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Chicago banning dine-in service

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October 29, 2020

Chicago restaurants must close all dine-in service as of Friday, according to a mandate from Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health. A spike in the city's COVID-19 positivity rate, as well as a sustained increase in pandemic-related hospitalizations for more than seven of the past 10 days, were behind the mandates, according to a news release from the city. Chicago, which is in the state's Region 11, is the second region to trigger additional mitigations COVID-19 cases. The first was Region 10 (Suburban Cook County) earlier in the week.

"Region 11 is now averaging more than twice as many COVID-related hospital admissions per day as it was a month ago, with a positivity rate that has almost doubled since the beginning of October," Governor JB Pritzker said in the release. "So, starting on Friday the City, too, will begin operating under our resurgence metrics, with a closure of indoor restaurant and bar service and a restrained gathering cap limit of 25 people. We can't ignore what is happening around us — because without action, this could look worse than anything we saw in the spring.

"So please, no matter where you live, what your politics are, where you work or who you love: Illinois: mask up! And we'll get through this together."

Support for small businesses has been one of the central features of the Pritzker administration's COVID-19 response. Thus far, nearly $33 million has been distributed in emergency grants and assistance to businesses and communities in Region 11. Chicago businesses, as well as other regions under additional mitigations, will receive priority consideration for the current round of Business Interruption Grants with $220 million available to help offset costs and losses businesses have incurred as a result of the pandemic.

"When the first several regions started implementing mitigation measures, it was because the 7-day rolling test positivity was above 8% for three consecutive days," said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in the release. "What we are starting to see now, first with suburban Cook County, and now with Chicago, is that mitigation measures are needed because COVID-19 hospital admissions are going up alongside increases in test positivity. Based on current trends, we soon could face reduced hospital bed availability and overwhelming our health care systems. Please, for our health care workers, yourself, and your community, keep distance between you and others, wash your hands, and always wear a mask when around people."

Mitigation measures taking effect on Oct. 30 in Region 11 include:

Bars

• No indoor service.
• All outside bar service closes at 11 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.

In the coming days, IDPH will continue to track metrics in Region 11 to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required or if current mitigations should remain in place. If the positivity rate in Region 11 averages less than or equal to 6.5% over a three-day period, there is a decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness over a three-day period, and the three-day rolling averages of ICU bed availability and medical/surgical bed availability is greater than or equal to 20% over a seven-day period, the region will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan. Conversely, if the average positivity rate continues to increase over seven out of 10 days and the hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness continues to increase over seven out of 10 days, more stringent mitigations can be applied. If the metrics remain stable, the region will continue to be monitored, according to the release.