Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle during a monthly Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday

It will likely be another several months before Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is ready to relinquish pandemic-related emergency powers, she and other county leaders said Thursday.

The Cook County Board of Commissioners voted 15-2 on Thursday to extend (21-2068) through April 30 the county’s COVID-19 disaster proclamation by an additional month, empowering Preckwinkle to issue executive orders and procure contracts without board approval. It was the sixth time the board has approved an extension to the disaster declaration, which will now be extended into a 13^th month.