Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is announcing COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in Suburban Cook County beginning at 12:01 am on Wednesday, October 28, 2020.
Region 10, which encompasses suburban Cook County, has had eight consecutive days of increases in test positivity and seven days of increased hospital admissions. This makes it the first region in the state to meet the metrics for additional mitigations in this way by surpassing warning levels in two categories simultaneously.
Mitigation measures taking effect on October 28 in Regions 10 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
In the coming days, IDPH will continue to track the positivity rate to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigations should remain in place. If the positivity rate averages less than or equal to 6.5% over a three-day period, there is a decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness over a three-day period, and the three-day rolling averages of ICU bed availability and medical/surgical bed availability is greater than or equal to 20% over a seven-day period, the region will return to Phase 4 under the Restore Illinois Plan. Conversely, if the average positivity rate continues to increase over seven out of 10 days and the hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness continues to increase over seven out of 10 days, more stringent mitigations can be applied. If the metrics remain stable, the region will continue to be monitored.
To help mitigate the financial difficulties these mitigation measures may bring, businesses in Suburban Cook County will receive priority consideration for the current round of Business Interruption Grants. A full list of mitigation measures pertaining to some businesses and industries may be found on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) website at www.dceocovid19resources.com/restore-illinois.