Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced new metrics and guidelines Thursday aimed at transitioning the state to a full reopening, revealing what he called a “Bridge Phase” that would allow for higher capacity limits before entering Phase 5. .
The new phase allows for higher capacity limits at venues such as museums, zoos and spectator events, as well as increased commercial operations, the state announced, but masks will remain mandatory.
The updated guidelines close the gap between Phase 4, which the state is currently in, 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 Bridge Phase “will serve as a transitional period with higher capacity limits and increased business operations, without prematurely embracing a reckless reopening before the majority of Illinoisans have been vaccinated.”
“We want and need to move forward, but we must be measured and cautious in approach,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike in a statement. “Instead of flipping a switch and saying we’re now in Phase 5, we’re looking at it more like a dial: ticking off some of the capacity constraints that helped reduce transmission and ultimately the number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths. We don’t want to move too fast and risk a significant reversal of our progress. “
Unlike previous mitigations and phases, all of Illinois will go through the Bridge Phase and Phase 5 together, once they meet the required metrics.
For Illinois to advance to Bridge Phase, the entire state must achieve a 70% first dose vaccination rate for residents 65 and older, in addition to maintaining current required metrics of at least 20% ICU bed availability and remain stable in hospitalizations for COVID-19 or COVID-like illnesses, mortality rates, and case rates during a 28-day follow-up period.
To move to Phase 5, the state must achieve a 50% vaccination rate for residents 16 and older and meet the same metrics and rates required to enter the transition phase, for an additional 28 days. state officials said.
“COVID-19 has not gone away, but the light we can see at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter as more people get vaccinated,” Pritzker said in a statement. “It is time to begin to move cautiously towards normality, and it is imperative that we do so in a way that maintains all the progress that we have made to date.”
The state could be forced to revert to an earlier phase if, over the course of 10 days, the state experiences an increasing trend in hospital admissions for COVID-19 and COVID-like illnesses, a decrease in the availability of ICU beds. , an increase in the death rate and a rising case rate, the state said.
In addition to announcing the transition phase, the state 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 outing will not count toward capacity limits.
In addition, in Phase 4 the activities of lower risk that were not allowed or allowed to lower capacity have been expanded.
“As regulations are gradually reversed in the coming weeks, Illinoisans must continue to practice the public health guidelines that have kept us safe during the pandemic, including wearing face coverings and maintaining social distance.” the state said in a statement.
Still, Chicago said it is “evaluating the published guidance [Thursday] and we will publish the updated city guidelines early next week. “
Here’s a full breakdown of the phase changes:
Phase 4
Food
Seating areas: clients ≥ 6 feet apart; matches ≤ 10
Standing areas: 25% capacity
Health & Beauty
50% capacity
Group fitness classes of 50 or less indoors or 100 or less outdoors *
Offices
50% capacity
Personal care
50% capacity
Retail and service counter
50% capacity
Amusement parks
25% capacity *
General Admission Open Air Festivals and Spectator Events
15 people per 1,000 square feet *
Farmers and flea markets
25% capacity or 15 people per 1,000 square feet
Film production
50% capacity
Meetings, congresses and conventions
Venue with capacity <200 people: Less than 50 people or 50% capacity *
Place with capacity ≥ 200 people: Less than 250 people or 25% capacity *
Museums
25% capacity
Recreation
Indoor: less than 50 people or 50% capacity
Outdoors: Maximum groups of 50; multiple groups allowed
Social events
Interior: Less than 50 people or 50% capacity *
Exterior: Less than 100 people or 50% capacity *
Spectator events (ticketed and seated)
Interior space with capacity <200 people: Less than 50 people or 50% capacity *
Outdoor place or indoor place with capacity ≥ 200 people: 25% capacity *
Theaters and performing arts
Interior space with capacity <200 people: less than 50 or 50% capacity
Outdoor place or indoor place with capacity ≥ 200 people: 25% capacity *
Zoos
25% capacity
Less than 50 or 50% in indoor displays
Bridge phase
Food
Seating areas: clients ≥ 6 feet apart; matches ≤ 10
Standing areas: 30% capacity indoors; 50% capacity outdoors
Health & Beauty
60% capacity
Group fitness classes of 50 or less indoors or 100 or less outdoors
Offices
60% capacity
Personal care
60% capacity
Retail and service counter
60% capacity
Amusement parks
60% capacity *
General Admission Outdoor Festivals and Spectator Events
30 people per 1,000 square feet *
Flea and Farmers Markets
Indoor: 15 people per 1,000 square feet
Outdoors: 30 people per 1,000 square feet
Film production
60% capacity
Meetings, congresses and conventions
Less than 1,000 people or 60% capacity ^
Museums
60% capacity
Recreation
Indoor: less than 100 people or 50% capacity
Outdoors: Maximum groups of 100; multiple groups allowed
Social events
Interior: 250 people
Exterior: 500 people
Spectator events (ticketed and seated)
60% capacity
Theaters and performing arts
60% capacity
Zoos
60% capacity
In addition to changes to the reopening framework, Pritzker also announced that eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine will be expanded to all Illinois residents age 16 and older, except those of the City of Chicago, effective April 12. .
All Illinois residents age 16 and older will be eligible to get vaccinated starting April 12, Pritzker said, adding that state officials will make more information available in the coming days on certain populations that will be eligible before that final expansion.