Limited Indoor Dining Allowed To Return In Lake, McHenry, DuPage, And Kane Counties
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Limited indoor dining at restaurants and bars is now available for all but one region of Illinois, after two areas of the Chicago suburbs on Tuesday moved into Tier 1 of the state's regional virus mitigations.
The Illinois Department of Public Health said Region 8 (DuPage and Kane counties) and Region 9 (Lake and McHenry counties) have met the requirements to roll back from Tier 2 to Tier 1 mitigations, effective Tuesday.
Under the new rules, indoor dining and bar service will be allowed with a capacity limit of the lesser of 25 people or 25% of normal capacity per room, and no more than four people per table, with tables spaced at least six feet apart. In addition, bars must serve food in order to offer indoor service. Bars and restaurants also must be closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., and reservations are limited to two hours.
Other loosened rules under Tier 1 include gyms and fitness centers expanding to 50% capacity, while still requiring masks and social distancing. Capacity limits for meetings, events, and other social gatherings also would expand from a maximum of 10 people to a limit of 25 people or 25% of overall room capacity, whichever is less.
Organized Group Recreational Activities (fitness centers, sports, etc.)
- Sports should follow the mitigation measures set forth in the All Sports Policy, which outlines appropriate levels of practice and competition based on individual sport risk
- Face coverings must be worn at all times in fitness centers, including while engaged in individual exercise regardless of person or machine spacing
- Recreation, fitness centers and outdoor activities (not included in the above exposure settings) follow Phase 4 guidance
Meetings and Social Events (including weddings, funerals, potlucks, etc.)
- Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity both indoors and outdoors
- Applicable to professional, cultural and social group gatherings.
- Not applicable to students participating in-person classroom learning, or sports.
- This does not reduce the overall facility capacity dictated by general Phase 4 business guidance such as office, personal care, retail, etc.
Chicago and the Cook County suburbs moved into Tier 1 mitigations on Saturday.
Region 4, the Metro East area near St. Louis, is now the only region of the state that has yet to move back to Tier 1 mitigations to resume limited indoor dining. Region 4 remains in Tier 2 mitigations; which allow for gyms and fitness centers to resume group fitness classes, for the return of lower-risk youth and recreational sports, and for the reopening of museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions at 25% capacity.
To qualify for Tier 1 mitigations, a region must have a 7-day average test positivity rate below 8% for three days in a row, have at least 20% of its intensive care unit beds available for three consecutive days, and have no sustained increase in COVID hospitalizations for 7 of the past 10 days.
Region 4 is still facing a shortage of ICU beds and has been below 8% test positivity for only one day, according to the latest IDPH data.
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