Gov. Pritzker Announces New 'Resurgence Mitigations' In Effect This Friday

New COVID-19 "resurgence mitigations" are slated to take effect in the Chicago area this Friday (October 30) in response to the “second surge” of the novel coronavirus.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Prtizker announced Tuesday (October 27) that the state will intervene in Region 11 — which includes Chicago — because of the rise in hospitalizations and positivity rates for more than seven to 10 days.

"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," Pritzker said in a news 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."

Restrictions include no indoor service at bars and restaurants, outdoor dining and bar service must end at 11 p.m., reservations are required and tables should be spaced for social distancing, among others.

Chicagoans will be limited to 25 guests or 25 percent capacity.

Restrictions don’t apply to schools or polling places, according to 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,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in the release. “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."

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