© 2024 NPR Illinois
The Capital's Community & News Service
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

New Ad Campaign To Encourage More Use Of Masks

Illinois Governor's Office

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said the five million dollar effort will use the slogan “It only works if you wear it.” 

“The best way for us to get to the other side of this emergency is for all of us to follow the mitigations recommended by doctors: wash your hands, watch your distance, wear a mask whenever you’re out and about,” he said. 

The campaign comes as Illinois is seeing a spike in coronavirus spread.  Eleven counties are on a public health warning list, which could lead to restrictions on businesses and invidivuduals similar to what was in place earlier in the year. 

Pritzker said while many are taking masks with them, they are sometimes forgetting to put them on and in some cases, failing to properly cover their nose and mouth. 

"Keeping it in your pocket or wearing it just around your neck doesn’t work.  It’s really that simple,” the governor said. 

The messages will compare masks to other safety items like seatbelts and protective helmets and be targeted in cities and counties that he says “have the most work to do” when it comes to slowing the spread.  Federal dollars will pay for the outreach. 

Related Stories