Southwestern Illinois reaches threshold that could trigger tighter COVID restrictions
The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting that the metro-east region has hit a seven-day rolling average positivity rate of more than 8% on coronavirus tests for three days in a row.
That means it’s likely that Gov. J.B. Pritzker will order tighter COVID-19 restrictions, also known as “resurgence mitigations,” including a ban on indoor dining and drinking at restaurants and bars.
The restrictions would start Wednesday, according to Bryan Whitaker, assistant director of St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency, who led the agency’s video briefing on Saturday afternoon.
Whitaker told viewers that county Board Chairman Mark Kern and agency Director Herb Simmons got the warning during a conference call Saturday morning with state officials.
“It’s unfortunate,” Whitaker said. “But the chairman and the director are still working hard to make sure they have the best investments here for St. Clair County, working with any businesses that need to get business-interruption grants and (other help).”
State officials on the conference call included representatives of the Illinois Department of Public Health, governor’s office, Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Seven counties are part of Metro East Region 4 under the Restore Illinois plan, which the Pritzker administration created in June to safely restart the economy after a three-month COVID-19 shutdown. They are St. Clair, Madison, Bond, Monroe, Randolph, Clinton and Washington.
The region’s average positivity rate hit 8.1% on Friday, 8.2% on Saturday and 8.2% on Sunday. The Restore Illinois plan calls for mitigations to be put in place after three days in a row at or above 8%.
This isn’t the first time the metro-east has been subject to mitigations. They were ordered to begin on Sept. 2, after the region reached a 10.5% positivity rate. That dropped to 6.5% by Oct. 9, when the tighter restrictions were lifted, but it has been gradually increasing ever since.
Whitaker said the new restrictions would be similar to those imposed on Sept. 2. Here is a summary:
BARS:
- All bars close at 11 p.m.
- No indoor service
- All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside
No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
Tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
No dancing or standing indoors
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
RESTAURANTS:
- All restaurants close at 11 p.m.
No indoor dining or bar service
Tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
MEETINGS, SOCIAL EVENTS AND GATHERINGS:
- Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity
- Reception halls are limited to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity
No party buses
This story was originally published October 25, 2020 at 2:26 PM.
