Illinois independently rejoins WHO following California's footsteps

Illinois is following the lead of California and New York City in joining the World Health Organization's (WHO) pandemic response network.

The U.S. divorce from the WHO was effective three weeks ago. Since then, Illinois, California, and Zohran Mamdani's New York City have independently gone back, reports U.S. News. Illinois and California are the first two states to join back with Who’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker claimed that President Donald Trump has “undermined science” and “weakened our nation’s ability to detect and respond to global health threats” by withdrawing the country from WHO. Therefore, he refused “to sit idly by,” stating that joining GOARN will provide the information needed to help protect the state.

The WHO’s pandemic response network provides guidance to its members on which businesses and civic institutions to shutter during a pandemic. It gives its members access to approved medications and helps with social media communications.

David E. Smith of the Illinois Family Institute says to think of the most authoritarian and dystopian features of the last pandemic -- they will be back.

“The World Health Organization has the best interest of Illinois citizens at heart, right?” asks Smith.

It did not cost anything to join, but Illinois had to promise it will contribute to the WHO's pandemic prevention efforts. Smith informs that it could cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

“The Illinois politicians don't care about how much it costs, as long as they can disassociate themselves with any policy that Donald Trump or RFK implement,” says Smith.