Pecatonica restaurants hit hard by COVID-19

By Christopher Johnson

REPORTER

Services at indoor establishments such as restaurants, bars and casinos are being cut again as the newest Executive Order by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker forges forth into enforcement.

With action taken on Friday, Oct. 30, because of increasing reports of new COVID-19 infections across northern Illinois, business owners have been subjected to abiding to new operational guidelines for brand specific services found at restaurants and bars.

In Winnebago County, people can’t gather in large groups, restaurants can operate at a 25 percent indoor capacity and bars can’t let patrons mingle with their friends, as they had been accustomed to doing recently.

Pecatonica restaurant owner Kellie Knutti said the action taken by the Governor was rushed and there isn’t enough proof to support the need for business restriction.

The longtime business owner stressed that if her restaurant is forced to adjust again, the outlook isn’t promising.

“We won’t survive. We’ve lost tens of thousands of dollars just with parties we couldn’t host. Our carry-out won’t cut it.”

Limiting foot traffic at restaurants and bars is for “greater public safety,” according to the State of Illinois’ top Executive Officer.

Knutti expressed that there are a lot of businesses that see a lot of foot traffic, such as convenience stores, discount stores and public parks.

“That’s just it! I’d like to see the proof. There is no proof behind the reason to shut down bars compared to other places that see a lot of people.”

With more tests administered, positive returns are also increasing. Over 400,000 – positive findings have been collected in the State of Illinois as of Sunday, Nov. 1.

At this point, Winnebago County along with the State of Illinois as a collective, carries a 97 percent recovery rate for those impacted by the spring-blooming coronavirus infestation.

Business owners were asked to temporarily cease operations in March as the Federal Government partnered with the State of Illinois to assure financial support was available during the shutdown.

Funding was approved for small business owners, who invested thousands of dollars in improving sanitation practices, enhancing overall cleanliness and adding enough personal protection equipment to keep everyone safe.

Those emergency dollars have long-been used up as tens of thousands of businesses across the State of Illinois sought relief.

As positive COVID-19 numbers fell into the early summer months, it was determined that certain mitigation efforts had been successful, which allowed many restaurants and bars to begin to greet their loyalists at a more normal frequency and intensity.

Some money was coming back. The summer months saw Pecatonica residents working with local food and nightlife vendors more regularly. The weather conditions allowed it.

At the beginning of October, as more test results were released, questions about early mistakes and trying to “get back to normal” too soon began to grow. Positive spikes and new daily marks were reached.

All regions but one saw the Governor’s phased opening policy step back into heightened alert this past week.

In certain Regions of the State, all indoor dining ceased through action taken by either a local or State decree.

As of this past weekend, it was reported that – positive results did go up as the State finished up its 7,600,000 test. Nearly 10,000 lives, regrettably, have been lost.