Monday marked a day of major changes, as several regions of Illinois were allowed to further loosen coronavirus restrictions as the state changed its mitigation guidelines.
The Illinois Department of Health announced that due to a change in staffing contracts, which increases hospital staffing across the state, regions 8, 9, 10 and 11 may move from the more restrictive level 3 at level 2. In addition, regions 1 and 6 have met the metrics to move to level 1 and regions 3 and 5 have met the metrics to return to phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan.
“Hospital leaders have made clear the importance of staffing in their continued response to this pandemic and have conveyed that staffing contracts will be extraordinarily valuable in their ability to meet the needs of their communities,” he said. Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. a statement. “We are pleased to see most of our regions emerge from Level 3 mitigation with this change, and it is critical to maintain this progress. With the new diffusion variants of COVID-19, it is more important than ever to follow public health guidelines. that keep people safe: wear and mask and watch their distance. “
The location of each region is shown below:
Phase 4 Mitigations instead:
Region 3 (West Illinois) –
Hancock, Adams, Pike, Calhoun, Jersey, Greene, Scott, Brown, Schuyler, Cass, Morgan, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Sangamon, Logan, Menard, Mason
Region 5 (Southern Illinois) –
Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, Saline, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Massac, Pulaski
At this stage, meetings of 50 people or less are allowed and internal service is allowed in both bars and restaurants with capacity limitations, among other things. For a full view of what is allowed at this stage, click here.
Level 1 mitigations:
Region 1 (northwest Illinois) –
Jo Davies, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, Dekalb, Carrol, Ogle, Whiteside, Lee, Crawford
Region 2 (West-Central Illinois) –
Rock Island, Henry, Bureau, Putnam, Kendall, Grundy, Mercer, Knox, Henderson, Warren, McDonough, Fulton, Stark, Marshall, Peoria, Tazwell, McLean, Woodford, Livingston, Lasalle
Region 6 (East-Central Illinois) –
Iroquois, Ford, Dewitt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermillion, Macon, Moultrie, Douglas, Edgar, Shelby, Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Crawford, Clay, Richland, Lawrence
If you change this level, the indoor dining room can be resumed to a limited capacity, but only for establishments that serve food. For a full view of what is allowed at this level, click here.
Level 2 mitigations:
Region 8 –
Kane, Dupage
Region 9 –
McHenry, Lake
Region 10 –
Suburban chef
Region 11 –
Chicago
A step to this level means the reopening of cultural institutions such as museums and casinos. For a full view of what is allowed at this level, click here.
Level 3 mitigations:
Region 4 (southwest Illinois) –
Bond, Madison, St. Clair, Clinton, Washington, Monroe, Randolph
Region 7 –
Will, Kankakee
This is the most restrictive level and is the one that has plagued all of Illinois since late last year. For a full view of what is allowed at this level, click here.
What does it take to pass each level or phase?
According to state guidelines, a region can switch to level 2 mitigations if it sees a test positivity rate of less than 12% for three consecutive days and there are more than 20% ICU and hospital beds. available, in addition to decreasing COVID-19 hospitalizations to seven of the previous ten days.
To move to level 1, regions need:
- A test positivity rate of less than 8% for three consecutive days, measured by the 7-day rotating average; I
- More than 20% or one medical / surgical hospital bed available with ICU staff and three consecutive days, on a variable average of 3 days; I
- No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, averaging 7 days.
However, to return to phase 4, the regions need:
- A test positivity rate less than or equal to 6.5% for three consecutive days, measured by the 7-day rotating average; I
- More than 20 percent or available in medical / surgical hospital beds available with ICU for three consecutive days, on a variable average of 3 days; I
- No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, averaging 7 days.