Gov. J.B. Pritzker stood with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot at the James R.Thompson Center, announcing he was exercising his power under the disaster proclamation and the Illinois Department of Public Health to ban any event that drew more than 1,000 people for the next thirty days. (Photo courtesy: Gov. Pritzker)

By Heart of Illinois ABC

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois schools will be closed through March 30 as a preventative measure to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The closures will start March 17.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the closures as part of his emergency plans to reduce the number of cases in the state.

Instead, schools will transition to e-learning days for the next three weeks.