Masks To Be Required Again At All Illinois Secretary Of State's Facilities Starting Monday

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Masks will again be required at all times at Illinois Secretary of State's Driver Service facilities beginning Monday.

The rule will also apply in Secretary of State offices and the Illinois State Capitol Building.

The move comes amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that everyone – including fully-vaccinated people – should wear masks in indoor public spaces in areas of substantial or high transmission.

In a news release, Secretary of State Jesse White emphasized that his facilities need to remain open to serve the public and reduce the heavy customer volume caused by the coronavirus pandemic over the past year, and reinstating the mask policy will help achieve that goal.

Secretary of State Jesse White issued a reminder that the expiration date for driver's licenses and state IDs has been extended to Jan. 1, 2022, and online services can be used instead of going into a Secretary of State's office building.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also extended the federal REAL ID deadline until May 3, 2023.