coronavirus illinois

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: New Restrictions in Chicago, 4 Suburban Counties

Note: Any news conferences from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot or other officials will be streamed in the video player above.

The city of Chicago and two of the state's 11 health care regions will see enhanced coronavirus mitigation restrictions take effect Friday as cases continue to surge statewide.

Here are the latest updates from across Illinois on the coronavirus pandemic today (Oct. 23):

‘An Indoor Tent is The Same as Indoor Dining,' Illinois' Top Doctor Says

As colder weather approaches, Illinois' top doctor said on Friday that dining inside a tent is considered the same as eating inside a restaurant.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said a daily coronavirus briefing that "an indoor tent is the same as indoor dining."

"If it has four sides, you are essentially indoors," Ezike said.

She explained that for outdoor dining to be successful, state health officials suspect there will be "some kind of apparatus" and that the structure should have just two sides.

‘Desperate to Find Message That Will Work': Illinois' Top Health Official Delivers Passionate Plea

Illinois' top public health official, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, became visibly emotional Friday, urging people to "stay strong" as the state battles a resurgence of coronavirus cases and looks for solutions to fight the pandemic.

"The way we work, the way we live, the way we play has all changed," she stated during a daily coronavirus news briefing alongside Gov. J.B. Pritzker. "And the harsh reality is that the sacrifices we've made, and that we continue to make, do not have a future expiration date."

Earlier in the day, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported a new testing record within a recent 24-hour span as well as 3,874 new cases of coronavirus and 31 additional deaths.

The figures were reported as new restrictions took effect in Chicago and four suburban counties to slow the spread of the deadly virus.

Regions 7 (Will and Kankakee counties) and 8 (DuPage and Kane counties) both exceeded the 8% positivity rate threshold for three consecutive days, automatically triggering enhanced mitigation efforts.

Noting that hospitalizations and deaths continue to increase in Illinois, Ezike acknowledged COVID-19 has created a "horrible situation" and continues to take a mental, social and emotional toll on people.

"...This is a difficult race when you can't actually see the end point, and I'm sorry that that's the message I have for you," the IDPH director said. "Nevertheless, I'm asking you to fight the fatigue."

During the daily news briefing, Ezike begged Illinois residents to "think beyond ourselves," and continue to practice key mitigation strategies such as social distancing, wearing masks and limiting the number of people at social gatherings.

"...Think about the people that we could unknowingly infect, who may not be as fortunate to have the immune system and the healthy status that you may have," she said. "... But we do have a choice... We can do these things so that we don't hurt those around us."

Following Ezike's passionate plea, Pritzker called her "superwoman," stating the doctor has worked nonstop since the beginning of the pandemic, even revealing that Ezike has been subjected to verbal attacks and protests outside her home.

"People have a right to do that," Pritzker said. "But people should take into consideration that this is a very difficult job that she has, and she is doing it in a way that we should all be so proud of."

Instead of groups being pitted against one another, Ezike said, residents should work together to fight the virus and think about health care workers, who again, are risking their lives to help patients.

"Putting our people through this again, it's unfortunate, and I'm desperate to find the message that will work," she said. "I'm looking for someone to tell me what the message is so that we can do what it takes to turn this around."

51 Illinois Counties Now at ‘Warning Level' for Coronavirus, Health Officials Say

Fifty-one counties in Illinois are now at a "warning level" for coronavirus, the state's health department said Friday.

The warning means each of the counties saw increases in two or more COVID-19 "risk indicators," the health department said.

The counties now under a warning include: Adams, Bond, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, Edwards, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Gallatin, Greene, Hamilton, Henderson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lee, Macon, Macoupin, McDonough, McHenry, Mercer, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Perry, Pike, Pulaski, Rock Island, Saline, Shelby, Stephenson, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Wayne, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago.

Last week, 34 counties were at a "warning level." The week before that it was 26.

Illinois Reports 3,874 New Coronavirus Cases, 31 Deaths as State Again Sets Testing Record

Illinois health officials reported 3,874 new cases of coronavirus Friday, along with 31 additional deaths as the state again set a record for highest number of tests conducted in a single day.

In all, 364,033 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the state during the pandemic, according to the latest figures from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The additional deaths reported Friday brought the total number of coronavirus-related fatalities to 9,418.

In the last 24 hours, 82,256 tests were returned to state laboratories, meaning that the state has performed 7,113,338 total tests during the pandemic. That single-day figure set a new record for the second day in a row, beating the prior day's 80,977 tests conducted.

The state’s seven-day positivity rate dipped slightly to 5.6% from 5.7% the day before, but was still higher than the 5.5% reported Tuesday. That 5.7% figure was the highest positivity rate the state has reported since early June.

According to new data, hospitalizations rates also increased. As of Thursday evening, 2,498 people were hospitalized with coronavirus, with 511 patients in the ICU and 197 on ventilators.

What it Will Take for the New Coronavirus Restrictions to Be Reversed in Chicago, Illinois Regions

Chicago and several surrounding suburbs are now under heightened restrictions as positivity rates rise during the coronavirus pandemic, but what needs to happen for those added restrictions to be lifted?

In Chicago, the new restrictions will be in place for at least two weeks.

During that time, the city would need to see its hospitalizations, case rates and deaths stabilize or decrease for at least 14 days.

"So it literally is like when you can flatten this curve, it doesn't even have to be on the way down," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said. "But it needs to be stable for a 14-day period. We would be in this space to be able to reverse that."

Similarly, for the city to return to a "green zone," also known as "cautious progress," the positivity rate would need to drop back below 5%.

"That's where we feel comfortable," Arwady said.

Currently, the city estimates its positivity rate at 6.7%, as of Oct. 16. The state, however, shows data through Oct. 19, estimating that number at 7%.

If the positivity rate for the city, which is considered Region 11 under state guidelines, reaches 8% or higher for three consecutive days, that will trigger additional restrictions from Illinois, including the suspension of indoor dining.

On Friday, Chicago suspended indoor bar service and began a curfew for all non-essential businesses.

Chicago's top doctor said she did not want to wait until the state's 8% positivity threshold to make such changes.

"We've been in close conversation with the state, as you heard, we do have the lowest positivity still of any region in the state. But a 7% positivity is nothing to brag about," Arwady said. "And we did not feel that it was appropriate to wait when we are seeing numbers increasing the way that they are increasing. So we're putting these restrictions in. Again, I'm hoping we don't need to, you know, put those further things in. But if we continue to see those increases, absolutely, we would do that."

As of Thursday, Chicago was averaging 645 new cases per day.

"But that's a seven-day rolling average," Arwady said. "And we've already had multiple days with 800 or even 900 cases coming in. And the numbers are still going up."

Just one week ago, the city was at 418 cases per day. That marks an increase of 54% in a single week.

The rise in cases also comes with a "worrying increase" in hospitalizations, officials said.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced new restrictions during a Thursday briefing, suspending indoor bar service just weeks after reopening such establishments as colder weather begins to limit outdoor options.

According to city data, hospitalizations for non-ICU COVID patients and suspected cases were up 45% since Sept. 22. At that time, the city was averaging 249 people being hospitalized for coronavirus.

As of Monday, that number had climbed to 314 cases. On Thursday, the average was up to 360 cases in hospitals.

"Our most recent day is at 460," Arwady said. "We are hearing across Chicago, we're hearing from our hospitals that they're starting their COVID teams back up again."

Meanwhile, four Illinois regions are under heightened mitigations, including two regions in the Chicago area.

Region 7, comprised of Will and Kankakee counties, and Region 8, made up of DuPage and Kane counties, will now see all indoor dining and bar service suspended, effective Friday.

Region 7 had already been under the enhanced mitigation rules earlier this year, but will now go back to those policies for at least the next two weeks, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.

Region 1 in northwestern Illinois and Region 5, located in southeastern Illinois, are also under stricter rules.

According to state guidance, the Illinois Department of Public Health will continue to track the positivity rate in these regions for the next 14 days "to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigation should remain in place."

If the positivity rate averages less than or equal to 6.5 percent over a three-day period, the region can return to Phase 4 mitigations. If the positivity rate averages between 6.5 percent and 8 percent, the department will continue to monitor the region "to determine if additional mitigations are needed." If the positivity rate averages greater than or equal to 8 percent after 14 days, more stringent mitigations may be applied, as is the case for Region 1, which will see even stronger restrictions beginning Sunday.

Here's When Chicago Could Add Even More Coronavirus Restrictions

Chicago is now under heightened restrictions as positivity rates rise during the coronavirus pandemic, but could even more limitations be added?

On Friday, Chicago suspended indoor bar service and began a curfew for all non-essential businesses, among other new guidelines put in place. Those restrictions will remain in place for at least two weeks.

But, should the city's metrics continue on their current trend, restrictions could soon be heightened further.

Already, Chicago's mayor has warned that some Phase Three restrictions could be brought back.

Currently, the city estimates its positivity rate at 6.7%, as of Oct. 16. The state, however, shows data through Oct. 19, estimating that number at 7%.

If the positivity rate for the city, which is considered Region 11 under state guidelines, reaches 8% or higher for three consecutive days, that will trigger additional restrictions from Illinois, including the suspension of indoor dining.

Still, Chicago's top doctor said she did not want to wait until the state's 8% positivity threshold to implement the current restrictions.

"We've been in close conversation with the state, as you heard, we do have the lowest positivity still of any region in the state. But a 7% positivity is nothing to brag about," Arwady said. "And we did not feel that it was appropriate to wait when we are seeing numbers increasing the way that they are increasing. So we're putting these restrictions in. Again, I'm hoping we don't need to, you know, put those further things in. But if we continue to see those increases, absolutely, we would do that."

Chicago Shuts Down Indoor Bar Service Again, Restricts Hours for Businesses as Cases Spike

Chicago will once again shut down indoor bar service and force non-essential businesses to limit hours as city officials warn a second surge of the coronavirus is underway.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the new restrictions during a Thursday briefing, suspending indoor bar service just weeks after reopening such establishments as colder weather begins to limit outdoor options.

The restrictions will also force non-essential businesses to close their doors by 10 p.m.

The newest restrictions, which take effect at 6 a.m. Friday and continue for at least two weeks, include:

  • Business curfew on non-essential businesses beginning at 10 p.m.
  • In effect nightly from 10 p.m. -6 a.m.
  • Last call for serving liquor at 9 p.m.
  • Take-out and curb-side pick-up at restaurants still permitted
  • Bars, breweries, and taverns without a food license are prohibited from operating any indoor service
  • Increased emphasis of current guidelines
  • Max. 6 people in your personal bubble (e.g., no household gatherings >6 people of non-household members)
  • Face coverings in all indoor and outdoor public settings

The city warned that if the positivity rate increases above 8% for three straight days, the city will once again close indoor dining as well. Currently, the seven-day positivity rate is at 6.4%, marking a rise that health experts say can't be explained by an increase in testing.

Currently, Chicago is reporting an average of more than 600 new coronavirus cases daily, the "highest daily rate since the tail end of the first surge at the end of May," officials said. On Thursday, Lightfoot said the average daily case rate had increased by more than 50% in the last week.

As of Monday, Chicago was seeing a seven-day rolling average of 508 new cases per day, according to the city's coronavirus data dashboard. The increase marks a significant jump from the roughly 300 new cases per day rolling average the city was seeing just three weeks earlier when restrictions were eased.

The rise in cases also comes with a "worrying increase" in hospitalizations, officials said.

According to city data, hospitalizations for non-ICU COVID patients and suspected cases were up 45% since Sept. 22.

"We are no doubt, whatsoever in the second surge," Lightfoot said Thursday. "This is what it looks like."

She said while the surge is not surprising, she attributed it largely to the fact that COVID thrives in places "where people let their guard down."

Indoor Dining, Bar Service Suspended in 4 Suburban Counties as New Restrictions Take Effect

Residents in four suburban counties will see enhanced coronavirus restrictions go into effect on Friday, as Regions 7 and 8 in the state’s healthcare system have exceeded the 8% positivity rate threshold for three consecutive days.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker made the announcement during his daily coronavirus press briefing on Tuesday afternoon. The new restrictions will take effect Friday in the impacted counties, and will include the closure of indoor service at restaurants and bars in the affected counties.

Region 7, comprised of Will and Kankakee counties, had already been under the enhanced mitigation rules earlier this year, but will now go back to those policies for at least the next two weeks, according to Pritzker’s office.

Region 8, comprised of DuPage and Kane counties, has seen its positivity rate spike dramatically, rising from 5.6% on Oct. 8 to 9% on Oct. 17, the last date for which data is currently available.

Those increases in positivity rates mean that all indoor dining and bar service will be suspended effective Friday in those four counties. Capacity limits will also be enforced for outdoor seating at those venues, and gatherings of over 25 people will be prohibited under the restrictions.

All party buses will also be banned in those four counties.

‘You Are Not Immune,' Lightfoot Gives Warning to Young People As Indoor Bars Close

As Chicago officials announce the shut down of indoor bar service and early closures of non-essential businesses, Mayor Lori Lightfoot reminded young people that the coronavirus can still reach them.

Lightfoot warned young people that they "are not immune" to COVID-19 Thursday as the city sees a major surge in virus cases over the past week.

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said that during contact tracing efforts, health officials have found that people ages 18 to 29 and 30 to 39 spend "most of their time" at bars and restaurants in the city.

"We know bars are significant for the spread, especially among younger Chicagoans," Arwasy said.

On Monday, Arwady warned specifically against inviting people over for home gatherings. She clarified Thursday that most Chicagoans spreading the virus likely contracted it from a bar or restaurant, bringing it into the home.

As of Thursday, indoor dining can remain open through city, but indoor bar service must close beginnign at 6 a.m. Friday. Arwady said bars are more likely to spread the virus because they are considered more a "gathering space."

"People are less likely to be out just with their family (at bars)," Arwady said. "And more likely to have more interactions that perhaps you're not just at a table with your family."

Arwady added that the "loud environment" of a bar likely adds to the likelihood of coronavirus spread as more people have been seen to remove masks and speak close together.

Restrictions Heightened Even More in 1 Illinois Region as Positivity Rate Rises Again

Increased restrictions will soon begin for one Illinois region already under heightened mitigations due to rising positivity rates during the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday.

Region 1, which has been under increased restrictions, including the suspension of indoor dining and bar service, since the start of the month, will now move to "Tier 2 mitigations."

Beginning Sunday, gathering sizes must be limited to 10 people instead of 25 and only six people will be allowed per table at restaurants, a drop from 10, the governor said.

Here's the full list:

Bars and Restaurants

  • Reduce party size from 10 to six individuals

Meetings, Social Events and Gatherings

  • Maximum indoor/outdoor gathering size of 10 individuals
  • Applicable to professional, religious, cultural and social group gatherings
  • Not applicable to students participating in-person classroom learning
  • This does not reduce the overall facility capacity dictated by general business guidance, such as office, retail, etc.
  • Not applicable to sports, see sports guidance

Indoor recreation

  • Maintain lesser of 25 people/25 percent of capacity
  • No groups more than 10 individuals
  • Does not apply to fitness

These mitigations do not apply to schools or polling places, officials said.

“We’ve said all along that if things don’t start to turn around after two weeks in Tier 1, we can add more stringent measures to help usher in the progress we need to see to get things more open again,” Pritzker said in a statement.

According to Pritzker, the region - which holds Rockford, Dixon and Galena - has seen its positivity rate rise by nearly two points since Oct. 14 - a trend seen statewide. As of Thursday, the region's positivity rate was at 11.9%, well above the 8% threshold required by the state.

The announcement comes on the same day heightened mitigations begin in another Illinois region.

Illinois Reports 4,942 New Coronavirus Cases and 44 Additional Deaths

Illinois health officials reported 4,942 new cases of coronavirus Thursday, along with 44 additional deaths, as the statewide positivity rate remains.

In all, 360,159 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the state during the pandemic, according to the latest figures from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The additional deaths reported Thursday brought the total number of coronavirus-related fatalities to 9,387.

In the last 24 hours, 80,977 tests were returned to state laboratories, meaning that the state has performed 7,031,082 total tests during the pandemic.

The state’s seven-day positivity rate remained at 5.7%, but an increase from the 5.5% reported Tuesday, which was also up from the day before. That number continues to be the highest the state has reported since early June.

According to new data, hospitalizations rates also increased. As of Wednesday evening, 2,467 people were hospitalized with coronavirus, with 525 patients in the ICU and 212 on ventilators.

Thursday's coronavirus case count is the highest recorded in the state since September, according to figures from IDPH.

New Coronavirus Restrictions Go Into Effect Thursday in Illinois' Region 5, Pritzker Says

As coronavirus cases continue to surge around the state of Illinois, one of the state's 11 healthcare regions will see enhanced mitigation strategies put into place as a result of increasing positivity rates.

According to data available through the Illinois Department of Public Health, Region 5, located in southeastern Illinois, has exceeded the 8% threshold for its seven-day positivity rate for three consecutive days.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker says that the region will see new coronavirus mitigation standards put into place on Thursday, including a prohibition on indoor dining and bar service.

There will also be outdoor seating and cut-off times of 11 p.m. on a daily basis for those eateries and taverns.

Gatherings of more than 25 people are also dramatically restricted under the proposed mitigation strategies, and party buses are also banned under the rules.

Ezike Reveals What it Would Take to Achieve ‘Herd Immunity' With Coronavirus Vaccine

On Wednesday afternoon, Illinois health officials laid out their plans for the distribution and administration of a future vaccine for the novel coronavirus, and Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, detailed what would be required for the immunization to achieve maximum effectiveness.

Ezike, speaking at a daily press conference held by Illinois state officials Wednesday, said that in order to achieve so-called “herd immunity” with the vaccine, approximately 80% of the state’s population would have to receive the treatment.

“Once a safe and effective vaccine is available, CDC planning assumptions indicate that 80% of the population would need to be immunized to achieve this herd immunity,” Ezike said. “That’s when they think a sufficient proportion of the population would be immune to this disease, which would then make spread very unlikely.”

Under the provisions of the state’s “Restore Illinois” plan, Phase Five would only be reachable when a vaccine or effective treatment was made widely available for the virus. That phase would eliminate all restrictions levied by state officials, including occupancy limits and limits on gathering sizes.

The vaccine, which is still in development by a myriad of companies around the world, is of course not publicly available yet, but the CDC has asked state governments to begin putting together their plans to distribute the vaccine quickly and effectively to the general public when it does become available.

According to Illinois health officials, the vaccine will be distributed to local health departments through the I-CARE immunization registry, and those departments will then administer the vaccine to individuals in those communities.

Those in vulnerable populations, including first responders, healthcare workers, and staff and residents of long-term care facilities, would be given first priority for the vaccine when it becomes available.

The vaccine would then become available to the general public as production ramps up, and Illinois officials say that the treatment will be made available at no cost once it is ready for public use.

Illinois Releases First Shipments of Rapid Antigen Tests Across State

Illinois on Wednesday sent its first shipments of rapid antigen tests to local health departments in the state, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced.

The shipments include more than 200,000 Abbott BinaxNOW rapid tests, which will be used in pilot programs "to gather more data about their accuracy and sensitivity," Pritzker said.

"For now, the majority of the initial tests delivered to us are going to local health departments directly, ensuring resource access and flexibility on a local scale across the entire state," Pritzker said. "That means, depending on the needs of the community, the local health department can choose to distribute their tests for any of a number of localized needs, including for K-12 settings, first responders, federally qualified health centers, or homeless service organizations, as well as an array of other options."

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Department of Public Health director Dr. Ngozi Ezike announced Wednesday that the state has begun to formulate plans for the distribution and administration of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus when it becomes available in the future.

The early shipment will also be used to launch pilot testing in K-12 schools, long-term care facilities and state-owned residences.

Abbott's newest BinaxNOW rapid tests hit the market last month and were distributed to states "en masse" by the federal government.

The millions of new tests from Abbott Laboratories are about the size of a credit card and can be developed with a few drops of chemical solution.

Federal health officials say about half of the nation’s daily testing capacity now consists of rapid tests.

The federal government is allocating the tests to states based on their population, rather than helping them develop a strategy based on the size and severity of their outbreaks.

Still, the rapid tests have posed problems when it comes to reporting during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some states lump all types of tests together in one report, some don't tabulate the quick antigen tests at all and others don't publicize their system. Because antigen tests are more prone to false negatives and sometimes require retesting, most health experts say they should be recorded and analyzed separately. But currently the vast majority of states do not do that and post the results online.

Illinois had not been including such antigen tests in its numbers until last week as state health officials said antigen tests previously comprised less than 1% of tests performed and were not included before due to a "limited number of antigen tests and limited information about antigen test accuracy."

"Currently, this Abbott BinaxNow test has FDA emergency use authorization for people suspected to have COVID-19 within the first seven days of symptom onset," Pritzker said. "In other words, we’re still learning more about what the test’s role could be in screening efforts and other settings. Here in Illinois, we’ll take what we learn from the data about accuracy of results and scale up or adjust our programs as needed. At the end of the day, our main focus is just getting the best tests out to as many people as possible – we’ve had more success in that effort compared to many other states, and we’ll keep working at it as long as we’re fighting this pandemic."

The state expects to continue receiving shipments of the tests from Abbott and the federal government on a weekly basis through at least the end of the year, totaling more than 3 million tests for Illinois, officials said.

The tests are manufactured in Illinois and Abbott has hired more than 2,000 employees in their new plant in Gurnee as the company works to keep up supply, Pritzker said.

Illinois Officials Detail Plans for Future Distribution, Administration of Coronavirus Vaccine

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike announced Wednesday that the state has begun to formulate plans for the distribution and administration of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus when it becomes available in the future.

According to the governor, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asked every state in the nation to create a distribution plan in line with the agency’s recommendations, and Illinois’ plan will circulate around usage of the I-CARE registry, which tracks immunizations for children throughout the state.

According to health officials, the ultimate goal among health officials will be to vaccinate up to 80% of the state’s population when the treatment becomes publicly available. At that point, Ezike says that the state will have achieved a sufficient amount of “herd immunity” to keep the virus from spreading through the population again.

Achieving that “herd immunity” will not come in the form of a mandate to receive the vaccine, Ezike said, reiterating what health officials have been saying about a potential vaccine since the beginning of the pandemic.

“The vaccine will not be mandated,” Ezike said. “We will work to provide information about vaccines and the importance of vaccines, and also about the approval process.”

To help distribute the vaccine, state health officials will make the treatment available to local health departments through the I-CARE registry. That registry tracks immunization records for children in the state.

“Working through I-CARE means that we’re being as efficient as possible in our preparations for when a vaccine is ready, all while ensuring safety every step of the way,” Pritzker said.

When that vaccine becomes available, state health officials say that priority access will be given to vulnerable populations, including frontline healthcare workers, first responders, and staff and residents of long-term care facilities in the state.

Ezike said that the plan is to ultimately ramp up production to where anyone in the state can receive the vaccine, but warned that the process could potentially take “months and months” to complete.

While some healthcare providers may charge a small fee to administer the treatment, Ezike says that the state’s plan is for there to be no cost to individuals to receive the vaccine, and that “no one will be turned away from getting a vaccine due to an inability to pay.”

While some residents have expressed concern that the vaccine process may be rushed in an effort to get it out to the general public, both Pritzker and Ezike reassured residents that any vaccine purchased and distributed by the state will have gone through the rigorous requirements necessary to keep the population safe.

“Illinois will not distribute a vaccine until we have one that is proven safe and effective,” Pritzker said. “We have a highly qualified team of experts from the private and public sectors teamed up to evaluate the public data and process when the vaccine data is made available over the coming weeks or months, and I’ll make sure that you can hear from them when the time comes.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that four suburban counties will see enhanced coronavirus restrictions go into effect on Friday, as Regions 7 and 8 in the state’s healthcare system have exceeded the 8% positivity rate threshold for three consecutive days.

Illinois Health Officials Identify 3 Primary Locations Where COVID-19 Spreads Most Easily

Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, says that contact tracing and a multitude of studies have shown that there are three primary locations where coronavirus is spreading in Illinois and the rest of the United States.

“The top three places that come up over and over again statewide are people’s workplaces, schools and restaurants and bars,” she said. “The one thing we can immediately act on is bars and restaurants.”

That data point poses a major problem, as state health officials try to walk a delicate line between allowing businesses to remain open, for children to continue receiving as much in-person education as is safely possible, and to allow bars and restaurants to continue to serve customers.

Ezike broke down each of those challenges in her remarks Tuesday.

“In terms of the workplace, there are simply people who can’t work from home,” she said. “We’re not going to not have people go to school. We’ll continue to let local health departments and school districts decide on what will keep children and teachers safe. The one thing we can act on is bars and restaurants.”

Will Illinois See Another Stay-at-Home Order? Here's What Gov. Pritzker Says

As multiple regions across Illinois start to see heightened restrictions due to increased positivity rates during what's being described as a "second surge" of the coronavirus pandemic, could the state see another stay-at-home order?

It's unlikely, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who noted the state's previous success in targeted mitigations.

"That's not something we're considering right now," Pritzker said when asked about the potential for another order during a press briefing Monday.

Pritzker said the state plans to continue with its current strategy of implementing restrictions in specific locations seeing increased positivity rates.

"We have resurgence plan in place," he said. "It has worked as regions have gone into it and they've come out of it."

Under the current plan, regions that exceed an 8% positivity rate for three consecutive days begin to see added restrictions, such as the suspension of indoor dining and bar service. If numbers remain too high after a two-week period, the state can either choose to allow those restrictions to remain in place, or can implement additional rules.

What Steps Pritzker Says You Should Take If You Are Bringing People Into Your Home

Gov. J.B. Pritzker urged Illinois residents to be "very careful" when hosting gatherings as the holidays near and coronavirus cases in the state continue to climb.

Though Pritzker said bars and restaurants are noticeable locations where the virus has spread, he added that private gatherings are a major source for spreading.

"I'm not saying you can't do that," Pritzker said during his daily coronavirus briefing on Tuesday.

He explained that Illinois residents can have the number of people over to their homes according to their region's mitigations, but should wear a mask and keep six feet of distance at all times.

With the holidays approaching, Pritzker encouraged residents to continue following guidelines for indoor gatherings and have hand sanitizer available for guests.

"These are all things we’ll have to get used to, especially in this winter season when we all want to get together with friends and family," Pritzker said.

Illinois Department of Public Health Dr. Ngozi Ezike last week provided guidance for gathering with loved ones during the upcoming holiday season. Among the guidance was:

  • If you are hosting a holiday gathering, limit the number of guests.
  • Try to have as many activities outside as weather permits.
  • If your gathering needs to be inside, try to increase air flow by partially opening a couple windows. 
  • Please prepare yourself and your guests to wear masks indoors when not eating and drinking.
  • Limit your activities in the two weeks before your gathering and ask your guests to do the same. This will decrease the risk of exposure to the virus and further spread.
  • Think about the seating arrangements if you are planning a meal. Keep members of the same household together and try to put space between one family and another. 
  • When serving food, avoid a buffet-style or potluck setting and consider having one person serve all the food so that multiple people are not handling the serving utensils.
  • Try to limit the number of people going in and out of areas where food is being prepared – like the kitchen and dining room.
  • If you are sick, do not travel and do not attend gatherings and celebrations. Even if your symptoms are mild, you may still be able to infect others.
  • To help stave off illness, get your flu vaccine now. It takes the body several weeks after receiving the vaccine to build up antibodies that will help protect you from flu, so get it now to help protect you and others during the holidays.

On Monday, Chicago's top doctor urged residents to not invite anyone into their homes or apartments as the city experiences multiple coronavirus "warning signs" and enters what officials are calling a "second surge" in the pandemic.

"Please do not invite anyone over to your house or apartment," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Monday. "This is not the time for non-essential gatherings, period."

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady issues a message to residents as the city sees multiple coronavirus "warning signs."

Gov. Pritzker Resumes Daily Coronavirus Briefings

Gov. J.B. Pritzker will once again deliver daily coronavirus briefings alongside the Illinois' top public health official as coronavirus cases rise statewide during the pandemic, sparking concerns over a "second wave" of the virus.

"While we continue to see a safer pandemic landscape than back in the spring - in terms of positivity, hospital capacity, and community spread - and safer than much of the Midwest, things have changed," Pritzker announced on Oct. 19. "Every region of the state has started to move in the wrong direction. Cases, positivity rates, hospitalizations and deaths are rising statewide. So to ensure you have utmost transparency on where the state is headed, Dr. Ezike and I will resume these COVID-19 briefings on a daily basis until Illinois returns to a better standing in our handling of this pandemic."

Pritzker had delivered daily updates early on in the pandemic, but those updates were reduced to weekly briefings over the summer "as Illinois began to see relative success in keeping this virus at bay."

Watch the daily updates live here.

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