State, Chicago Moving to Phase 4 Reopening
June 22, 2020
In separate announcements this morning, the state of Illinois and city of Chicago released guidelines for moving to Phase 4 of their reopening plans this Friday, June 26.
Governor J.B. Pritzker says all four regions of the state are currently on track to move into Phase 4 as the state continues to make significant progress in reducing new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, with the average 7-day statewide case positivity rate falling to just 2.5% as of Saturday. Phase 4 allows for the safe reopening or expansion of several key business segments – such as health and fitness, movies and theater, museums and zoos, as well as indoor dining at restaurants. Phase 4 also allows for expanded gathering sizes, increasing the limit from 10 in Phase 3, to 50 people or fewer. This expanded gathering limit extends to key activities like meetings, events and funerals. See the state’s guidance at Illinois.gov/businessguidelines or https://dceocovid19resources.com/restore-illinois.
“Over the last four months, Illinoisans have pulled together with the common mission of keeping each other safe. By staying home and practicing social distancing, the rate of new COVID-19 cases continues to drop and each region throughout the state is prepared to move to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan,” said Governor Pritzker. “Science and data are the overarching guardrails for how Illinois will keep moving forward. By continuing to wear face coverings and following the guidance from health experts we can continue to safely reopen our economy and move forward together.
Meanwhile, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Dept. of Public Health announced that Chicago is on track to transition to Phase 4 of the city’s framework this Friday. The city’s guidelines are aligned with the State-issued guidelines, with additional specificity for the city, which has had higher numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths than other parts of the state. See the city’s reopening guidelines.
Among the Chicago industries reopening for the first time – with limited capacities and appropriate safeguards – are indoor seating in bars and restaurants; museums and zoos; performance venues; and summer camps/youth activities.
“The service and sacrifice made by Chicagoans from every corner of our city and every walk of life has allowed us to safely reach the point where we are now,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “It includes the incredible work done by our healthcare professionals, first responders, and essential workers who have cared for our residents and kept our city running. Everything we’ve done to meet this moment has been the direct result of the hard work and sacrifice of our residents, which has not only saved the lives of thousands of Chicagoans over these past three months, but also helped lay the groundwork for the transformative recovery that will follow.”