Here’s what it will take for Southwest IL counties to lift COVID-19 restrictions
The metro-east’s COVID-19 positivity rate dropped slightly Tuesday, a day after the state announced tightened restrictions on indoor dining, bars and social gatherings would be reintroduced later this week.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported the metro-east’s seven-day rolling average positivity rate dropped from 8.4% on Monday to 8.3% on Tuesday.
The reintroduction of tightened restrictions comes as a result of the region reporting three consecutive days above 8%. While Tuesday’s drop in positivity rate is a step in the right direction, the metro-east needs three consecutive days with a seven day average under 6.5% for mitigations to be relaxed.
“We’ve got a long ways to go to get back to where we were,” said St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons during a daily update on COVID-19. “We need to get some help from the other counties out there.”
That was the case when restrictions were lifted on the metro-east on Oct. 9.
The positivity rate data reported by the state is delayed by three days, so the rate as of Oct. 24 was the most recent data available Tuesday. It was the fifth consecutive day the metro-east had a seven-day rolling average positivity rate above 8%.
Here’s what tier 1 restrictions include:
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
If the region continues to have a positivity rate above 8% for the next 14 days, further restrictions could be added to Region 4.
The state eased restrictions on restaurants, bars and social gatherings roughly two weeks ago on Oct. 9, after the metro-east saw its positivity rate fall below 6.5%. Since then the positivity rate has steadily increased nearly every day.
Region 4 includes St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Bond, Washington, Clinton and Randolph counties. Region 4 also saw a jump in its daily positivity rate from 7.7% on Monday to 8.1% on Tuesday.
The region’s hospital bed capacity was at 28% on Tuesday, and its ICU capacity was at 37%. If the region’s hospital capacity threatens its surge capacities, meaning if the ICU capacity of hospital bed capacity falls under 20%, new restrictions could also be enacted by the state.
Illinois reports new cases, deaths Tuesday
This information is according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
New cases: 4,000 (-729)
New deaths: 46 (+29)
New tests: 62,074 (+4,810)
Total cases: 382,985
Total deaths: 9,568
Total tests: 7,388,290
Hospitalizations: 2,758 (+120)
People in ICU: 595 (+6)
People on ventilators: 241 (+3)
Statewide positivity rate (from Oct. 20-26): 6.4% (+0.1%)
Tuesday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4
New cases as of 4 p.m.: 155
New deaths as of 4 p.m.: 7 (Three deaths in Madison County, two deaths in Clinton County, one in Washington County and one in St. Clair County)
Daily positivity rate (as of Oct. 24): 8.1% (+0.4%)
7-day rolling average (as of Oct. 24): 8.3% (-0.1%)
Hospitalizations: 104
Patients on ventilators: 8
Hospital bed availability: 28% (-1.0%)
ICU bed availability: 37% (-7.0%)
New cases from nearby counties outside Region 4: 0
New deaths from nearby counties outside Region 4: 0
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 56 new positives, 577 new tests, one new death
Total overall: 9,023 positives, 221 deaths, 112,681 tests administered, 53 patients hospitalized with five on ventilators
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 7.3% (-0.2%); seven-day average — 6.9% (+0.1%)
Additional data: Individuals diagnosed ranged in age from their teens to their 70s. Of the 56 new cases, 40 were individuals were under the age of 40.
Congregate living facilities: Freeburg Care Center reported one new case, The Esquiline/Dammert Center reported two new cases and Integrity Healthcare in Smithton reported one new death.
MADISON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 50 new cases, three new deaths, 294 new tests administered
Total overall: 7,339 positives, 156 deaths, 99,297 tests administered, 3,642 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 6.9% (no change); 7-day average — 7.5% (-0.4%)
Additional data: Individuals diagnosed ranged in age 10 and under to their 80s. Of the 50 new cases, 32 were individuals were under the age of 40.
CLINTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 8 new positives, two new deaths
Total overall: 1,801 positives, 28 deaths, 1,521 recoveries, 11 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 18.3 % (+5.3%); 7-day average — 15.4% (+0.5%)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 8 new positives
Total overall: 1,315 positives, 15 deaths, 1,157 recoveries, 4 hospitalizations
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 9.5% (+0.5%); 7-day average — 11.1% (-0.5%)
MONROE COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 15 new positives
Total overall: 958 positives, 28 deaths, 7 hospitalized
Positivity rates as (of Oct. 24): Daily — 14.3% (+10.3%); 7-day average — 7.8% (+0.1%)
BOND COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 7 new positives
Total overall: 523 positives, 10 deaths, 22,573 tests administered, 3 hospitalizations
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 3.3% (-7.5%); 7-day average — 8.1 (-4.9%)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 11 new positives, one new death
Total overall: 322 positives, 2 death, 289 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 11.4% (-18.2%); 7-day average — 14.7% (-0.1%)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 845 positives, 13 deaths, 443 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 7.4% (+1.8%); 7-day average — 5.9% (-0.3%)
JERSEY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 476 positives, 21 deaths, 414 recoveries, 7,632 tests
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 6.2% (+0.3%); 7-day average — 5.6% (-0.7%)
PERRY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 435 positives, 16 deaths, 370 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 16.7% (+0.6%); 7-day average — 10% (+1.9%)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 78 positives, 69 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 24): Daily — 0% (-20.0%); 7-day average — 1.1% (no change)
State, nation, world statistics
Here are the latest available statistics from the Illinois Department of Public Health and Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus map as of Tuesday early evening:
- Illinois: 382,985 cases, 9,568 deaths, 7,388,290 tests
- U.S.: 8,631,921 cases, 225,212 deaths, 3,422,878 recoveries
- World: 42,912,830 cases, 1,152,729 deaths, 28,890,122 recoveries
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
Here are free COVID-19 testing options.
- Thursday, Oct. 29: 9 a.m to noon at Granite City High School, 3101 Madison, Ave. in Granite City.
No appointment is necessary. Masks are required.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also offers free walk-up and drive-thru COVID-19 testing seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (or until capacity limits are met each day) at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, Argonne Drive in East St. Louis (Interstate 64 west, exit 4A).
Capacity is limited. Hours of operation are subject to change based on available equipment. For more information, visit dph.illinois.gov/testing.
Additionally, Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation offer daily testing in Belleville and Wood River. Call 618-646-2596 for an appointment.
Get the latest news on coronavirus
BND.com will keep you updated throughout the day with information about the spread of the coronavirus in southwestern Illinois.
You can also find the most complete and up-to-date information from government sites including:
- State of Illinois’ COVID-19 page: coronavirus.illinois.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html
- Federal government’s coronavirus page: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Who to call about mental health
Here are some resources from mental-health professionals for anyone struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Illinois Human Services Mental Health Division’s Call4Calm: Text the word “talk” to 552020 to text with a mental-health-care professional for free.
- Centerstone of Illinois Inc.: Call 618-462-2331 for virtual mental-health services.
- Chestnut Health Systems: Call 618-877-4420 for virtual mental-health services.
- Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous: Call 618-398-9409 or email metroeastnapr@gmail.com to learn about virtual meetings.
- Regional Disaster Mental Health Volunteer Response Team: Call a support line for health-care professionals at 618-381-5173.
Contact BND with tips, concerns, suggestions
If you have suggestions about something for the BND to cover regarding the COVID-19 pandemic or if you see a report that sounds suspicious on social media or anywhere else, please drop us a note at newsroom@bnd.com and include a link. We’ll check it out.
We’d like to hear from healthcare workers
The BND would like to speak with nurses, doctors and other health-care professionals who are on the front lines caring for patients in doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals during this difficult time. We’re interested in hearing about your challenges and rewards, frustrations and accomplishments. How is this affecting you? Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
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This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Here’s what it will take for Southwest IL counties to lift COVID-19 restrictions."