Southernmost Illinois, but not the metro-east, can move into less restrictive COVID tier
Southernmost Illinois, except the metro-east, had met requirements Friday to move immediately into a less restrictive COVID-19 tier in the state’s coronavirus mitigation plan.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state-defined Region 5, which includes most of southern Illinois, can now restart group fitness classes and lower risk youth sports. Casinos, gaming and cultural institutions such as museums can reopen with a 25% capacity and social distancing.
Indoor service at bars and restaurants is still not allowed under Tier 2 in the state’s Restore Illinois plan. Limited indoor service will be allowed in Tier 1.
Region 5 includes Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White and Williamson counties.
As COVID-19 vaccine shipments increase, new vaccines potentially receive FDA approval and with President-elect Joe Biden taking the helm, Pritzker said he was hopeful the rest of Illinois’ regions could soon move into lower tiers and eventually back to Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan. That phase is the least restrictive of all the state’s tiers and phases, with the fifth phase being near-full recovery.
“Gradually, as we move through the spring, we will see meaningful reductions in COVID illnesses and death,” Pritzker said in a news conference in Chicago. “I’m happy to report today that the majority of Illinois regions are making good progress.”
Regions 1 and 2 were also allowed to move into Tier 2. The metro-east and all other regions were still in Tier 3 as of Friday, though they were on track to move into the lower tier within the next few days, Pritzker said.
For Tier 3 mitigation metrics to be relaxed or to move to Tier 2, a region must experience a seven-day rolling average positivity rate of less than 12% for three consecutive days while also seeing at least 20% available intensive care unit and medical/surgical bed availability for three consecutive days.
The metro-east’s COVID-19 positivity rate fell to beneath 10% Friday, the lowest since October.
The region’s rolling seven-day average positivity rate was 9.9% on Friday, down from 10.3% on Thursday, but only 13% of staffed hospital beds were available. Additionally, 15.9% of the region’s intensive care unit beds were available as of Friday, up from 15.3% Thursday.
To move from Tier 2 to Tier 1, a region must see a seven-day rolling average positivity rate below 8% for three consecutive days, a 20% or greater three-day rolling average of ICU and medical/surgical bed availability for three consecutive days, and no sustained increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations for seven out of 10 days on a seven-day average.
In Tier 1, bars and restaurants that serve food can reopen for indoor service with capacity limited to 25 people or 25%, whichever is less. Tables are limited to four people for a maximum of two-hours. Establishments must close at 11 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6 a.m. the following day.
To move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:
- 6.5% or less seven-day rolling average positivity rate for three consecutive days,
- 20% or more available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital bed availability for three consecutive days on a three-day rolling average,
- No sustained increase in hospitalizations for seven out of 10 days on a seven-day rolling average.
Contact training, team scrimmage and intra-conference play are allowed in Tier 2 for low-risk sports, but limitations remain on medium- to high-risk sports.
Low-risk sports include:
- Archery
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Bass fishing
- Bowling
- Climbing
- Competitive cheer
- Competitive dance
- Crew
- Cross country
- Cycling
- Disc golf
- Fencing
- Gymnastics
- Horseback riding
- Ice skating
- Ropes courses
- Sailing, canoeing, kayaking
- Scholastic golf
- Sideline spirit
- Skateboarding
- Softball
- Skiing
- Swimming/diving
- Tennis
- Track and field
- Weight lifting
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 12:54 PM.
