Illinois is expected to fully reopen and enter Phase 5 of its COVID reopening plan next month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday.
Pritzker revealed plans to bring the state into the final reopening phase on June 11, "barring any significant reversals in our key COVID-19 statewide indicators."
Phase 5 would see all sectors of the economy fully reopened and no capacity limits, though Pritzker noted that the state will continue following mask guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This good news comes with a caveat. We have all seen throughout this pandemic that this virus and its variants have proven to be unpredictable," Pritzker said. "Metrics that look strong today are far from a guarantee of how things will look a week, two weeks, a month from now. We saw that last August and again in March."
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Pritzker detailed the move while giving a COVID-19 update alongside Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike and other health care providers.
Illinois is currently in Phase 4 of its reopening plan and must first enter the Bridge Phase, a transitional period before the final Phase 5. The state is now set to enter that phase beginning May 14, Pritzker said.
The Bridge Phase will allow for higher capacity limits at places like museums, zoos and spectator events as well as increased business operations during a transitional period between the current guidelines and a full reopening.
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For a full look at what changes between Phase 4, the Bridge Phase and Phase 5, click here.
