ILLINOIS (WAND) - Gov. JB Pritzker explained how an Illinois region can have its COVID-19 restrictions loosened in a Monday press conference. 

All Illinois regions have been in Tier 3 mitigations since Nov. 20, and regions who meet the proper metrics can be moved to Tier 2 mitigations beginning Jan. 15. To be moved to Tier 2, a region must meet the following statistics: 

  • Test positivity rate below 12 percent for three consecutive days as measured by a 7-day rolling average 
  • Greater than 20 percent available staffed ICU and general hospital beds for three straight days on a three-day rolling average 
  • Decline in number of people in the hospital battling COVID-19 for seven of 10 days, also on a 7-day average 

Tier 3 mitigations do not allow any indoor service at bars and restaurants and closed places including, but not limited to, casinos and theaters, among other restrictions. Tier 2 mitigations still do not allow indoor seating at bars and restaurants, but are less restrictive. They can be viewed here. 

WAND News reported earlier Monday on which regions are meeting metrics to see mitigations drop to Tier 2. Region 3 (west central Illinois) is in better shape than Region 6 (east central Illinois), as its positivity rate sat in data from Monday at 8.2 percent - the lowest in Illinois. Its hospitalizations have declined in nine of the past 10 days, while its hospital bed (22.7%) and ICU bed (22.4%) available were rising as of Monday.

Region 6 saw its positivity rate rise to 9.9% Monday. Hospitalizations rose in seven of the last 10 days from Monday. Hospital bed availability (18.5%) and ICU bed availability (29.6%) were largely steady in the region at that time. 

Gov. JB Pritzker said Illinois saw positivity rates and hospitalizations drop by a third since late November because it moved the entire state to Tier 3 before Thanksgiving. He made a point of calling the success the state has seen "relative and precious."

Some metrics are still not performing well, the governor said, as there are twice as many COVID-19 patients in the hospital across the state now than there were in the summer of 2020. He said a fluctuation in case rates and positivity has stalled a downward trajectory in cases Illinois has hoped to have. 

In addition, the governor pointed out fall and winter brought Illinois to all-time records in hospitalizations and deaths. 

Pritzker said "consistent and meaningful mitigations" saved lives in Illinois. He said Illinois will see a recovery if people continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.