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GOVERNOR PRITZKER CHANGES REOPENING GUIDELINES


Governor Pritzker Changes Reopening Guidelines

Governor Pritzker announced a metrics-based, vaccination-informed framework for Illinois to advance to Phase 5 of the state’s Restore Illinois Plan. He also announced that all Illinois residents age 16+ will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting April 12th. Currently, every region of the state is in Phase 4 of the five-phase Restore Illinois mitigation plan. The newly announced metrics offer Illinois a bridge between the state’s current Phase 4 restrictions and the “new normal” operations of Phase 5. This “Bridge Phase” will serve as a transition period with higher capacity limits and increased business operations.

The Bridge Phase will begin once 70% of residents 65 and older have been vaccinated and there are no reversals in the COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths for a 28-day monitoring period. Once 50% of residents 16 and older have been vaccinated and stable or declining COVID-19 metrics are recorded during a 28-day monitoring period, Phase 5 will be implemented, removing capacity limits altogether.

 

Additionally, this updated guidance establishes new capacity limits for settings determined by risk level. In an update to current Phase 4 mitigations, individuals with proof of full vaccination — defined as 14 days after receiving a final vaccine dose — or a negative COVID-19 test (PCR) 1-3 days prior to an event do not count against capacity limits.

You may find the updated mitigation metrics for Phase 4 and Phase 5 HERE.

Metrics to Move Forward

 

Vaccination metrics: Once 70% of residents 65 and older statewide have received their first dose of the vaccine and no increase in COVID-19 metrics is recorded, the state could move into the Bridge Phase. Once 50% of residents 16 and older have received their first dose of the vaccine and no increase in COVID-19 metrics is recorded, the state could move into Phase 5.

 

COVID-19 metrics: The state could advance if there is a non-increasing trend in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness, COVID-19 patients in the hospital and mortality rate while ICU bed availability must remain greater than or equal to 20%. The state will consider new knowledge of variants, vaccine effectiveness and the potential necessity of a booster shot as we move forward.

 

Monitoring period: COVID-19 metrics will be considered over a 28-day monitoring period before the state can advance to the next phase. The current monitoring period began when all regions of the state moved into Phase 4.

article provided by IRMA (Illinois Retails Merchant Association)


What this Phase Looks Like

There is a continued decline in the rate of infection in new COVID-19 cases. Hospitals have capacity and can quickly adapt for a surge of new cases in their communities. Additional measures can be carefully lifted allowing for schools and child care programs to reopen with social distancing policies in place. Restaurants can open with limited capacity and following strict public health procedures, including personal protective equipment for employees. Gatherings with 50 people or fewer will be permitted. Testing is widely available, and tracing is commonplace.

Click here for a full review of Phase 4 and the new mitigation rules.

 





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