tell you what, we're not going to do it. We're not going to go in and shut down a business who is having to make the difficult decision between paying bills and putting food on the table.” 

The move comes just after a Quincy Reporter data analysis of public records found the area is projected to have the lowest death rate since 2016 despite the pandemic. 

Many have said the bigger threat is to the state's economy. Illinois has already seen thousands of small businesses close their doors permanently, which some have said will turn into tens of thousands of closures if lockdowns continue. 

In a growing movement, restaurants across the state that are set to have their dining rooms close decided not to close down citing a court precedent finding Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive orders are unenforceable.  

Many restaurants are arguing that they are being unfairly singled out, adding that restaurants are not the hotbed for Covid infections that Pritzker and others would have people believe.

“Just a few hours ago, I talked to an owner of a bar who put millions of dollars into these establishments, and he still has to make that payment at the end of the day,” Moore said. “His business is implementing all the safety measures that they were asked to do, not having large events, separating tables. And it's not only his family's well-being, but his employees well-being that are at stake.”  

Moore said he understands Covid safety has become a divisive issue for some but stressed the importance of safety being a personal matter

“There are no easy answers here,” he said. “Leaders from across the globe have implemented a wide variety of measures, from extreme lockdowns to herd immunity. And yet the virus continues to spread. What we do know works are the measures we take in our private lives. It's not only about bars and restaurants. It's about how we conduct ourselves.” 

The city will continue to enforce mask requirements in public as well as other aspects of the lockdown. 

“We are making sure that businesses are following safety procedures, health guidelines, and we're not, you know, we're not being heavy-handed about it,” Moore said. “We can only get through this if we're all working together. And so if somebody is not, you know, a business is not, you know, having people mask up or practicing social distancing, we're trying to work with them.”

Moore said the economic impact of the pandemic has been hard on the community and alerted residents that local resources are available for residents in need. 

“If you are a business and you're not sure how to navigate the waters ahead, let the Health Department know or let the Adams County team know, we will be out there with you, working with you,” Moore said.