Illinois lifts most COVID-19 restrictions on Friday. Here’s what you need to know
Illinoisans will effectively return to pre-pandemic life on Friday when the state fully reopens from COVID-19 restrictions.
While some masking rules remain in place, capacity limits at bars, restaurants, businesses and big events will be gone, though rules could return if coronavirus numbers go back up.
But the pandemic continues, though at a much slower pace, and unknowns still remain about whether Illinoisans can consider the virus a thing of the past.
Here are six questions that can help Illinoisans navigate Phase 5, the final phase in the state’s reopening plan.
What changes in Phase 5?
All capacity limits for Illinois business are lifted in Phase 5. That means restaurants, bars, movie theaters and other businesses can welcome customers in the same numbers as before the pandemic. Large-scale events such as concerts, festivals and conventions can also resume without capacity limits.
While Illinois loosened restrictions in a “bridge” phase between phases 4 and 5, there were still some capacity limits in place up until this week.
Illinois still recommends unvaccinated people wear masks when they can’t social distance, and masks are still required for everyone on public transportation, in health care settings, group living facilities and in schools, day cares and other educational institutions.
Otherwise, fully vaccinated people won’t have to wear a mask except where it’s required by federal, state or local laws. Businesses and workplaces may also implement their own mask rules.
Businesses should continue to allow for social distancing when possible, especially indoors, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
What rules can local governments and businesses keep in place?
Individual businesses and local municipalities are still allowed to put additional COVID-19 rules in place, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
Is the pandemic over?
The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, though the number of cases, deaths and hospitalizations dropped dramatically after the vaccine became widely available this spring.
Illinois public health officials will continue to monitor COVID-19 numbers. If the state sees a spike, the Illinois Department of Public Health could reimpose restrictions as seen in previous phases.
The state could move back to a previous phase if new cases increase significantly and if at least one of the following happens over a 10-day period:
- Hospital intensive care unit availability drops below 20%
- Total hospitalizations or deaths increase significantly
Is COVID-19 still spreading in Illinois?
Coronavirus continues to spread in Illinois, although much less than even during the spring. As of Thursday, the percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back positive was 1%, indicating low community transmission. In St. Clair County, the COVID-19 positivity rate was 1.6%.
Hospitalizations, cases and deaths remained low as well. As of Thursday statewide, 764 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, and the number of daily cases reported was 366. The daily mortality rate also stayed low at 18 deaths reported Thursday.
Increases in any of these numbers could indicate a resurgence.
How can I stay safe in areas with low vaccination rates?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control considers travel within the United States relatively safe for fully vaccinated people, though traveling internationally poses greater risks.
Even fully vaccinated travelers could be at risk of catching and spreading COVID-19 variants that are more widespread in other countries. The CDC recommends checking COVID-19 conditions at a destination before traveling.
Wearing a mask is still required in transportation hubs and on planes, buses, trains and other public transportation when traveling within or outside of the U.S. Americans should still expect to follow state and local guidance at their destination.
The CDC recommends monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms after a trip, even within the U.S., for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
While 68% of Illinois adults had received at least one vaccine dose and 51% were fully vaccinated as of Thursday, there still remained areas of the state where vaccination rates were low.
In southern Illinois, rates were generally higher in metro-east counties, while the rates decreased in southeastern and southernmost counties. Monroe County had fully vaccinated 43.1% of its population as of Thursday, and 37% were fully vaccinated in St. Clair County. But in Alexander County on the Kentucky border, only 13.7% of the population was fully vaccinated.
The 15th Congressional District, which spans much of southeastern and southern Illinois, had a 31% full vaccination rate, while the 12th had 35% and the 13th had just under 39%, according to data from Harvard University’s Geographic Insights.
Will I need a COVID-19 vaccine booster?
No one knows for sure yet.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said in late May that booster shots may or may not be needed in 2021 depending on the spread of COVID-19 variants.
The need for boosters also depends on how long existing vaccines offer protection from the virus, something scientists are tracking as time passes and as they collect more data.
This story was originally published June 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Illinois lifts most COVID-19 restrictions on Friday. Here’s what you need to know."
