Governor Pritzker has placed additional mitigation’s on the Metro-East Region that includes Clinton, Bond, and Washington Counties as COVID-19 positivity has risen above 8-percent for three days in a row.
The mitigation’s to take effect Wednesday include no indoor dining or bar service, all outdoor bar service and dining closing by 11 pm, outside dining tables being six feet apart, reservations required for each party, and a limit of lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity. Gaming and casinos must close at 11:00 pm and are limited to 25 percent capacity. No party buses are allowed.
The mitigation rules do not apply to schools.
Suburban Cook County has also been placed under enhanced mitigation. The Southern Illinois Region is already under the same enhanced mitigation.
State Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike says the action is being taken to keep from overwhelming the hospitals. She notes as we enter flu season the hospitals will now face admissions from both COVID-19 and the flu.
Ezike says the same things that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 will help prevent the spread of flu. She is urging everyone to wash their hands, watch your distance and wear your make as well as get a flu shot.
Mitigation measures taking effect October 28 in Regions 4 and 10 include:
Bars
No indoor service
All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m.
All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside
No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
Tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or
exiting
No dancing or standing indoors
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
Restaurants
No indoor dining or bar service
All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m.
Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or
exiting
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings
Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity
No party buses
Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and
follow mitigation’s for bars and restaurants, if applicable
