Cook County Gets Tighter COVID-19 Restrictions This Week; State Reports 4,729 New Cases, 2,638 In Hospital
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Citing the rapid spike in COVID-19 cases throughout the area showing no signs of moving downward, Governor JB Pritzker said Cook County will undergo similar restrictions as Chicago starting this week.
The governor and the state's health department are enforcing restrictions for Regions 4 and 10. That includes Metro East and Suburban Cook County starting at 12:01 am on Wednesday, October 28.
Region 4 experiences a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate of 8% or above for three consecutive days.
Region 10 has had eight consecutive days of increases in test positivity and seven days of increased hospitalizations. That makes it the first region in the state to meet the metrics for extra mitigations in that manner, according to state officials.
Meantime, the state reported 4,729 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 17 additional deaths. A total of 12 deaths were in Cook County, ranging in age from 30s to 90s. There was one death reported in Lake County. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 378,985 cases, including 9,522 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. As of Sunday night, 2,638 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 589 patients were in the ICU.
"Over the weekend, two more regions – Region 4, Metro East, as well as Region 10, Suburban Cook County – triggered our metrics for additional mitigations, meaning that, starting Wednesday, 6 of our 11 regions will be operating under our resurgence framework," said Pritzker. "Much like the four areas already operating under Tier One or Tier Two of the plan – Northwestern Illinois, Southern Illinois, and Will, Kankakee, DuPage and Kane Counties – Region 4 triggered our 8 percent positivity average threshold, the second time it has done so since mid-summer. Region 10, on the other hand, is the first region in Illinois to earn additional mitigations not because of its positivity rate alone, but because its positivity rate and its COVID-related hospitalizations have both seen a sustained increase over the last 10 days."
The restrictions include:
For 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
For 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
For 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 mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable
These mitigations do not currently apply to schools.
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