Closures and reopenings
Note: Cities can set stricter standards and longer timelines for reopening. For example, the city of Chicago is requiring non-essential businesses to close between 11:00 p.m. and 6 a.m. and requiring visitors from certain states to have a negative COVID-19 test and/or quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, among other requirements, and several cities are enforcing fines for failing to wear masks in retail businesses and other public spaces.
New mitigation measures outlined below take effect Friday, Nov. 20.
Businesses
Cultural sites
Education
Government services
COVID-19 resources
Other health-care resources
Mental health resources
Public Safety
Economic resources
Educational resources
The Illinois State Board of Education has put together a page to answer questions and another with suggested e-learning resources. Though many schools have provided take-home packets or their own online resources and assignments, here are some additional free online educational resources from reputable companies:
Pet resources
Guidelines
The links below provide more regional resources. Some are primarily health-related information, while others cover closures and economic assistance measures. In addition, the Illinois Comptroller has created a webpage that tracks state spending on COVID-19 for the reference of Illinois residents.
If Region 4’s infection rates improve to 6.5% or less by the end of the 14-day period, these restrictions mitigations will be relaxed. If they remain between 6.5% and 8%, they will remain in place. If they remain above 8%, additional restrictions mitigations may be put in place.
Region 7: From August 26 until September 8, Region 7 (Kankakee and Will Counties) is subject to the following restrictions due to three days of infection rates of 8% or higher:
• Bars, restaurants, casinos, and other gambling establishments must close at 11 p.m.
• Restaurants and bars may only provide outdoor service and may only seat people at tables, not bars or other seating areas.
• Tables at bars and restaurants must be at least 6 feet apart and may only accommodate one party.
• Restaurants and bars may only seat people by reservation.
• All gatherings (including casinos) must be limited to 25 people or 25% of venue capacity.
If Region 7’s infection rates improve to 6.5% or less by the end of the 14-day period, these mitigations will be relaxed. If they remain between 6.5% and 8%, they will remain in place. If they remain above 8%, additional mitigations will be put in place.
Gov. JB Pritzker’s last daily COVID-19 media briefing on Friday quickly turned to the subject of President Trump, who the Illinois governor labeled “a racist.”
The blunt comments – Pritzker repeated past criticism of Trump being a sexist, xenophobe and homophobe – follow Trump’s tweets calling Minneapolis protestors “thugs” and recommending looters be shot.
Earlier on Friday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot accused Trump of “inflaming racist urges” and that what she really wants to say to him, “begins with F. It ends with you.”
All this comes as the Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd was arrested and charged with murder.
Pritzker expressed his outrage and sympathies.
“I cannot imagine the rage and the fear that must be felt by a black American watching what happened to George Floyd, the threat that comes to every black American under color of law, that they see in a video like that. We’re lucky that that video was ever taken because that is happening around America, probably every day,” said Pritzker, who offered his condolences to Floyd’s family and every African American in this country.
The governor said the lack of progress on race in America is “unacceptable” and called President Trump’s conduct “reprehensible.”
Friday’s press briefing was ostensibly organized to welcome the state into Phase 3 of the governor’s Restore Illinois plan. Relaxed social and economic restrictions kicked in on May 29 as infection and hospitalization numbers stabilized or declined.
Pritzker announced that he will not extend Illinois’ stay-at-home order and it instead will be replaced with the Community Recovery Executive Order, which maintains limits on gatherings of 10 people or more and continues to require social distancing and face coverings in public.
Protections against evictions and other housing and utility customer protections will continue under the new order.
Illinois was the first and only state to meet the White House’s guidelines for reopening, despite many states choosing to reopen weeks ago.
The governor also shared that he will no longer hold daily COVID-19 press briefings and will instead provide updates on an as-needed basis.
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike shared the daily COVID-19 numbers:
In taking questions from reporters, Gov. Pritzker said …