On Monday, December 18, Governor Pritzker announced that Region 10, which includes suburban Cook County, will be moving to Tier 2 COVID-19 Resurgence Mitigations. The movement to a lesser tier signals a sustained reduction in the COVID-19 positivity rate and is one step closer to returning to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan.
New mitigation requirements include:
Bars and Restaurants
All bars and restaurants close at 11 pm and may reopen no earlier than 6 am the following day
No indoor service
All bar and restaurant patrons should be seated at tables outside
No ordering, seating, or congregating at bars (bar stools should be removed)
Tables should be 6 feet apart
No tables exceeding 6 people
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
Includes private clubs and country clubs
Meetings, Social Gatherings & Events
Limit to 10 guests in both indoor and outdoor settings
Applicable to professional, cultural, and social group gatherings.
Not applicable to students participating in in-person classroom learning or sports.
This does not reduce the overall facility capacity dictated by general Phase 4 business guidance such as office, personal care, retail, etc.
Hotel room occupancy should be limited to registered guests only, with the maximum allowance being the number of individuals permissible per existing fire code for each applicable guest room
Hotel fitness centers should be closed, or operated only on a reservation model with capacity limited to 25% of the maximum occupancy for the room
No party buses
Organized Group Recreation Activities (including sports and fitness centers)
Recreation and sporting facilities limit to either 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity both indoors & outdoors, whichever is less
No groups of more than 10, including fitness classes, but multiple groups are allowed if separated by impermeable barriers and within overall facility capacity limits
Face coverings must be worn at all times in fitness centers, including while engaged in individual exercise regardless of person or machine spacing
Sports should follow the mitigation measures set forth in the Winter Update to the All Sport Guidelines, which outlines appropriate levels of practice and competition based on individual sport risk
Outdoor Activities (not included in the above exposure settings) continue per current DCEO guidance