ILLINOIS (WAND) - Two more Illinois regions are set to see COVID-19 resurgence mitigations take effect, with changes including restrictions to bars and restaurants.
At 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, Regions 7 and 8 in the Restore Illinois plan will see the new restrictions. Both regions have had a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate of above 8 percent or more for three straight days, which passes the threshold officials have set for establishing mitigation measures in the plan.
Region 7 includes Will and Kankakee counties. Region 8 includes Kane and DuPage counties.
On Monday, the governor announced Region 5 in southern Illinois would see mitigations starting Thursday due to its positivity rate increase. Region 1, which includes Rockford, Dixon and Galena counties, also had a positivity rate above 8 percent as of Tuesday and has been under mitigations since Oct. 3.
“By the end of this week, four regions will all be operating under the standard resurgence mitigations – that includes no indoor dining or indoor bar service and limiting in-person gatherings to no more than 25 individuals,” said Pritzker. “As colder weather approaches and flu season is upon us, we’re going to see the rippling effects of these current unfortunate trends. The massive surge of cases in our neighboring states will continue to have a spillover effect.
"There is no easy fix for the effects of this virus on our economy and our public health. But we can and will manage through this. We’re Midwestern tough here in Illinois. We know how to deal with a crisis. And we know how to take care of each other.”
Mitigation measures in Regions 7 and 8 will include:
Bars
- No indoor service
- All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m.
- All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside
- No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
- Tables should be 6 feet apart
- No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
- No dancing or standing indoors
- Reservations required for each party
- No seating of multiple parties at one table
Restaurants
- No indoor dining or bar service
- All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m.
- Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart
- No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
- Reservations required for each party
- No seating of multiple parties at one table
Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings
- Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity
- No party buses
- Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable
These mitigations do not apply to schools at this time.
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