Four Illinois GOP female Senators say that Governor J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 for daycare workers will hurt working mothers.
State Senators Terri Bryant, Sue Rezin, Sally Turner, and Jil Tracy released the following statement after Governor Pritzker’s announcement of the mandate this afternoon:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for families across the state, but women in the workforce have been especially impacted by this unprecedented health crisis. We witnessed countless parents struggling to find affordable and reliable child care for their children. And it was working mothers who were hit hardest, as they juggled their careers and child care during unpreceded circumstances.
“The reality is the most recent mandate is an attack on working mothers as they resume a more normal work schedule. Governor Pritzker’s action has the potential to exacerbate an already growing child care crisis in our state. It’s a shortsighted act that will diminish the already limited and sparse availability of child care to families in Illinois.”
The mandate will cover approximately 55,000 daycare center staff at over 2,800 DCFS-licensed facilities across the state. Staff in the facilities must receive their first dose of the vaccine by December 3rd with their final shot coming no later than January 3rd. If the workers cannot or refuse to vaccinate, they will be required to test for the virus at least once a week.