Midwest Governors Plan to Coordinate Reopening Economy

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and the governors of Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana and Kentucky Thursday announced they will work in close coordination to reopen the economy in the Midwest region.

A statement said the governors plan to work together to reopen their economies "in a way that prioritizes our workers' health." The statement reads that the governors "look forward to working with experts and taking a fact-based, data-driven approach to reopening our economy in a way that protects families from the spread of COVID-19."

The governors say they look at at least four factors:

--sustained control of the rate of new infections and hospitalizations

--enhanced ability to test and trace

--sufficient health care capacity to handle resurgence

--best practices for social distancing in the workplace

The governors say the partnership "doesn't mean our economy will reopen all at once, or that every state will take the same steps at the same time, but close coordination will make sure we get this right."