Editor’s note: This story was originally published by the Belleville News-Democrat, a news partner of St. Louis Public Radio.
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer said Illinois could soon loosen COVID-19 restrictions if the state continues to see a drop in cases and hospitalizations.
To move into a “bridge phase” toward full reopening, the state needed to meet two measurements: 70% of residents 65 and older had to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, and hospitalizations, COVID-19 illnesses and deaths had to see no significant increase over 28 days.
Illinois met the vaccine measurement at the end of March, but didn’t loosen restrictions because of a rise in cases and hospitalization. As vaccinations increased, the state saw those numbers begin to decline. Now, the state has neared the end of its 28-day monitoring period.
“They’ve been coming down gradually, which is terrific,” Pritzker said at a news conference Monday in Aurora.
The governor added that the state has another “five or six days” in the monitoring period. The Illinois Department of Public Health did not immediately reply to a request for information on when the period started or will end.
Data from IDPH showed new hospitalizations statewide decreasing since April 16, though the overall trend was still marked as “increasing.”
Statewide, 30% of Illinoisans were fully vaccinated, according to IDPH.
The entire state was in Phase 4 as of this week, and a statewide mask mandate remained in place though public health officials revised its policy following new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
To get to the fifth and final phase of the reopening plan, the state must see declining or steady COVID-19 numbers as well as vaccination of 50% of residents age 16 and over.
Here are the current capacity restrictions in Phase 4 and those that will go into effect in the bridge phase. There will be no capacity limits in Phase 5.
BRIDGE TO PHASE 5
- Dining: Patrons seated at least 6 feet apart with parties of 10 or less; 30% indoor standing capacity; 50% outdoor capacity.
- Health and fitness: 60% capacity; Group fitness classes of 50 or fewer indoors or 100 or fewer outdoors.
- Offices, personal care businesses, retail, amusement parks, museums, film production, spectator events, theaters and performing arts, zoos: 60% percent.
- Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events: 30 people per 1,000 square feet.
- Flea and farmers markets: Indoor — 15 people per 1,000 square feet; Outdoor — 30 people per 1,000 square feet.
- Meetings, conferences and conventions: Lesser of 1,000 people or 60% capacity.
- Recreation: Indoor — Lesser of 100 people or 50% capacity; Outdoor — Maximum groups of 100; multiple groups permissible.
- Social events: Indoor — 250 people; Outdoor — 500 people.
PHASE 4
- Dining: Patrons seated 6 feet apart with parties of less than 10; 25% standing capacity.
- Health and fitness: 50% capacity limit, group fitness classes of 50 or fewer indoors or 100 or fewer outdoors.
- Offices, personal care businesses, retail, and film production: 50% capacity.
- Museums and amusement parks: 25% capacity.
- Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events: 15 people per 1,000 square feet.
- Flea and farmers markets: 25% capacity or 15 people per 1,000 square feet.
- Meetings, conferences and conventions: Venues with capacity for less than 200 people — Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity; For those with over 200-person capacity — Lesser of 250 people or 25% capacity.
- Recreation: Indoor — Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity; Outdoor — Maximum groups of 50; multiple groups permissible.
- Social events: Indoor — Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity; Outdoor — Lesser of 100 people or 50% capacity
- Spectator events (ticketed and seated), and theater and performing arts: Indoor venue with less than 200-person capacity — Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity; Outdoor venue or indoor venue with more than 200-person capacity — 25% capacity
- Zoos: 25% capacity, lesser of 50 people or 50% at indoor 60% exhibits
Kelsey Landis is a reporter with the Belleville News-Democrat, a news partner of St. Louis Public Radio.
