Illinois won’t move into next COVID reopening phase despite meeting vaccination goal
Illinois will remain under current coronavirus restrictions despite meeting one of the main measurements for moving forward with its reopening plans.
As of Wednesday, 70% of Illinoisans over 65 had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. This was a key metric for moving into a “bridge phase” before full reopening, which the state calls Phase 5.
Illinois will instead remain in Phase 4 until other COVID-19 numbers decrease.
COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to trend upward in late March as have the number of cases, the Illinois Department of Public Health said in a news release Wednesday. Until hospitalizations go down, the state won’t move to the bridge phase, which allows for higher capacity at businesses and gatherings.
As of Tuesday night, 1,413 individuals in Illinois were in the hospital with COVID-19, and 294 of those were in intensive care units while 123 were on ventilators. A week prior, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients was at 1,261. On March 16, there were 1,143 patients hospitalized.
Health officials feared COVID-19 variants were spreading more quickly, potentially contributing to the most recent spike. Some counties, including St. Clair and Madison, opened up vaccine eligibility to anyone over 16 who lives, works or attends school in Illinois in an effort to fight the spread.
The same universal eligibility rules begin statewide April 12.
Cases and hospitalizations dropped off dramatically in February after a winter surge, and the state reported a low of 1,082 occupied hospital beds on March 12. Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the bridge phase on March 18 with a message of hope but caution as vaccinations continued to increase.
To move to the bridge phase, hospitalizations and deaths must hold steady or decline over a 28-day period. Hospitals must also maintain 20% or greater ICU bed availability. When all metrics are met, the state will move to that phase as a whole, not regionally.
To move into the fifth and final phase, the state must meet those same metrics as well as vaccinating 50% of residents age 16 and over.
A statewide mask requirement will remain in place until the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says it is no longer needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Health officials urged residents to continue masking, social distancing and frequent hand washing.
Here are the current capacity restrictions in Phase 4 and those that will go into effect in the bridge phase. There will be no capacity limits in Phase 5.
Bridge to Phase 5
- Dining: Patrons seated at least 6 feet apart with parties of 10 or less; 30% indoor standing capacity; 50% outdoor capacity
- Health and fitness: 60% capacity; Group fitness classes of 50 or fewer indoors or 100 or fewer outdoors
- Offices, personal care businesses, retail, amusement parts, museums, film production, spectator events, theaters and performing arts, zoos: 60% percent
- Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events: 30 people per 1,000 square feet
- Flea and farmers markets: Indoor — 15 people per 1,000 square feet; Outdoor — 30 people per 1,000 square feet
- Meetings, conferences and conventions: Lesser of 1,000 people or 60% capacity
- Recreation: Indoor — Lesser of 100 people or 50% capacity; Outdoor — Maximum groups of 100; multiple groups permissible
- Social events: Indoor — 250 people; Outdoor — 500 people
Phase 4
- Dining: Patrons seated 6 feet apart with parties of less than 10; 25% standing capacity
- Health and fitness: 50% capacity limit, group fitness classes of 50 or fewer indoors or 100 or fewer outdoors
- Offices, personal care businesses, retail, and film production: 50% capacity
- Museums and amusement parks: 25% capacity
- Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events: 15 people per 1,000 square feet
- Flea and farmers markets: 25% capacity or 15 people per 1,000 square feet
- Meetings, conferences and conventions: Venues with capacity for less than 200 people — Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity; For those with over 200-person capacity — Lesser of 250 people or 25% capacity
- Recreation: Indoor — Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity; Outdoor — Maximum groups of 50; multiple groups permissible
- Social events: Indoor — Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity; Outdoor — Lesser of 100 people or 50% capacity
- Spectator events (ticketed and seated), and theater and performing arts: Indoor venue with less than 200-person capacity — Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity; Outdoor venue or indoor venue with more than 200-person capacity — 25% capacity
- Zoos: 25% capacity, lesser of 50 people or 50% at indoor 60% exhibits
This story was originally published March 31, 2021 at 4:47 PM.
