Under new Tier 3 restrictions implemented in the state of Illinois beginning Friday, casinos and several other cultural institutions, including museums, will be required to close their doors amid a surge in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
According to the new restrictions, laid out by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health Tuesday, all gaming facilities and casinos will be required to close their doors beginning on Friday.
Indoor recreation centers will also be required to close. Movie theaters, performing arts theaters and indoor museums will also be required to close beginning Friday, according to the governor.
Facilities that can offer outdoor recreational activities will be allowed to remain open for that purpose, but occupancy of those facilities will be limited to 25% under new guidelines issued by Pritzker and the IDPH.
The restrictions come as the state tries to contain a rapid increase in the spread of coronavirus, with more than 12,000 new cases reported Tuesday alone. The state is also seeing a dramatic spike in the number of hospitalizations related to the virus, with IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike saying that several hospitals in several portions of the state are reporting that they are out of hospital beds to treat coronavirus patients.
In addition to facility closures, other businesses will also have new restrictions put into place, including occupancy limits and a variety of other rules. Bars and restaurants will still be closed to indoor service, and outdoor gatherings will be limited to just six people, according to the new rules.
Gatherings at hotels and other meeting places will also be prohibited under the new guidelines, which you can find here.
