Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on Thursday announced new metrics and guidelines designed to transition the state to a full reopening, revealing what he called the “Bridge Phase” that would allow for higher capacity limits before entering in Phase 5.
The new phase allows for higher capacity limits in places like museums, zoos and spectator events, as well as increased business operations, the state announced, but masks will remain mandatory.
The updated guidelines fill the gap between Phase 4, in which the state is currently, and Phase 5, which would mark a complete reopening and requires a widely available vaccine or highly effective treatment.
According to the governor, the so-called Phase Bridge “will serve as a transition period with higher capacity limits and increased business operations, without prematurely embracing a reckless reopening before most Illinoisans have been vaccinated.”
“We want and need to move forward, but we must be measured and cautious in our approach,” said the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, in a statement. “Instead of pushing a button and saying that we’re now in Phase 5, we’re looking at it more like a dial – slowing down some of the capacity restrictions that helped reduce transmission and, finally, the number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths . We don’t want to move too quickly and risk a significant reversal in our progress. “
Unlike previous mitigations and phases, all Illinois will go through Phase Bridge and Phase 5 together, once they meet the required metrics.
For Illinois to progress to the bridge phase, the entire state must achieve a 70% first dose vaccination rate for residents age 65 and older, in addition to maintaining the current metrics required of at least 20% bed availability. ICU and stable maintenance hospitalizations for COVID-19 or COVID-like illnesses, death rates and case rates during a 28-day monitoring period.
To move to Phase 5, the state must achieve a vaccination rate of 50% for residents aged 16 and over and meet the same metrics and fees required to enter the transition phase for an additional 28 days, said the state authorities.
“COVID-19 has not disappeared, but the light we can see at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter as more people are vaccinated,” said Pritzker in a statement. “It is time to start moving cautiously towards normality, and it is imperative that we do this in a way that maintains all the progress we have made so far.”
The state may be forced to return to an earlier stage if, over 10 days, the state experiences an upward trend in hospital admissions for COVID-19 and COVID-like illnesses, a decrease in bed availability in the ICU, an increase in the death rate and an increasing rate of cases, the state said.
In addition to announcing the transition phase, the state has also made changes to the current Phase 4 guidelines.
Under a new rule, anyone with a complete vaccination test or a negative COVID-19 PCR test within one to three days of an event or tour will not count towards capacity limits.
In addition, lower risk activities that were not allowed or allowed in a lower capacity were expanded in Phase 4.
“As regulations are gradually reversed in the coming weeks, Illinois residents are expected to continue to practice the public health guidelines that kept us safe during the pandemic, including wearing face covers and maintaining social distance,” he said. the state in a statement.
Even so, Chicago said it is “evaluating the guidance released [Thursday] and will be rolling out updated city guidelines early next week. “
Here is a complete analysis of the phase changes:
Phase 4
Dinner
Seated areas: customers ≥ 6 feet apart; parts ≤ 10
Standing areas: 25% of capacity
Health and Fitness
50% of capacity
Group fitness classes of 50 or less indoors or 100 or less outdoors *
Offices
50% of capacity
Personal care
50% of capacity
Retail and service desk
50% of capacity
Amusement parks
25% of capacity *
Festivals and general entrance events for outdoor spectators
15 people per 1,000 square feet *
Flea and Farmers Markets
25% of capacity or 15 people per 1,000 square feet.
Film production
50% of capacity
Meetings, conferences and conventions
Location with capacity <200 people: Less than 50 people or 50% of capacity *
Location with capacity ≥ 200 people: Less than 250 people or 25% of capacity *
Museums
25% of capacity
Recreation
Interior: Less than 50 people or 50% of the capacity
Outdoors: maximum groups of 50; multiple groups allowed
Social events
Interior: Less than 50 people or 50% of capacity *
External: less than 100 people or 50% of capacity *
Spectator events (with tickets and seating)
Covered location with capacity <200 people: Less than 50 people or 50% of capacity *
External or internal location with a capacity ≥ 200 people: 25% of capacity *
Theaters and performing arts
Covered location with capacity <200 people: Less than 50 or 50% of the capacity
External or internal location with a capacity ≥ 200 people: 25% of capacity *
Zoos
25% of capacity
Under 50 or 50% in indoor exhibitions
Bridge Phase
Dinner
Seated areas: customers ≥ 6 feet apart; parts ≤ 10
Standing areas: 30% of internal capacity; 50% of outdoor capacity
Health and Fitness
60% of capacity
Group fitness classes of 50 or less indoors or 100 or less outdoors
Offices
60% of capacity
Personal care
60% of capacity
Retail and service desk
60% of capacity
Amusement parks
60% of capacity *
Festivals and general entrance events for outdoor spectators
30 people per 1,000 square feet *
Flea and Farmers Markets
Interior: 15 people per 1,000 square feet.
Outdoors: 30 people per 1,000 square feet.
Film production
60% of capacity
Meetings, conferences and conventions
Less than 1,000 people or 60% of capacity ^
Museums
60% of capacity
Recreation
Interior: less than 100 people or 50% of the capacity
Outdoors: maximum groups of 100; multiple groups allowed
Social events
Interior: 250 people
Outdoors: 500 people
Spectator events (with tickets and seating)
60% of capacity
Theaters and performing arts
60% of capacity
Zoos
60% of capacity
In addition to the changes in the reopening structure, Pritzker also announced that eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine will expand to all Illinois residents over the age of 16, except for those in the city of Chicago, beginning April 12.
All Illinois residents over the age of 16 will be eligible to be vaccinated from April 12, said Pritzker, adding that state officials in the coming days will provide more information about certain populations that will become eligible before the final expansion.