Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are announcing COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in Region 5, in Southern Illinois, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2020. The region is seeing a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate of 8 percent or above for three consecutive days, which exceeds the threshold set for establishing mitigation measures in the region under the state’s Restore Illinois Resurgence Plan.
The administration continues to work aggressively to support small businesses impacted by the ongoing pandemic, distributing $24.6 million in emergency grants and assistance to businesses and communities in Region 5 alone. Businesses in the region will also receive priority consideration for the current round of Business Interruption Grants as a result of the additional mitigations. Region 5 includes Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, Saline, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Massac, and Pulaski counties.
In response to the recent increase in cases in all 11 regions across Illinois, Governor Pritzker and the administration will resume daily weekday press conferences to ensure transparency as the state continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
“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,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Every region of the state has started to move in the wrong direction. Cases, positivity rates, hospitalizations and deaths are rising statewide. Experts have predicted for months that the country could see a resurgence of the virus as temperatures get colder and more people spend more time inside. Here in Illinois, it looks like a new wave could be upon us. To be clear, ours will not be one of the states that takes no action in response to rising cases, hospitalizations and deaths. We will follow public health recommendations to bring our numbers down, save our economy and let more of our kids go to school.”
“We are seeing an alarming trend as the number of COVID-19 cases increases, but we are not helpless to change the trajectory,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “Your actions matter. If you wear your mask and keep you distance from others, you help stop the spread of the virus. Your actions also matter if you don’t wear your mask and you are around numerous other people not wearing masks at a large event. You become part of the reason the virus spreads. Help us reduce the spread of the virus so restaurants can stay open, so kids can go to schools, and so loved ones can visit family in long-term care facilities.”
“Southern Illinoisans are known for rising above challenges,” said Dr. Craig Davis, System Director of Hospitalist Medicine at Southern Illinois Healthcare. “I can recall countless examples of powerful community when we set aside differences and work together. Today, we’re in a healthcare crisis that continues to escalate; we’re losing family, friends and neighbors. My appeal to each of you is simple. Wear a mask. Pause large gatherings. Practice social distancing. Wash your hands frequently. Please consider these short-term sacrifices for the greater good. The enemy is disease, not each other.”
Mitigation measures taking effect October 22 in Region 5 include:
Bars
No indoor service
All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m.
All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside
No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
Tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
No dancing or standing indoors
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
Restaurants
No indoor dining or bar service
All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m.
Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings
Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity
No party buses
Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable
These mitigations do not currently apply to schools.
Support for small businesses has been one of the central features of the Pritzker administration’s COVID-19 response. Since March, the administration has launched a menu of small business and community relief programs – with over $500 million in grants and programs launched by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), including emergency hospitality grants, a downstate small business stabilization program, Fast Track Capital, and more.
DCEO is also actively processing reimbursements for local governments impacted by COVID-19 via the state’s local CURES program. All eligible Region 5 governments can submit their certification to the department and begin submitting reimbursement requests. For more information on programs available for businesses and communities, please visit DCEO’s website.
In the coming days, IDPH will continue to track the positivity rate in Region 5 to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigations should remain in place. If the positivity rate averages less than or equal to 6.5% for three consecutive days, then Regions 5 will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan. If the positivity rate averages between 6.5% and 8%, the new mitigations will remain in place and unchanged. If the positivity rate averages greater than or equal to 8% after 14 days, more stringent mitigations can be applied to further reduce spread of the virus.
Currently two of the state’s 11 regions have positivity rates above the public health department’s 8% threshold for resurgence mitigations. Region 1, home to Rockford, Dixon and Galena, is currently operating under additional mitigations as the region continues to report a 7-day rolling positivity rate above 8%. Tightened mitigations were implemented on October 3 and the region has continued to see test positivity climb at a consistent pace. However, hospital admissions in the area have stabilized after a period of growth.
As part of the administration’s robust response to the pandemic, the state continues to strengthen its nation-leading testing operation. Illinois is averaging more than three times the testing than the average state. Testing is readily available throughout the state, and the vast majority of test results are returned within an actionable period. Moving forward, testing remains a critical step to reduce the spread of the virus, given that a positive test result begins the contact tracing process and can prevent further spread in communities.
In addition to testing, IDPH continues to monitor each region in the state for several key indicators to identify early, but significant increases of COVID-19 transmission in Illinois, potentially signifying resurgence. Indictors include an increase in the region’s positivity rate with a simultaneous increase in either hospital admissions for COVID-like-illness or a decrease in hospital capacity, or three consecutive days of greater than or equal to 8% test positivity rate (7-day rolling average). These indicators can be used to determine whether additional community mitigation interventions are needed for a region to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
A full list of mitigation measures pertaining to some businesses and industries may be found on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) website at www.dceocovid19resources.com/restore-illinois.
- Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
It is peak tourism season here on the Shawnee Wine Trail. This will be devastating.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 3:22 pm:
Blue Dog, the needless death and suffering caused by the ostrich in the sand crowd is what’s devastating. We’re in the midst of a viral pandemic. People need to grow up and follow safety protocols.
- Huh? - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 3:23 pm:
Just wear the freaking mask.
- Skeptic - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 3:45 pm:
Let the howling begin and cue Tom DeVore in 3…2…1
- ISPRETIRED - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 3:47 pm:
Try closing Wal Marts, more non wearing mask people in any store I have ever been in. I will stay away from them until this is over.
- Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 3:52 pm:
I actually applaud JB for being man enough to show up in person to announce the rollback in mitigation’s. What I think he should have also done is bring his DCEO team with him to stay as long as necessary to help those affected .
- Fool on the Hill - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 4:00 pm:
Huh? Is it really so simple as wearing a mask and social distancing? These laws will close all the small businesses in Southern Illinois but somehow don’t apply to Wal-Mart, Menands, Home Depot, & Lowes.
- TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 4:02 pm:
===on the Shawnee Wine Trail===
I’ve been there before. We have met up with friends in other states there and made a day of it. However, the behavior of southern IL during this pandemic has convinced us to never visit the area again.
It turns out, being proud of spreading disease around the community is bad for tourism. And don’t say it’s just a minority when your state reps and local law enforcement are on board with that behavior.
My travel plans in the future will exclusively involve my passport. There’s simply nothing for me to see in southern IL any longer.
- Pundent - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 4:06 pm:
=These laws will close all the small businesses in Southern Illinois but somehow don’t apply to Wal-Mart, Menands, Home Depot, & Lowes.=
These laws apply to all of the citizens living in these regions. They have no one but themselves to blame. And if small businesses close as a result of their selfish behavior the blame falls squarely on the citizens, not JB Pritzker.
- zatoichi - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 4:23 pm:
How many times does the benefit of the mask in helping control this virus have to be repeated? It costs nothing and will get life back to normal quicker. I have been in Home Depot and Walmart and watched maskless people simply start screaming about their rights when asked to wear a mask. going maskless behavior will keep this going longer. The virus does not care.
- Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 4:54 pm:
InviisibleMan. I understand your sentiments completely, might I recommend Galena as a tremendous tourist area as an alternative.
- JS Mill - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 5:04 pm:
“might I recommend Galena”
You can, but they are part of Region 1 which is the worst In the state right now and already under special mitigation.
- Demoralized - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 5:15 pm:
==as a tremendous tourist area as an alternative==
What exactly is it that some of you don’t get. You’re worried about being a tourist right now? Seriously. We can get this thing to be over sooner if some of you would just knock it off and stop worrying about stuff like this. You can put off your tourism agenda for a bit longer.
- SIU - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 5:28 pm:
Cook County going to need an 80% yes vote on Pritzker Tax” to cover downstate reaction to distaste for Governor.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 5:31 pm:
=== Cook County going to need an 80% yes vote on Pritzker Tax” to cover downstate reaction to distaste for Governor.===
The utterly foolish choices of the ignorant to a tax break… to win the libs?
That’s on brand, lol
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 5:33 pm:
=== The utterly foolish choices of the ignorant to a tax break… to win the libs?===
Think on that for a sec… only the 3% will get an increase… but… to “own the She-Caw-Go” Governor, as you’re posing it… that’s not folks making choices that benefit them.
- SIU - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 5:37 pm:
Expected Facebook like comments
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 5:46 pm:
=== Expected Facebook like comments===
Facebook isn’t real life. The in-law uncle married to our favorite aunt says all kinds of silly things. The only difference is you still going on Facebook.
To the post,
This also, while justified and understandable, is going to bring into play DeVore type thinkers that dismiss science, and want… bars open, restaurants full, gatherings, religious or other, to continue… all inside.
The hope is enough folks understand the danger to lower the temperatures of the collective. I dunno if that is going to transpire.
- SIU - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 6:14 pm:
The utterly foolish choices of the ignorant to a tax break…
So if a downstate voter makes a decision to vote no on the “Pritzker” tax because there is no Property Tax relief discussions or movement which were touted as part of the bill passage, and they have a Trust issue on the Illinois Legislature honoring the proposed tax rates into the near future….they are ignorant….count us in.
Wear a mask , stay safe.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 6:21 pm:
=== So if a downstate voter makes a decision to vote no on the “Pritzker” tax because there is no Property Tax relief discussions…===
… then they aren’t grasping what exactly is on the ballot, and again… to “own the She-Caw-Go” Governor, as you’re posing it…
=== to cover downstate reaction to distaste for Governor.===
… that’s different than how your… drive by… was.
See why drive bys are a silly way to seem clever?
=== they are ignorant….count us in.===
LOL… my goodness… voting to own the libs.
It’s not smart any way you frame it. You’ll get it soon.
- Pundent - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 6:27 pm:
=This will be devastating.=. Or what you gleefully refer to as the Trump economy.
- JS Mill - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 6:37 pm:
=Pritzker” tax because there is no Property Tax relief discussions or movement=
So the Pritzker tax is a reduction or no increase for 97% which would be most of the population in Southern Illinois.
And somehow that is a bad thing? Interesting logic.
And of course the current law ONLY allows a tax increase on everyone, not just high income earners who can handle it.
Property tax is a local issue, go talk to your local electeds. Good luck.
- ArchPundit - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 7:06 pm:
Osterholm is predicting the next 10 to 12 weeks to be the worst of the pandemic. This fits with past pandemics of airborne disease as well. We may not see an outbreak like New York, but it will be widespread.
I understand Pritzker’s reticence to do it, but another lockdown is likely coming. It might look slightly different than March-April, but I would be all of Illinois will be under some sort of lockdown shortly after Thanksgiving. We need to find a way to support the small businesses and hospitality industry–unfortunately only the feds have enough money.
- DQCardFan - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 7:15 pm:
As a Southern Illinoisan, I see too many down here who are seeing the world thru the bottom of their Trump Kool-Aid glasses, e.g., the pandemic is nearly over, disdain for Chicago, disdain for Pritzker, etc. Trust me. It gets old.
- Anonymoose - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 8:32 pm:
Bailey for Senate Facebook page
Listen Friends!
Governor Pritzker has announced that Region 5 will be going in back into Phase 3 starting Thursday.
Let me be clear, restaurants and bars CANNOT BE CLOSED EXCEPT BY A COURT ORDER!
Pritzker is going to try to threaten fines for businesses.
NO business has ever been fined for staying open and I will make you this promise: I WILL PAY FOR THE FIRST BUSINESS THAT IS FORCED TO PAY A FINE!
- Inquiry Minds - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 9:44 pm:
=== As part of the administration’s robust response to the pandemic, the state continues to strengthen its nation-leading testing operation. Illinois is averaging more than three times the testing than the average state. Testing is readily available throughout the state, and the vast majority of test results are returned within an actionable period. ===
This statement is fraught with peril.
1) When you say Illinois leads the nation in testing, are you including the U of I numbers? If so, what is the rate of New Tests per 1000 without U of I?
2) When I see a made-up stat like “Three times the testing of the average state” I always assume you are trying to distract us from a big problem. Is that three times the testing rate or three times the number of tests? And if the latter, if comparing Illinois with 13 million people to states with 2 million or fewer really useful?
3) If testing is readily available throughout the state, why are testing facilities closing at noon?
4) How long is “an actionable period”? Better yet, what actions do you take when someone tests positive? Better yet, how is contact tracing going?
- thoughts matter - Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 11:21 pm:
I just spent several hours in the local ER( as a support person if a non Covid patient ). The place was packed. They’ve admitted 20 Covid patients in 3 days. I don’t feel very reassured right low even though I was masked the entire time and I was told it was minimum risk for me to be there.
- iggy - Tuesday, Oct 20, 20 @ 8:35 am:
and exactly what does all of our great restaurants in this state do when outdoor is no longer an option. my forecast says snow is possible this week. are we just going to let another chunk of businesses go under?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 20, 20 @ 8:40 am:
===… exactly what does all of our great restaurants in this state do when outdoor is no longer an option.===
Also, what were they doing when we all need to wear masks and others refused, openly, to follow guidelines?
Keep in mind. It’s important to remember…
DeVore and his ilk aren’t for following guidelines, they’re for being open, guidelines be… welp, guidelines be “dismissed”
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Oct 20, 20 @ 8:58 am:
I am afraid that without local support and or local enforcement that none of these restrictions will be impactful. It doesn’t help that the opposition to these restrictions seems to basically be “Welp, people just gotta die.”
Conservative values indeed.
- Chatham Resident - Tuesday, Oct 20, 20 @ 9:16 am:
===… exactly what does all of our great restaurants in this state do when outdoor is no longer an option.===
Drive-thru, carry out, or delivery?
Or here’s a novel idea. Cooking your own food and eating at home.
- Publius - Tuesday, Oct 20, 20 @ 9:17 am:
It will be hard for businesses to be open if their customers are in the ER and the rest who have sense stay home. Maybe Bailey and DeVore will hold court from their hospital rooms still talking about freedom once the eventually come down with it.