Here’s what you need to know as Illinois starts reopening from the coronavirus shutdown
Illinois moves into Phase 3 of Gov. J.B. Pritkzer’s reopening plan Friday, allowing residents to take advantage of a few more activities during the coronavirus pandemic.
While they still won’t be able to dine inside of restaurants or go to the movie theater, they’ll be able to visit their stylist or barber, go back to the office and take their kids to day care, with some restrictions.
“Each of the four regions has hit the requirements for moving into the next phase,” Pritzker said at his daily news briefing in Chicago Thursday. “Starting tomorrow, all areas of the state are eligible to reopen in accordance with Restore Illinois Phase 3.”
This is the first change of COVID-19 restrictions since May 1, when Pritzker’s April executive stay-at-home order expired and a new one went into effect. The soonest a region could move into Phase 4 is June 26 because the state requires 28 days of data before transitioning between phases.
The governor also lifted a ban on in-person worship services starting Friday, opting instead for recommendations for houses of worship in the face of a lawsuits, Capitol News Illinois reported Thursday. Pritzker said his office would release Phase 3 guidelines for places of worship soon, adding that he would not recommend police response to those that do not comply.
“Having received many plans and ideas from responsible faith leaders, (the Illinois Department of Public Health) has reviewed many detailed proposals and has provided guidance, not mandatory restrictions, for all faith leaders to use in their efforts to ensure the health and safety of their congregants,” Pritzker said.
All industries have a few things in common in Phase 3:
- Signage about social distancing and capacity limits should be posted at entrances.
- Water fountains should be unavailable for use except for touchless water bottle refill stations.
- Vending machines should be sanitized between use.
- Face masks are encouraged and no one should go out in public if they’re sick.
Here are some more specific changes Illinoisans can expect Friday. A full list of guidelines and toolkits for different businesses can be found on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s website at illinois.gov/dceo.
Restaurants and bars
- No indoor dining will be allowed, only curbside pickup, delivery and drive-thru.
- Limited outdoor dining will be allowed with no parties over six people, tables six feet apart and employees wearing masks.
- Restaurants will encourage reservations and wearing masks except when eating or drinking.
Salons, barbershops and personal care
- Hair salons, hair braiders, barber shops, nail salons, spas, massage therapy clinics, waxing centers, tattoo parlors, tanning salons, cosmetology schools, hair club services and other providers of personal care services can open with guidelines.
- Employees and customers must wear a face covering over their noses and mouths.
- Reservations required.
- Massages are limited to 30 minutes or less.
- The space should be configured to put six feet of distance between customers.
Retail
- Nonessential retail such as shopping malls and jewelry stores can open with half the usual capacity or five customers per 1,000 square feet of retail space.
- Employees and customers must wear a face covering over their noses and mouths.
- The store should display visual markers for checkout lines to encourage six-foot distancing.
- Fitting rooms have to be cleaned in between uses or closed.
Child care
- Child-care centers can reopen with less than 10 children per classroom in the first four weeks of operation.
- Children over than 2-years-old and medically able should wear masks.
- Children will have to change shoes or wear shoe coverings when they arrive.
- Children will have to sleep at least six feet apart during naps.
Outdoor activities
- State parks will fully reopen. Concessions can reopen, too, under the same guidelines as restaurants.
- Indoor and outdoor tennis clubs can open with capacity limits and public health safety guidelines.
- Golf courses can allow foursomes out on the same tee times; carts permitted with one person per cart; two golfers can share a cart if they are members of the same household.
- Boating and camping are allowed with up to 10 people permitted.
Driving ranges, outdoor shooting ranges and paintball courses are open with public health safety guidelines.
Gyms
- One-on-one personal training and outdoor classes of 10 people or less
- Activities involving physical contact are not allowed.
Saunas, hot tubs, steam rooms and child-care areas should remain closed.
Equipment should be santized in between uses.
Day camps
- Day camps not licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services operating over the summer months such as recreational day camps, educational day camps and religious day camps can reopen.
- No overnight camps permitted.
Activities should be set up to allow for six feet of distancing. Any activities that do not allow for this should be suspended.
Camps must provide enough indoor space to allow for six feet of distancing in case it is not safe to be outdoors.
Anything requiring shouting or physical exertion should be done outside.
Water-based activities are not permitted.
Youth sports
- Youth sports activities are limited to drills, practices, and lessons that do not involve contact between individuals and allow for six feet of social distancing.
- No competitive games are allowed.
- Concessions should remain closed.
For indoor facilities, maximum occupancy of 50% of facility capacity.
Team or group sizes should be limited to 10 participants or fewer per every one adult.
Teams or groups should be static, with no mixing of employees or participants between groups for the duration of the season.
Offices
All employees who can work from home should continue to do so.
- Maximum occupancy is 50% of office capacity.
- Employees should maintain six feet of distancing and should wear face coverings.
Manufacturing
- Employees should maintain six feet of distancing or have barriers in between them.
- Employees should wear face coverings.
- Sanitation and cleaning should be increased.
