Mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot has issued new guidelines for citizens amid the rising number of coronavirus infections, both statewide and in the city.
The fresh advisory calls on Chicagoans to only travel for essential needs and - to many's regret - cancel their traditional plans for Thanksgiving. The "essential reasons" include leaving home for school or work, or for an "essential service", like a hospital, or pharmacy", a spokesperson for the mayor said.
The reaction on social media, however, has been ambiguous: while many praised Lightfoot for caring about her residents' health, others were not happy with the advised restrictions. As for Thanksgiving, they said it would only separate citizens on the day Americans are supposed to be with their family and friends.
Someone suggested that keeping citizens behind closed doors would actually affect their mental health by triggering more psychological issues and decreasing the immunity needed to withstand them.
Others doubted her sincerity, suggesting she would not follow the COVID-19 guidelines and deprive herself of daily pleasures, like getting a hair cut, apparently referring to Nancy Pelosi's haircut scandal.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said on Thursday that he is following coronavirus numbers "day by day" and vowed to take "more stringent action" if the numbers "keep going in the wrong direction".