Illinois area becomes first to return to Level 1, resume dining – NBC Chicago



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The Illinois Department of Public Health announced on Saturday that Region 5 has met the requirements to enter Level 1 coronavirus mitigation measures, which means indoor dining can resume.

Region 5, located in southern Illinois, can immediately enter Level 1 mitigation, including bringing food and bar service indoors. The region includes the following counties: Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, Saline, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Massac and Pulaski.

At level 1, the region will be able to open indoor meals for 25 people or at 25% capacity per room, whichever is lower, with only four people allowed per table.

Here is an overview of the changes at level 1:

  • Interior service limited to less than 25% or 25 people per room
  • The establishment must serve food for indoor service
  • Reservations required and limited to 2 hours
  • No tables of more than 4 people inside
  • Bars and restaurants close at 11 p.m. and may reopen at 6 a.m. the next day at the earliest
  • Social gatherings can be limited to 25 guests or 25% indoor and outdoor capacity

“And of course, all the regions that have improved enough to move to Phase
4, can resume some larger indoor operations in bars and restaurants like
as long as the tables are six feet apart, just like last summer, ”Pritzker said.

Two more areas in Illinois were allowed to revert to Level 2 mitigation measures on Friday, and several other areas are set to do the same.

The move to level 2 will mean the return of group fitness classes and the reopening of cultural institutions like museums, with a capacity limit of 25%, among others.

Regions exiting Level 3 mitigation measures may also resume youth sports and recreational sports.

“Greater levels of play will be allowed as the settings improve into the next level,” according to the office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

All 11 regions of Illinois have been subject to Level 3 mitigation measures since Nov. 20, suspending meals inside the state and closing museums and casinos.

According to state guidelines, a region may move to level 2 mitigation measures if it sees a test positivity rate of less than 12% for three consecutive days and more than 20% of intensive care beds and d hospitals are available, as well as the drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations in seven of the previous 10 days.

To upgrade to level 1, regions need:

  1. A test positivity rate of less than 8% for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day moving average; AND
  2. Greater than or equal to 20 percent of staff available in ICUs and medical-surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a three-day moving average; AND
  3. No sustained increase in the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on an average of 7 days.

However, to return to phase 4, regions need:

  1. A test positivity rate of 6.5% or less for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day moving average; AND
  2. Greater than or equal to 20 percent of staff available in ICUs and medical-surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a three-day moving average; AND
  3. No sustained increase in the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on an average of 7 days.



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