Gov. Pritzker today (Saturday) issued a call to all recently retired or former medical professionals to return to the health care workforce. To facilitate this, he announced the Illinois Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation will waive licensing fees and expedite application processes through the IDFPR website and at coronavirus.illinois.gov.

IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike announced the total number of confirmed cases stands at 753, with another death of a man in his 70s in Cook County bringing the total death toll in Illinois to six. Dr. Ezike issued a call to all medical establishments that perform elective surgeries and other such nonessential procedures which use personal protective equipment to please donate it to hospitals.

Pritzker also announced:

• the automatic extension through September of all medical licensing that may soon expire.
• eased regulations on medical professionals who may live on the border to be able to practice/assist in both states.
• measures to expand child care availability for frontline workers and first responders working in the medical field.

The governor also spoke out against racist rhetoric about the virus.

"This virus is not tied to any ethnic group or race. People from every background have been infected and suggesting otherwise and engaging in racist speech and acts is one of the most profoundly un-American things I can think of," Pritzker said. "We can choose how we want to come out on the other side of this: Let's choose to be one Illinois."