ROCK FALLS, Illinois — Carry On Range Inc, a shooting range in Rock Falls, posted a sign on their front door encouraging customers to enter without a mask.
The owner, Dakota Hagerman, says their sales dropped almost 20% back in March when the pandemic started. The gun range was able to stay open during the pandemic because they sell ammunition. But many customers chose not to come due to COVID-19 concerns.
As businesses started to open up with mask regulations, Hagerman says people still wouldn't come because they had to wear a mask. To draw customers back, Hagerman says he found a loophole to Governor JB Pritzker's order:
"Our Governor has ordered all persons entering indoor facilities must wear a mask. If you have a medical condition, that prevents you from wearing a mask you are exempt from this order! Due to HIPPA and the 4th Amendment, we CANNOT legally ask you what your medical condition is. Therefore, if we see you without a mask, we will assume you have a medical condition and we will welcome you inside to support our local small business. We are constantly sanitizing and circulating fresh air throughout the entire range every day."
Governor Pritzker addressed businesses with similar signs at the press conference on Tuesday.
"Look people are not walking around with their doctor's orders about their medical issue wearing a mask," says Gov. Pritzker. "It's difficult, if not impossible, to ask somebody to prove what their medical condition is."
"We can't police everything about trying to keep people healthy. What we can do is provide public health guidance from the experts and show people the data, show them the science, talk about it every day."
