Statewide restrictions in Illinois will stay for at least ‘a few weeks,’ Pritzker says
Statewide COVID-19 restrictions for Illinois will remain in place for “a few weeks” as health officials monitor the effects Thanksgiving gatherings have on the virus’ spread.
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer said the restrictions, which include a ban on indoor service at bars and restaurants, will remain in place even if the situation improves to ensure hospitals can accommodate a possible wave of COVID-19 patients.
“Although the past few days have offered a hint of progress in some of our statewide metrics, the number of patients fighting COVID-19 in our hospital systems statewide still eclipses our spring peak by 23%,” Pritzker said at a news briefing in Chicago. “ ... We are very much in a precarious place and we have got to take the time to evaluate any Thanksgiving effect before we make any premature adjustments.”
None of the state’s 11 public health regions had gotten anywhere close to the lower coronavirus numbers necessary to have restrictions lifted. The statewide restrictions went into place on Nov. 20.
Public health officials were concerned Thanksgiving gatherings could contribute to another surge of coronavirus cases that can turn into hospitalizations and deaths. They will track COVID-19 case counts, the percentage of tests coming back positive, hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions to measure the effects of the holiday.
Pritzker said he spoke with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, on Monday. Fauci told the governor a post-Thanksgiving surge is “very likely,” Pritzker said, and therefore “this is no time” to rollback restrictions.
But if Illinois doesn’t see another surge of the virus like it has in the last three to four weeks, the state could at least avoid another stay-at-home order like the one the governor ordered in the spring, Pritzker said.
Hospital availability is already stretched thin statewide and in the metro-east, where 81.7% of staffed hospital beds were occupied as of Monday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. For three days in a row as of Monday, St. Louis-area hospitals have broken records for the seven-day average of total coronavirus hospitalizations, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said Illinoisans needs to continue to take precautions such as wearing a mask, social distancing, frequent hand-washing and avoiding even small gatherings outside of one’s household.
“We will still need to stay on our game until the vaccine is widely available,” Ezike said.
In early May, the state announced a regional approach to reopenings. Public health officials outlined tiers within the plan to outline different restrictions to manage a resurgence in a given region.
The metro-east is in its own region and includes St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Bond, Washington, Clinton and Randolph counties.
Every day, each county reports the number of cases and tests it performs to the state. IDPH uses those numbers from each county to calculate a daily and seven-day rolling average positivity rate, or the percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back positive.
If the the positivity rate exceeds 8% for three consecutive days, the Illinois Department of Public Health implements regional restrictions, which the state refers to as “resurgence mitigations.” A region must reduce the positivity rate to 6.5% or below for three consecutive days to have restrictions lifted.
All regions in the state are under Tier 3 mitigations:
RETAIL
Includes service counters
- Operate at no more than 25% capacity, including general merchandise stores, “big box” stores that offer groceries and pharmacy, and convenience stores
- Grocery stores and pharmacies may operate at up to 50% capacity.
- Encourage delivery or curbside pickup options wherever possible
- When in-store shopping is necessary, promote efficient trips and consistent circulation.
PERSONAL CARE SERVICE
- Operate at lesser of 25 clients or 25% capacity
- Face coverings must be worn at all times by clients and service providers.
- Suspend services where a face covering cannot be worn (e.g. facials, beard trims)
- Physical, occupational and massage therapy allowed as deemed necessary by a medical provider, but appointments must be spaced by a minimum of 15 minutes and facilities should take steps to sanitize and circulate clean air through service rooms before and after each service
- Virtual consultations recommended
- Health and fitness centers
- Operate at no more than 25% capacity
- No indoor group classes
- Face coverings must be worn at all times, including while engaged in individual exercise regardless of person or machine spacing.
- Reservations required
- Locker room areas should be closed
HOTELS
- Hotel room occupancy should be limited to registered guests only, with the maximum allowance being the number of individuals permissible per existing fire code for each applicable guest room.
- Fitness centers should be closed, or operated only on a reservation model, with capacity limited to 25% of the maximum occupancy for the room.
- Grab and go food allowed
- Event and meeting space closed
MANUFACTURING
- Additional COVID training for all employees required even if previous training occurred
- Operators should coordinate with IDPH to implement testing protocols and contact tracing, upon request, consistent with available testing supplies.
- All employees must wear face coverings at all times unless eating or drinking. Exemptions only for safety purposes.
- Only manufacturing staff and key personnel are allowed in facilities. Non-production employees must work remotely. Non-essential staff and visitors are not permitted. Exemptions only for critical equipment repairs, supply deliveries and safety reasons (“critical visitors”)
- All critical visitors must have an Employee Health and Safety-approved risk-assessment done in advance, including travel history, tracking, and temperature check prior to entrance.
- Implement additional workstation realignment when feasible
- Stagger and space shifts, and designate shift entrances and exits (when possible) to minimize interactions of employees across unique shift groupings
- Station sanitation required at beginning and ending of shifts
- Operators must suspend COVID-related incentive pay and promote staying home when sick or showing symptoms.
- Implement temporary leave policies to accommodate workers who are sick
- Develop and implement safety protocols for employee travel vans to promote spacing, require face coverings, temperature checks, air circulation, and vehicle sanitation
BARS AND RESTAURANTS
- All bars and restaurants close at 11 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6 a.m. the following day
- No indoor service
- All bar and restaurant 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 outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
- No dancing or standing indoors
- No tables exceeding six people
- Reservations required for each party
- No seating of multiple parties at one table
- Indoor gaming terminals must suspend operations (includes private clubs and country clubs).
- Meetings, social events and gatherings (including weddings, potlucks, etc.)
- Limit in home gatherings to household members
- Meeting rooms, banquet centers, private party rooms, private clubs and country clubs may not host gatherings.
- No party buses
- Funerals are limited to 10 family members of the decedents, not including staff. See IDPH guidance.
OFFICE
- All employees who can work remotely should work remotely.
ORGANIZED GROUP RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Sports, indoor sports and activity facilities, etc.
- Pause all indoor group sporting and recreational activities including youth and adult recreational sports, individual training may remain (with facility reservation); includes park districts and travel leagues
- Outdoor sports and recreation allowed
- Participant groups and practices outdoors limited to 10 persons or less with social distancing
- Face coverings required for all activities at all times
- Locker rooms should be closed
INDOOR RECREATION, THEATERS, CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
E.g. casinos, bowling, arcades, movie theaters, museums and zoos
- Gaming and casinos close
- Indoor recreation centers, including theaters, performing arts centers and indoor museums and amusement centers close
- Live streaming of performances encouraged with social distancing of performers and minimum operational staff
- Outdoor activities allowed at 25% capacity or less
- Outdoor group activities limited to 10 persons or less, participants/guests must wear face coverings at all times.
- Reservations required for each guest for outdoor activities
This story was originally published November 30, 2020 at 3:22 PM.
