O’Fallon expecting to move into Phase 4 of COVID-19 recovery plan

The state of Illinois issued the Restore Illinois Plan to save lives and livelihoods from COVID-19.

This five-phase plan will reopen our state, guided by health metrics and with distinct business, education, and recreation activities characterizing each phase. It is an initial framework that will likely be updated as research and science develop and as the potential for treatments or vaccines is realized.

The Restore Illinois plan recognizes the economy will start growing again when consumers feel it is safe to return to work, shop and dine out, and engage in social and recreational activities.

We believe the state will move O’Fallon to Phase 4 of the plan beginning Friday, June 26. To prepare businesses and employers to implement new and updated safety guidelines in Phase 4, the state of Illinois has developed this business toolkit complete with signage, posters, and other resources to ensure business and activities are conducted in accordance with the latest public health recommendations.

See an overview of the Phase 4 changes at https://dceocovid19resources.com/assets/Restore-Illinois/businessguidelines4/phase4overview.pdf

In addition to continued social distancing and face covering recommendations here are the highlights of the Phase 4:

• Day camps: Permitted with no more than 50% occupancy, group sizes of 15 participants, outdoor activities encouraged.
• Health and wellness (Gyms): Permitted with no more than 50% occupancy, workout stations and fitness classes should maintain 6 feet of distance.
• Indoor/outdoor recreation: Reopening of indoor recreation (bowling, skating, etc.), no more than 50 customers or 50% facility capacity.
• Meetings and social events: Limit to 50 people or less with social distancing or 50% of overall facility capacity.
• Offices: Permitted with no more than 50% occupancy.
• Restaurants and bars: Indoor dining and drinking now permitted for parities up to 10 people. Tables should be 6 feet apart; impermeable barriers may be installed between booths which are less than 6 feet apart. Standing areas should be limited to 25% of standing capacity. There is no maximum occupancy number, the number of people allowed inside of a restaurant will depend on the amount of space that is available for seating.
• Outdoor seated spectator events: Outdoor events permitted with maximum 20% of seating capacity for spectators.
• Theaters and performing arts: Seated theaters, cinemas for ticketed events permitted, indoor capacity limit of 50 people or less or 50% of space capacity (applies to each screening room).
• Youth and recreational sports: Competitive game play and tournaments permitted, capacity limit of no more than 50% facility capacity. Group sizes limited to 50 participants total (including athletes, coaches, and referees); with multiple groups permitted during practice and competitive games given venues have space to social distance.

This is just a summary of the new guidelines. I encourage you to go to https://dceocovid19resources.com/restore-illinois/restore-illinois-phase-4/ and read them. We will be sending these guidelines to all our businesses in O’Fallon so that they are aware of them and will be able to open up quickly and safely.

This story was originally published June 22, 2020 at 2:39 PM.