Illinois: State-by-State COVID-19 Guidance

Please note: As of April 15, 2021 we are no longer doing regularly scheduled updates to this page.

April 12, 2021:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that, effective immediately, all Illinois residents age 16 and older are eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Governor Pritzker also announced three additional counties (Clark, Iroquois, and Vermilion) will receive support from the Rural Vaccination program, and four new counties (LaSalle, Tazewell, McDonough, and Woodford) will receive Rapid Response vaccination teams to mitigate COVID-19 trends.

April 8, 2021:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that the State will open vaccine eligibility for all individuals 16 and older on April 12, 2021.

(Chicago): The City of Chicago updated its Emergency Travel Order, moving Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and Washington D.C. from the “yellow” tier to the “orange” tier. Travelers to the city of Chicago coming from orange tier states (those that have a rolling 7-day average above 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents) must either quarantine for 10 days prior to traveling or present a negative COVID-19 test before arrival. Travelers coming from states in the yellow tier (those that have a 7-day rolling average below 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents) are not required to quarantine or present a negative COVID-19 test but remain under an advisory to avoid all non-essential travel. 25 states and Washington D.C. are in the “orange” tier, while 26 states and Puerto Rico are in the “yellow” tier.

April 5, 2021:

Governor Pritzker issued a Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation extending the state of emergency in Illinois and the exercise of emergency powers for 30 days. The Proclamation directs the coordination of various state agencies under the Illinois Emergency Management Act in the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 1, 2021:

(City of Chicago): The City of Chicago announced a plan for Major League Baseball to begin this week with various safety measures in place. Major League Baseball games will continue at Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate Fields with the following safety measures in place:

• Reopening capacity will be limited to a maximum of 25%;
• All guests are required to wear masks;
• Limited contact at entry points;
• Cashless concessions and retail;
• Reduced queueing times;
• Reconfigured indoor spaces; and
• Screening and sanitization procedures for players, fans, and media personnel.

The Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection will also be conducting investigations of businesses near both ballparks to ensure that bars and restaurants in these areas are following the City’s public health regulations.

March 29, 2021:

In response to increasing COVID-19 hospitalizations and case rates, the state of Illinois announced it is launching Rapid Response Vaccination Teams to five counties and expanding vaccine eligibility where demand is low. The Teams will be sent to the following counties: Carroll, Ogle, Boone, Lee, and Whiteside. Counties with low demand for the vaccine are authorized to vaccinate anyone 16 and older.

(Chicago): The City of Chicago moved to Phase 1C of its vaccine rollout on March 29, 2021. Under Phase 1C, all essential workers not previously eligible and Chicagoans age 16-64 with underlying medical conditions are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. In response to increasing COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations, the City of Chicago updated its Phase IV reopening guidelines. In all settings, facilities should operate at a lower capacity to maintain six feet of social distancing. Other notable restrictions include:

• Restaurants and bars are restricted to 50% capacity indoors with no more than 50 people, and standing areas remain closed;
• Health and fitness centers are restricted to 50% capacity;
• Offices, personal care businesses, and retail businesses are restricted to 50% capacity;
• Meetings, conferences, conventions, and social events are all restricted to 50% capacity, with no more than 50 people indoors or 100 people outdoors;
• Seated spectator events are restricted to 50% capacity, with no more than 50 people indoors and in outdoor venues with less than a 200-person capacity; and
• Seated spectator events are restricted to 25% capacity for outdoor venues with more than a 200-person capacity.

March 25, 2021:

(Chicago): Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced an ordinance that would establish protections for Chicago workers that take time off to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The ordinance would prohibit employers from terminating, disciplining, or taking any adverse action against an employee for taking time off to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. The ordinance would be enforced by the Chicago Office of Labor Standards, and employers would be subject to fines between $1,000 and $5,000 per offense.

The City of Chicago updated its Emergency Travel Order, moving Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, and West Virginia to the orange tier and Arizona, Kentucky, Nebraska, Texas, and Washington D.C. to the yellow tier. Travelers to the city of Chicago coming from orange tier states (those that have a rolling 7-day average above 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents) must either quarantine for 10 days prior to traveling or present a negative COVID-19 test before arrival. Travelers coming from states in the yellow tier (those that have a 7-day rolling average below 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents) are not required to quarantine or present a negative COVID-19 test but remain under an advisory to avoid all non-essential travel. This change will be effective starting March 26, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.

March 22, 2021:

Governor Pritzker announced that starting on March 22, 2021, Illinois will expand eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccination to additional essential workers including:

• Higher education staff;
• Government workers; and
• Media.

Eligibility will expand again on March 29 to include:

• Restaurant Staff;
• Trade Workers; and
• Religious Leaders.

(Chicago): Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that the City of Chicago will enter Phase 1C of the City’s COVID-19 vaccination distribution on March 29, 2021. Phase 1C will expand vaccination eligibility to:

• All other essential workers not yet eligible under Phases 1A and 1B (which included healthcare workers and frontline workers), including employees/workers in the following industries:
  • Energy (energy manufacturing, distribution, and repair)
  • Finance (banks, currency exchanges, credit unions, title companies, accounting, and insurance services)
  • Food and beverage service
  • Higher education
  • Information technology and communications
  • Legal (judges, lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, process servers, couriers, parole and probation officers, court personnel)
  • Media (newspapers, television, radio, broadcasting)
  • Personal care services and hygiene
  • Public health and safety (pharmaceutical, medical device and equipment, biotechnology companies, civil and chemical engineers, hazardous materials responders)
  • Retail
  • Shelter and housing (hardware stores, construction, real state, hotel and motels)
  • Transportation and logistics (gas stations, bike supply and repair, shipping and delivery services, warehouses, private mail)
  • Water and wastewater
  • Community- or government-based operations and essential functions (including libraries, urban planning, offices that provide basic needs such as food, childcare, shelter and social services)
• Chicagoans age 16-64 with underlying medical conditions including, but not limited to:
  • Cancer
  • Heart disease and other cardiac disorders
  • Hypertension
  • High blood pressure
  • Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Chronic respiratory disorders
  • Diabetes
  • Disability
  • Neurologic conditions
  • Down Syndrome
  • Immunocompromised state
  • HIV
  • Pregnancy
  • Obesity

March 18, 2021:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced a metrics-based, vaccination-informed framework for Illinois to advance to Phase 5 of the state’s Restore Illinois Plan, also called the “new normal.” In Phase 5 of the plan, the state will reopen all sectors of the economy; businesses, schools, and recreation will resume; and conventions, festivals, and large events can take place. Currently, every region in the state is in Phase 4 of the plan. In order to transition to Phase 5, the state has announced a “Bridge Phase” that will involve increased capacity limits in certain places (like museums, zoos, and spectator events) and increased business operations. In order to advance to the Bridge Phase, the state must:

• Reach a 70% first dose vaccination rate for residents 65 and over; and
• Maintain a 20% or lower ICU bed availability rate and hold steady on COVID-19 hospital admissions, mortality rate, and case rate over a 28-day period.

Capacity limitations in the Bridge Phase include:

• Restaurants must seat patrons at least 6 feet apart and limit parties to 10 people or fewer, and standing areas can have 30% capacity indoors and 50% capacity outdoors;
• Offices, health and fitness centers, personal care businesses, retail, and counter services can all open at 60% capacity;
• Meetings, conferences, and conventions can host the lesser of 1,000 people or 60% capacity;
• Spectator events (ticketed and seated) can host 60% capacity; and
• Theaters and performing arts, museums, and zoos can all open at 60% capacity.

To reach Phase 5 of the state’s plan, the state must:

• Reach a 50% vaccination rate for residents 16 and over; and
• Maintain a 20% or lower ICU bed availability rate and hold steady on COVID-19 hospital admissions, mortality rate, and case rate over a 28-day period.

The state also updated Phase 4 mitigations, stating that individuals with proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test 1-3 days prior to an event do not count against capacity limits. Governor Pritzker also announced that beginning April 12, 2021, all Illinois residents age 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

March 11, 2021:

On March 5, 2021, Governor Pritzker issued a Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation extending the state of emergency in Illinois and the exercise of emergency powers for 30 days. The proclamation directs the coordination of various state agencies under the Illinois Emergency Management Act in the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Chicago): The City of Chicago updated its Emergency Travel order, moving Texas and Nebraska out of the “yellow” tier and into the “orange” tier. Travelers to the city of Chicago coming from orange tier states (those that have a rolling 7-day average above 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents) must either quarantine for 10 days prior to traveling or present a negative COVID-19 test before arrival. Travelers coming from states in the yellow tier (those that have a 7-day rolling average below 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents) are not required to quarantine or present a negative COVID-19 test but remain under an advisory to avoid all non-essential travel. This change will be effective starting March 12 at 12:01 a.m.

March 2, 2021:

(Chicago): Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced further easing of COVID-19 restrictions for Chicago businesses. Indoor bars, restaurants, and other businesses can now increase to 50% capacity, and bars and restaurants can stay open until 1:00 a.m. Indoor fitness classes can increase to 20 people, and liquor stores can sell alcohol until 11:00 p.m. All other regulations remain in place for bars and restaurants, including:

• Food must be available at all times in order to offer indoor service;
• A maximum of six patrons are permitted at indoor or outdoor tables;
• Patrons can sit at bars, with six feet of social distancing between parties;
• Face coverings must be worn at all times, except when patrons are seated and actively eating or drinking;
• Patrons must be seated whenever they are eating or drinking; and
• Tables must be six feet apart.

The easing of COVID-19 restrictions is possible because the City of Chicago reached the “Moderate-Risk” set out by the reopening framework in February.

March 1, 2021:

Governor Pritzker signed HB 4276 into law, extending workers’ compensation benefits until June 30, 2021 for first responders and frontline essential workers who were exposed to or contracted COVID-19 through their job. The new law also allows extended time off of up to 60 days if COVID-19 impacted an employee’s recovery from COVID-19 or another injury.

(Chicago): The City of Chicago City Council approved a $377 million COVID-19 relief spending plan. The package includes $309 million in new federal grants to be allocated as follows:

• $50 million COVID-19 grant funds from FEMA;
• $79 million for housing assistance from the Treasury Department;
• $155 million in federal grants to the Department of Public Health; and
• $24 million towards the city’s vaccination effort.

February 25, 2021:

Governor Pritzker announced an expansion of vaccine eligibility during Phase 1B to Illinoisans with serious medical conditions. The expansion includes residents 16 and older with disabilities or underlying conditions who were not otherwise covered in previous eligibility categories. The expanded list of eligible conditions includes cancer, chronic kidney disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), diabetes, heart conditions, immunosuppressed states from a solid organ transplant, smoking, obesity, pregnancy, pulmonary diseases, and sickle cell disease.

February 24, 2021:

(Chicago): The City of Chicago updated its Emergency Travel Order to include 31 states in the “orange” tier. Travelers to the city of Chicago coming from orange tier states must either quarantine for 10 days prior to traveling or present a negative COVID test before arrival. States in the orange tier, meaning those that have a rolling 7-day average above 15 cases per day per 100,000 residents, include:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

The order also moved 17 states into the “yellow” tier. Travelers coming from states in the yellow tier are not required to quarantine or present a negative COVID test but remain under an advisory to avoid all non-essential travel. States in the yellow tier are those that have a rolling 7-day average above 15 cases/day/100k residents. States in the yellow tier are:

• Arkansas
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Puerto Rico
• Texas
• Washington
• Washington D.C.
• Wisconsin

Travelers that are fully vaccinated are exempt from the travel requirements.

February 23, 2021:

Governor Pritzker announced that one million Illinois children will receive federally funded food benefits through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer following expansion of eligibility due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The food support is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service and will be distributed by the Illinois Department of Human Services. The expansion of the program will reach about 200,000 more Illinois children as compared to last year.

February 22, 2021:

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced two additional state-supported mass vaccination sites in Rockford and Collinsville will launch on Tuesday, February 23, 2021. Each site will provide up to 1,350 doses per day at full capacity. Governor Pritzker is also activating additional members of the Illinois National Guard to support Winnebago and Madison counties in setting up additional mobile vaccination sites to reach rural and underserved communities.

February 16, 2021:

(Chicago): Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the City has moved into Phase IV of its Reopening Chicago plan. This phase expands indoor dining in the City of Chicago. Bars and restaurants can now reopen indoors at the lesser of 40% capacity or 50 people. Other notable restrictions of this phase include:

• In PK-12 schools, gatherings of students and staff are limited to no more than 50 individuals indoors or 100 individuals outdoors with social distancing;
• Childcare group sizes are limited to 17 children;
• Higher education classrooms must observe social distancing, and capacity is limited to 40% with a cap of 50 individuals;
• Indoor group exercises or fitness classes are allowed;
• Out of school and enrichment programs in which participants are primarily seated/stationary may continue in groups of up to 15;
• All employees in office settings who can work remotely are encouraged to do so, and capacity is limited to 40% for all indoor spaces where remote work is not possible;
• Indoor gatherings in private residences cannot exceed 10 individuals;
• Social events and meetings are limited to 40% capacity with no more than 50 guests, both indoors and outdoors;
• Hotels must limit gatherings in common spaces to 40% capacity, with no more than 50 individuals in the same area at any time;
• Restaurants and bars must make food available at all times in order to offer indoor service;
• Table size in bars and restaurants is limited to no more than six people indoors and outdoors with tables spaced 6 feet apart (and bar seating is allowed with 6 feet between parties);
• Retail stores must limit capacity to 40%, but grocery stores and pharmacies may continue to operate at up to 50% capacity;
• Health and fitness centers must limit indoor use to a maximum of 40% capacity, and indoor fitness classes are limited to 15 individuals; and
• Manufacturing, construction, transportation and warehousing all must limit gatherings of employees in common areas to no more than 50 people while maintaining 6 feet of distance.

February 11, 2021:

Governor Pritzker announced that the state is deploying three Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams throughout the state to serve as community outreach specialists at county-run COVID-19 vaccination sites. The teams will be used to assist individuals in making vaccination appointments and contacting seniors and other eligible populations about the availability of the vaccine.

(Chicago): Mayor Lori Lightfoot, with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, announced that the City of Chicago and Cook County would not be expanding eligibility in the current phase of the vaccine rollout. The state of Illinois recently announced expansion of eligibility under Phase 1B of its vaccine rollout.

February 10, 2021:

On February 5, 2021, Governor Pritzker issued a Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation extending the state of emergency in Illinois and the exercise of emergency powers for 30 days. The proclamation directs the coordination of various state agencies under the Illinois Emergency Management Act in the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On February 10, 2021, Governor Pritzker announced an expansion of Phase 1B of the state’s vaccine rollout that will begin on February 25. Phase 1B eligibility will expand to include individuals 16 and older who have comorbidities and underlying conditions as defined by the CDC. Illinois will also prioritize individuals with disabilities. The expansion applies to the following high-risk categories and is subject to change as guidance evolves:

• Cancer
• Chronic Kidney Disease
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Diabetes
• Heart Condition
• Immunocompromised State from a Solid Organ Transplant
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Pulmonary Disease
• Sickle Cell Disease

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot announced a roadmap to ease COVID-19 regulations on businesses. Effective February 11, 2021, restaurants and events can open with the lesser of 25% capacity or 50 people per room or floor. The city is currently in the “high-risk” stage and will move into the “moderate risk” stage when the average daily case count falls below 400.

Other regulations for bars and restaurants will remain the same, including:

• Food must be available at all times to offer indoor service;
• Maximum of 6 patrons at indoor and outdoor tables;
• Patrons can sit at bars with 6 feet between each party;
• Face coverings must be worn at all times except when patrons are eating or drinking;
• Patrons must be seated while eating or drinking;
• Tables must be 6 feet apart;
• Service must close at 12:00 a.m.; and
• Alcohol sales must end at 11:00 p.m.

February 9, 2021:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health updated its Emergency Travel Order, moving Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, and Puerto Rico to the yellow tier. 46 states and one territory remain in the orange tier.

Chicago residents and out-of-state visitors arriving in Chicago from orange tier states are required to either quarantine for 10 days upon arrival to Chicago or provide a negative COVID-19 test result before arrival. Chicago residents are encouraged to avoid travel to orange tier states. States in the orange tier are those that have above 15 average daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Chicago residents and out-of-state visitors arriving in Chicago traveling from yellow states are not required to quarantine or provide a negative COVID-19 test, but still must maintain strict masking and social distancing. Chicago residents are encouraged to avoid non-essential travel to yellow tier states. States in the yellow tier are those that have between 0 and 15 average daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

February 8, 2021:

(Chicago): Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the city reached a tentative agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union for some Chicago Public Schools to return to in-person learning. Although the agreement must still be ratified by the Union to go into effect, it suggests the following timeline for returning students to in person learning:

• Pre-kindergarten and special education programs to resume Thursday, February 11;
• Kindergarten through fifth grade staff to return February 22 and students to return March 1; and
• Sixth through eighth grade staff to return March 1 and students to return March 8.

The plan also sets forth the following safety measures for the return to in-person learning:

• No members of the Union will be required to resume in-person learning before having the opportunity to be fully vaccinated. The city would begin administering 1,500 vaccines to Chicago Public School workers each week, with 1,000 vaccines available starting this week pending ratification.
• Testing will be offered to all staff returning to schools and all students over the age of ten.
• Employees who are in high-risk categories or medically vulnerable to COVID-19, including employees with household members at high risk, will still be able to work remotely.
• Principals would allow for reassigning students to different homerooms and sections, combining classrooms, swapping class assignments among teachers, and creating multi-grade classrooms in order to maximize the number of household accommodations.
• If the citywide COVID-19 positivity rate increases for seven consecutive days, jumps at least 15 percent each day compared to the week prior, and climbs 10 percent or higher on the seventh day, in-person learning will be paused for 14 days.
• In-person learning will be halted following three or more confirmed cases at a school within a 14-day period.

February 4, 2021:

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Region 4 (Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington counties) is moving to Phase 4, the revitalization stage of the Restore Illinois Plan, after meeting certain pre-determined metrics.

February 3, 2021:

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Region 8 (DuPage and Kane counties) and Region 9 (Lake and McHenry counties) are moving to Phase 4, the revitalization stage of the Restore Illinois Plan. Phase 4 includes the following notable restrictions:

• Indoor dining and drinking are permitted for parties up to 10 people with tables 6 feet apart;
• Indoor recreation facilities may operate with either 50 customers or 50% capacity, whichever is lower;
• Meetings and social events are restricted to 50 people or less;
• Offices must continue to operate with no more than 50% occupancy; and
• All manufacturing is open and employees must receive COVID training before returning to work.

The Illinois unemployment recently rate fell below the threshold established for the additional 7 weeks of Extended Benefits (EB) to be available in the state. The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced programmatic changes and updates to unemployment programs within the Continued Assistance Act (CAA), including an additional 11 weeks of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Notable changes and updates include Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), meaning:

• Continued claimants may be able to secure 11 additional weeks of eligibility for benefits.
• Claimants who had exhausted PUA benefits may remain eligible for PUA under the extension and will be notified by IDES as to the extent eligible.
• A new requirement for individuals to submit documentation verifying their prior employment or self-employment status.
• A new process for determining requests to waive overpayments.

IDES is partnering with relevant stakeholders to publicize the Mixed-Earning Unemployment Compensation program and its eligibility requirements.

February 2, 2021:

(Suburban Cook County): The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that Region 10 (suburban Cook County) is moving to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan. In order to move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate less than 6.5 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average;
• Greater than 20 percent available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; and
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.

Phase 4 is the revitalization stage of the Restore Illinois plan. Notable restrictions under Phase 4 include:

• Indoor dining and drinking are permitted for parties up to 10 people with tables 6 feet apart;
• Indoor recreation facilities may operate with either 50 customers or 50% capacity, whichever is lower;
• Meetings and social events are restricted to 50 people or less;
• Offices must continue to operate with no more than 50% occupancy; and
• All manufacturing is open and employees must receive COVID training before returning to work.

(Chicago): The City of Chicago launched an online portal for residents to sign up for COVID-19 vaccines. Chicago is in Phase 1B of COVID-19 vaccinations. The following groups of people are currently eligible for the vaccine:

• Healthcare workers;
• Long-term care facility residents and staff;
• Frontline essential workers, including those in non-healthcare residential settings; and
• Chicagoans age 65 and older.

February 1, 2021:

(City of Chicago): The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Region 11 is moving to Phase 4, the “revitalization” stage of the Restore Illinois Plan. In order to move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate ≤ 6.5 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average;
• ≥ 20 percent available, staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; and
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.

Phase 4 is the revitalization stage of the Restore Illinois plan. Notable restrictions under Phase 4 include:

• Indoor dining and drinking are permitted for parties up to 10 people with tables 6 feet apart;
• Indoor recreation facilities may operate with either 50 customers or at 50 percent capacity, whichever is lower;
• Meetings and social events are restricted to 50 people or less;
• Offices must continue to operate at no more than 50 percent occupancy; and
• All manufacturing is open and employees must receive COVID training before returning to work.

Along with Phase 4 mitigations in the City of Chicago, the city set forth the following additional measures as part of the “Reopening Chicago” plan:

• Bars and restaurants can reopen indoors at a lesser of 25 percent or 25 people, with food available at all times;
• Retail stores may open at 40 percent capacity;
• Grocery stores and pharmacies may open at 50 percent capacity;
• Health and Fitness Centers may open at 40 percent capacity with a cap of no more than 50 people; and
• Outdoor activities are allowed at 40 percent capacity with a maximum of 100 individuals with social distancing.

(Kankakee and Will Counties): The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Region 7 (Kankakee and Will counties) is also moving to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan. In order to move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate less ≤6.5 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
• ≥20 percent available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.

Phase 4 is the revitalization stage of the Restore Illinois plan. Notable restrictions under Phase 4 include:

• Indoor dining and drinking are permitted for parties up to 10 people with tables 6 feet apart
• Indoor recreation facilities may operate with either 50 customers or 50% capacity, whichever is lower
• Meetings and social events are restricted to 50 people or less
• Offices must continue to operate with no more than 50% occupancy
• All manufacturing is open and employees must receive COVID training before returning to work

January 26, 2021:

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Region 8 (DuPage and Kane counties) and Region 9 (Lake and McHenry counties) are moving to Tier 1 mitigations. In order to move to Tier 1, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate between 6.5 and 8% for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
• ≥20% available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average

Tier 1 mitigations are applied to regions experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19. Regions under Tier 1 must adhere to the following restrictions, among others:

• Indoor service in restaurants and bars is limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 25% capacity per room;
• Establishments offering indoor service must serve food;
• Sports and other organized group recreational activities should follow the mitigation measures set forth in the All Sports Policy;
• Face coverings must be worn at all times in fitness centers;
• Social events and meetings are limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 25% capacity both indoors and outdoors (not applicable to students participating in-person classroom learning or sports).

January 25, 2021:

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that Region 6 (encompassing Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Iroquois, Jasper, Lawrence, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Richland, Shelby, and Vermillion) is returning to Phase 4 of the state’s restore plan. In order to move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate less ≤6.5 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
• ≥20 percent available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.

Phase 4 is the revitalization stage of the Restore Illinois plan. Regions under Phase 4 may reopen select indoor recreation facilities to operate at either 50 customers or 50% of facility capacity, whichever is lower, meetings and social events are restricted to 50 people or less, indoor dining and drinking is permitted, and all manufacturing is open with IDPH approved safety guidance.

IDPH also announced that Region 7 (Kankakee and Will) is advancing to Tier 1. In order to move to Tier 1 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate between 6.5 and 8% for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
• ≥20% available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average

Tier 1 mitigations are applied to regions experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19. Regions under Tier 1 must adhere to the following mitigations, among others:

• Bars and restaurants must close at 11:00 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6am the following day
• Indoor service is limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 25% capacity
• Establishments offering indoor service must serve food
• Meetings and social events are limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 25% capacity both indoors and outdoors (not applicable to students participating in in-person classroom learning or sports)
• Sports and other organized group recreational activities should follow the mitigation measures set forth in the All Sport Guidelines
• Face coverings must be worn at all times in fitness centers

On January 22, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that Region 4 (encompassing Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington counties) is moving to Tier 2 mitigations. In order to move to Tier 2 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:

• Test positivity rate ≥ 8% and below 12% for three consecutive days (7-day average); AND
• Staffed ICU bed availability ≥ 20% for three consecutive days (7-day average); AND
• Sustained decline in COVID patients in hospital (7-day average for 7 of 10 days)

Tier 2 mitigations are applied to regions experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19. Notable restrictions under the Tier 2 Mitigation Measures include:

• No indoor service or dining at bars or restaurants
• Meetings, social events and gatherings, both indoor and outdoor, are limited to 10 guests

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that Region 10 (suburban Cook county) and Region 11 (city of Chicago) are moving to Tier 1 mitigations. In order to move into Tier 1 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:

• Test positivity rate between 6.5% and 8% for three consecutive days (7-day average); AND
• Staffed ICU bed availability ≥ 20% for three consecutive days (7-day average); AND
• No sustained increase in COVID patients in hospital (7-day average for 7 of 10 days)

Tier 1 mitigations are applied to regions experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19. Notable restrictions under Tier 1 Mitigation Measures include:

• Bars and restaurants must close at 11:00 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6am the following day
• Indoor service is limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 25% capacity
• Establishments offering indoor service must serve food
• Meetings and social events are limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 25% capacity both indoors and outdoors (not applicable to students participating in in-person classroom learning or sports)
• Sports and other organized group recreational activities should follow the mitigation measures set forth in the All Sport Guidelines
• Face coverings must be worn at all times in fitness centers

On January 25, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that Region 1 (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago counties) and Region 2 (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Warren, and Woodford counties) are moving to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan. In order to move into Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate less ≤6.5 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
• ≥20 percent available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.

Phase 4 is the revitalization stage of the Restore Illinois plan. Notably, in returning to Phase 4, Regions 1 and 2 will see gatherings of 50 people or fewer allowed. Additionally, various businesses will see the easing of restrictions as follows:

• Manufacturing: All manufacturing open with IDPH approved safety guidance.
• “Non-essential” businesses: All employees return to work with IDPH approved safety guidance; Employers are encouraged to provide accommodations for COVID-19-vulnerable employees.
• Bars and restaurants: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance.
• Personal care services and health clubs: All barbershops, salons, spas and health and fitness clubs open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance.
• Entertainment: Cinema and theaters open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance.
• Retail: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance.

Illinois and Chicago enter the next phase of their vaccination plans, Phase 1B. Phase 1B includes persons aged 65 years and older, frontline essential workers, and inmates. Essential workers include:

• First Responders - Fire, law enforcement, 911 workers, security personnel, school officers
• Education – Teachers, principals, student support, student aids, day care workers
• Food and Agriculture – Processing, plants, veterinary health, livestock services, animal care
• Manufacturing – Industrial production of good for distribution to retail, wholesale or other manufactures
• Corrections Workers and Inmates – Prison/jail officers, juvenile facility staff, workers providing in person support, inmates
• United State Postal Services Workers
• Public Transit Workers – Flight crew, bus drivers, train conductors, taxi drivers, paratransit drivers, in person support, ride sharing services
• Grocery Store Workers – Baggers, cashiers, stockers, pick-up, customer service
• Shelters/Adult Day Care – Homeless shelter, women's shelter, adult day/drop-in program, sheltered workshop, psycho social rehab

(Chicago): Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health announced new initiatives to address racial equity in the COVID-19 vaccine distribution as Chicago moves into Phase 1B. The plan includes 3 main strategies:

• Target 15 high-need communities based on the City’s COVID vulnerability index;
• Partner with community stakeholders to push vaccines and the City resources directly to these communities;
• Work with community stakeholders to identify settings and groups where vaccine access will most quickly decrease COVID transmission risk and remove barriers to vaccinating these individuals as quickly as possible.

January 19, 2021:

Following increased staffing at hospitals throughout the state, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced a change to its COVID mitigation metrics. Under these new metrics, Regions 8, 9, 10, and 11 will move from Tier 3, the most restrictive Tier, to Tier 2. Regions 1 and 6 will move to Tier 1, and Regions 3 and 5 will return to Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan. Mitigation metrics for moving from a higher to lower tier are as follows:

• In order to move to Tier 2 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:
  • A test positivity rate ≤8 percent and ˂12 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
  • ≥20 percent available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
  • A sustained decrease in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.
• In order to move to Tier 1 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:
  • A test positivity rate between 6.5 and 8 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
  • ≥20 percent available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
  • No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.
• In order to move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:
  • A test positivity rate less ≤6.5 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
  • ≥20 percent available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
  • No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.

Notably, in returning to Phase 1, Regions 3 and 5 will see gatherings of 50 people or fewer allowed. Additionally, various businesses will see the easing of restrictions as follows:

• Manufacturing: All manufacturing open with IDPH approved safety guidance.
• “Non-essential” businesses: All employees return to work with IDPH approved safety guidance; Employers are encouraged to provide accommodations for COVID-19-vulnerable employees.
• Bars and restaurants: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance.
• Personal care services and health clubs: All barbershops, salons, spas and health and fitness clubs open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance.
• Entertainment: Cinema and theaters open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance.
• Retail: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance.

January 11, 2021:

On January 7, Governor Pritzker announced that Tier 3 mitigations may be lifted in various Illinois regions as early as next week. Regions meeting the following metrics will see the Tier 3 mitigations removed:

• Test positivity rate less than 12 percent for three consecutive days
• More than 20 percent of ICU and hospital beds available
• Declining COVID-19 hospitalizations in seven of the previous 10 days

Additionally, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released a COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. Under the plan, vaccinations are distributed in two phases. Phase 1 of the plan is further divided into three sub-phases. Under Phase 1a, vaccinations continue to be administered to health care personnel and long-term care facility residents and staff. Phase 1b of the plan, which is set to begin in the coming weeks, covers the following individuals:

• Persons aged 75 years and older*
• Frontline essential workers (as defined by ACIP and directed by the State of Illinois)
• Sheltered population, homeless/day programs, and inmates

*Governor Pritzker recently announced that the vaccine recipient age limit under Phase 1b will be lowered from 75 to 65.

December 14, 2020:

On December 11, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-74 which reissues and extends many of his past orders through January 9, 2021. Executive Order 2020-73, which instituted state-wide Tier 3 Mitigations, is among the orders extended.

November 17, 2020:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced new Tier 3 Resurgence Mitigations to be implemented statewide effective Friday, November 20 at 12:01 a.m. While these new mitigations do not include a stay-at-home order, they do impose certain restrictions that Illinois has not seen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. These mitigation requirements include:

• Bars and restaurants
  • All bars and restaurants close at 11 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6 a.m. the following day
  • No indoor service
  • All bar and restaurant 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 outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
  • No dancing or standing indoors
  • No tables exceeding 6 people
  • Reservations required for each party
  • No seating of multiple parties at one table
  • Indoor gaming terminals must suspend operations
  • Includes private clubs and country clubs
• Health and fitness centers
  • Operate at no more than 25 percent capacity
  • No indoor group classes
  • Face coverings must be worn at all times, including while engaged in individual exercise regardless of person or machine spacing
  • Reservations required
  • Locker room areas should be closed
• Hotels
  • Hotel room occupancy should be limited to registered guests only, with the maximum allowance being the number of individuals permissible per existing fire code for each applicable guest room
  • Fitness centers should be closed, or operated only on a reservation model with capacity limited to 25 percent of the maximum occupancy for the room
  • Grab and go food allowed
  • Event and meeting space closed
• Indoor recreation, theaters, cultural institutions
  • Gaming and casinos must close
  • Indoor recreation centers, including theaters, performing arts centers and indoor museums and amusement centers must close
  • Live streaming of performances encouraged with social distancing of performers and minimum operational staff
  • Outdoor activities allowed at 25 percent capacity or less
  • Outdoor group activities limited to 10 persons or less, participants/guests must wear face coverings at all times
  • Reservations required for each guest for outdoor activities
• Manufacturing
  • Additional COVID training for all employees required even if previous training occurred
  • Operators should coordinate with IDPH to implement testing protocols and contact tracing, upon request, consistent with available testing supplies
  • All employees must wear face coverings at all times unless eating or drinking. Exemptions only for safety purposes.
  • Only manufacturing staff and key personnel allowed in facilities. Non-production employees must work remotely. Non-essential staff and visitors are not permitted. Exemptions only for critical equipment repairs, supply deliveries and safety reasons (“critical visitors”).
  • All critical visitors must have an Employee Health and Safety (EHS)-approved risk-assessment done in advance, including travel history, tracking, and temperature check prior to entrance.
  • Implement additional workstation realignment when feasible
  • Stagger and space shifts, and designate shift entrances and exits (when possible) to minimize interactions of employees across unique shift groupings
  • Station sanitation required at beginning and ending of shifts
  • Operators must suspend COVID-related incentive pay and promote staying home when sick or showing symptoms
  • Implement temporary leave policies to accommodate workers who are sick
  • Develop and implement safety protocols for employee travel vans to promote spacing, require face coverings, temperature checks, air circulation, and vehicle sanitization
• Meetings, social events and gatherings
  • Limit in home gatherings to household members
  • Meeting rooms, banquet centers, private party rooms, private clubs and country clubs may not host gatherings
  • No party buses
  • Funerals are limited to 10 family members of the decedents, not including staff
• Offices
  • All employees who can work remotely should work remotely
• Organized group recreational activities
  • Pause all indoor group sporting and recreational activities including youth and adult recreational sports, individual training may remain (with facility reservation)
  • Includes park districts and travel leagues
  • Outdoor sports and recreation allowed
  • Participant groups and practices outdoors limited to 10 persons or less with social distancing
  • Face coverings required for all activities at all times
  • Locker rooms should be closed
• Personal care services
  • Operate at lesser of 25 clients or 25 percent capacity
  • Face coverings must be worn at all times by clients and service providers
  • Suspend services where a face covering cannot be worn (e.g. facials, beard trims)
  • Physical, occupational and massage therapy allowed as deemed necessary by a medical provider, but appointments must be spaced by a minimum of 15 minutes and facilities should take steps to sanitize and circulate clean air through service rooms before and after each service
  • Virtual consultations recommended
• Retail
  • Operate at no more than 25 percent capacity, including general merchandise stores, "big box" stores that offer groceries and pharmacy, and convenience stores
  • Grocery stores and pharmacies may operate at up to 50 percent capacity
  • Encourage delivery or curbside pickup options wherever possible
  • When in-store shopping is necessary, promote efficient trips and consistent circulation

November 16, 2020:

Mayor Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protections launched their “Protect Chicago” strategy for mitigating the spread of COVID-19. Under this strategy, a Stay-at-Home Advisory went into effect on November 16. Though not ordered to do so, Chicago residents are strongly advised to remain in their homes except when traveling to work or school or when seeking out essential needs such as medical care, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, picking up food, or receiving deliveries. Those who must leave their homes are advised to wear a face covering and practice social distancing. Further, residents are strongly advised to:

• Not have guests in their homes unless they are essential workers (e.g., home healthcare providers, childcare workers or educators)
• Cancel traditional Thanksgiving celebrations
• Avoid travel

Cook County released a similar advisory, urging residents of suburban Cook County to remain in their homes for all but essential activities. Both Chicago and Cook County’s advisories will remain in effect for at least 30 days.

November 10, 2020:

Under Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order 2020-70 Illinois Region’s 5, 7 and 8 will join Region 1 under Tier 2 Mitigation Measures beginning Wednesday, November 11 at 12:01 a.m. In joining Region 1 under Tier 2 Mitigation Measures, Regions 5, 7 and 8 will see the following notable restrictions put in place, in addition to Tier 1 Mitigations:

• Indoor service at bars and restaurants remains prohibited
• Table capacity at bars and restaurants limited to 6 guests
• Meeting, social event and gathering capacity limited to 10 guests in both indoor and outdoor settings
• Non-essential workers should be encouraged to work from home

Any Illinois region that progresses to Tier 3 Mitigations will see office spaces closed for all except essential workers and the closure of non-essential retail establishments.

Regions 1, 5, 7 and 8 are comprised of the following counties:

• Region 1
  • Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago Counties
• Region 5
  • Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, Saline, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Massac, and Pulaski counties
• Region 7
  • Kankakee and Will Counties
• Region 8
  • Kane and DuPage Counties

(Chicago): The City of Chicago has revamped its Emergency Travel Order via a color coded system. States or territories experiencing a daily case average per 100 thousand residents above that of Chicago are highlighted in red. Travelers from these states are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival to Chicago. States experiencing daily case averages per 100 thousand residents between 15 and Chicago’s current daily case average are highlighted in Orange. Travelers arriving from these states are required to either quarantine for 14 days or have a negative test no longer than 72 hours prior to arrival. Finally, states experiencing between zero and 15 daily cases per 100 thousand residents are highlighted in yellow. Travelers from these states are not required to quarantine upon arrival to Chicago.

• Red (14-day quarantine upon arrival)
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • North Dakota
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
• Orange (14-day quarantine or negative test within 72 hours of arrival)
  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • New Jersey
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Puerto Rico
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
• Yellow (no quarantine requirement)
  • California
  • District of Columbia
  • Hawaii
  • Maine
  • New Hampshire
  • New York
  • Vermont

November 9, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced at his press conference on November 9 that Illinois Regions 5, 7 and 8 will be subject to Tier 2 Mitigation Measures beginning Wednesday, November 11. All Illinois Regions except Region 1 are currently subject to Tier 1 Mitigation Measures. These additional mitigations follow a tiered approach. Tier 1 Mitigations, in part, suspend indoor service at bars and restaurants and limit gatherings to a capacity of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity, both indoors and outdoors.

In joining Region 1 under Tier 2 Mitigation Measures, Regions 5, 7 and 8 will see the following restrictions put in place, in addition to Tier 1 Mitigations:

• Indoor service at bars and restaurants remains prohibited
• Table capacity at bars and restaurants limited to 6 guests
• Meeting, social event and gathering capacity limited to 10 guests in both indoor and outdoor settings
• Non-essential workers should be encouraged to work from home

Any Illinois region that progresses to Tier 3 Mitigations will see office spaces closed for all except essential workers and the closure of non-essential retail establishments.

Regions 5, 7 and 8 are comprised of the following counties:

• Region 5
  • Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, Saline, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Massac, and Pulaski counties
• Region 7
  • Kankakee and Will Counties
• Region 8
  • Kane and DuPage Counties

November 2, 2020:

As of November 4, all 11 Illinois regions will be subject to additional Mitigation Measures in an effort to combat the ongoing resurgence of COVID-19 in Illinois. Notable restrictions include:

• No indoor dining or service at bars or restaurants
• Meetings, social events and gatherings are limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity

Region 1, consisting of Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago Counties, remains subject to heightened Mitigation Measures. Most notably, Region 1’s heightened measures restrict meetings, social events and gatherings to 10 guests.

October 26, 2020:

Governor Pritzker ordered additional Mitigation Measures to be put in place in Illinois Region 5 on October 22, 2020 and in Regions 7 and 8 on October 23, 2020. Further, Governor Pritzker ordered additional Tier 2 Mitigation Measures after the Region experienced a sustained rise in COVID-19 cases despite the implementation of Tier 1 Mitigation Measures. Notable restrictions under the Tier 2 Mitigation Measures include:

• No indoor service or dining at bars or restaurants
• Meetings, social events and gatherings, both indoor and outdoor, are limited to 10 guests

The counties included under each region currently subject to Mitigation Measures are as follows:

• Region 1
  • Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago Counties
• Region 5
  • Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, Saline, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Massac, and Pulaski counties
• Region 7
  • Kankakee and Will Counties
• Region 8
  • Kane and DuPage Counties

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot reinstated various COVID-19 restrictions following a recent increase in cases. Notable changes under the new restrictions include:

• All non-essential businesses must close to the public from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
• Indoor and outdoor consumption of food or alcohol at restaurants must cease at 10:00 p.m.
• All bars, taverns, or breweries that do not have a Retail Food Establishment License will no longer be able to serve customers indoors at any time
• All establishments that serve alcohol for on-site consumption must end alcohol service at 9:00 p.m. and must close completely at 10:00 p.m.

October 20, 2020:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced that additional Mitigation Measures will be implemented in Region 5 at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, October 22. Region 5 consists of Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, Saline, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Massac, and Pulaski counties. Beginning Thursday, the Region will be subject to the following Mitigation Measures:

• 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

Region 1, consisting of Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago Counties, remains subject to these additional Mitigation Measures.

October 14, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Indiana, North Carolina, Rhode Island and New Mexico effective Friday, October 16 at 12:01 a.m. Individuals arriving to Chicago from any of the states or territories identified under the Order are required to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory. States and territories subject to the required quarantine period will be removed from the list when the daily case average in that state or territory declines below 15 daily cases per 100k residents for two consecutive weeks.

October 12, 2020:

On October 9, Governor Pritzker filed Executive Order 2020-58 which lifts additional Mitigation Measures effective in Region 4 since September 2. Region 4, which includes Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington counties, will now join most of Illinois under Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan. Currently, only Region 1, consisting of Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties, remains subject to additional mitigation measures.

October 6, 2020:

The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Alaska effective Friday, October 9 at 12:01 a.m. Individuals arriving to Chicago from any of the states or territories identified under the Order are required to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory. States and territories subject to the required quarantine period will be removed from the list when the daily case average in that state or territory declines below 15 daily cases per 100k residents for two consecutive weeks.

October 1, 2020:

(Chicago): On October 1, Chicago saw the easing of various COVID-19 restrictions put in place by Mayor Lightfoot. Now, the following guidelines are in place:

• Restaurants, health and fitness centers, and all other establishments that have been limited to 25% indoor capacity will now be able to increase their maximum indoor capacity to 40%
  • The limit of 50 total individuals, while practicing social distancing, within one room or space remains in place.
• Bars, taverns, brewers and other establishments that serve alcohol for on-site consumption without a retail food license may reopen indoor seating at 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer.
  • Service remains limited to no more than two hours per party, and customers must be seated when eating, drinking or ordering – patrons cannot walk up to the bar to order.
  • The establishment must partner with a food provider so that food is available to patrons at all times (e.g., making menus available and allowing delivery, allowing patrons to order from third-party delivery services).
• Additional food service and bar updates include:
  • When dining out at a food service establishment or bar, customers must wear face coverings while seated at all times (including when interacting with staff), except when actively eating or drinking.
  • When taking reservations and seating walk-in customers, restaurants and bars should retain an email and/or phone number for possible contact tracing.
  • Bars, restaurants and other establishments that serve alcohol will now be able to sell alcohol for on-site or off-site consumption until 1:00 a.m. and may remain open until 1:30 a.m. (liquor stores, grocery stores and other establishments that sell alcohol to-go through a Package Goods license must continue to cease alcohol sales at 9:00 p.m.).
  • Maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants, bars, taverns, breweries and event venues will remain at six people (indoor or outdoor).
• Maximum group size for health and fitness classes increased to 15 individuals, while practicing social distancing, or 40% capacity (whichever is fewer).
  • Cohorts for out-of-school programs increased from 10 to 15 individuals.
• Personal services that require the removal of face coverings permitted to reopen (e.g., facials, beard trims).
  • Services are recommended to be kept under 15 minutes and the employee conducting the service must always wear a face covering.
• All places of business should provide hand sanitizer for patrons and employees to use upon entry.
• Residential property managers are asked to continue limiting guest entry to five additional people for single-member households such that total indoor gatherings and parties do not exceed six people.

Industry specific guidelines, updated to reflect these changes, can be found here.

September 30, 2020:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced that Illinois Region 1 will be subject to additional Mitigation Measures effective Saturday, October 3. Region 1, consisting of Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago Counties, will see the following mitigation measures take effect on Saturday:

• 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

Additional mitigations were similarly instituted in Region 7 on August 26, and Region 4 on September 2. Region 7 rejoined most of Illinois in Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan on September 18. Region 4 remains subject to the additional mitigations.

September 29, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Texas, Kentucky, Nevada, and Wyoming effective Friday, October 2 at 12:01 a.m. Individuals arriving to Chicago from any of the states or territories identified under the Order are required to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory. States and territories subject to the required quarantine period will be removed from the list when the daily case average in that state or territory declines below 15 daily cases per 100k residents for two consecutive weeks.

September 28, 2020:

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot announced the easing of various guidelines under Phase Four of Chicago’s Reopening Framework. Effective Thursday, October 1, at 5:00 a.m. the following guidelines will go into effect:

• Increased Indoor Capacity: Restaurants, health and fitness centers, personal services, non-essential retail and all other establishments that have been limited to 25% indoor capacity will now be able to increase their maximum indoor capacity to 40%. The limit of 50 total customers within one room or space at restaurants, venues and other establishments will remain in place, as will the limit of no more than six people per table.
• Reopening of Bars: Breweries, taverns, bars and other establishments that serve alcohol without a food license may reopen with indoor seating, at 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer. Service remains limited to no more than two hours per party, and customers must be seated when eating, drinking or ordering – patrons cannot walk up to the bar to order.
• Extended Hours for Bars and Restaurants: Bars, restaurants and other establishments that serve alcohol will now be able to sell alcohol for on-site or off-site consumption until 1:00 am and may remain open until 1:30 am. Liquor stores, grocery stores and other establishments that sell alcohol to-go through a Packaged Goods license must continue to cease alcohol sales at 9:00 p.m.
• Increased Group Size: Maximum group size for health and fitness classes and after-school programming will increase from 10 to 15 people.
• Expanded Personal Services: Facials, shaves and other personal services that require the removal of face coverings will be allowed.

The following additional guidelines will also go into effect in an effort to maintain Chicago’s reopening progress:

• When dining out at a food service establishment or bar, customers must always wear face coverings while seated, except when actively eating or drinking. This protects employees that may interact closely with patrons.
• Patrons at indoor bars, taverns and breweries must order from their seats – they cannot walk up to the bar to order.
• Bars, taverns and breweries that are reopening indoors must partner with a food establishment so that food is available to patrons at all times (e.g., making menus available and allowing delivery, allowing patrons to order from third-party delivery services).
• When taking reservations and seating walk-in customers, restaurants and bars should retain an email and/or phone number for possible contact tracing.
• Personal services that require the removal of face coverings are recommended to be kept under 15 minutes, and the employee conducting the service must always wear a face covering.
• All places of business should provide hand sanitizer for patrons and employees to use upon entry.

Updated reopening guidelines can be found here.

September 22, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, Montana, Idaho, and Minnesota effective Friday, September 25 at 12:01 a.m. Individuals arriving to Chicago from any of the states or territories identified under the Order are required to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory. Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, and Idaho will rejoin the list having previously been included and removed. States and territories subject to the required quarantine period will be removed from the list when the daily case average in that state or territory declines below 15 daily cases per 100k residents.

September 21, 2020:

Region 7, consisting of Kankakee and Will County, rejoined most of Illinois under Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan. On September 18, Governor Pritzker filed Executive Order 2020-55 rescinding Executive Order 2020-53 which imposed additional Mitigation Measures in Region 7. Under Phase 4, meeting, social event and gathering capacity in Region 7 will now be limited to the lesser of 50 people or 50 percent of overall room capacity. Additionally, indoor service at bars and restaurants can resume. Phase 4 guidelines can be found here.

September 16, 2020:

Illinois Region 7, consisting of Kankakee and Will county, may soon see its Mitigation Measures rolled back. The additional mitigations, effective August 26, were put in place a result of Region 7’s positivity rate in excess of 8 percent for three consecutive days. Notably, under the additional mitigations, indoor service at bars and restaurants is prohibited. Additionally, meeting, social event and gathering capacity is limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 20 percent of overall room capacity. The Region’s positivity rate dropped to 6.4 percent on September 15. If Region 7 maintains a positivity rate less than or equal to 6.5 percent for three consecutive days, it may join most of Illinois under Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan.

Additional Mitigation Measures were also put in place in Region 4 on September 2. The Region, consisting of Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington counties, has not seen the same success as Region 7 in recent weeks. Region 4 has a current positivity rate of 8.9 percent.

Regional COVID-19 data can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website.

September 15, 2020:

Applications under the second round of the Business Interruption Grants Program (BIG), developed by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly, will open on Thursday, September 17. The program aims to provide funding to small business and especially those businesses in disproportionately impacted areas and heavily impacted industries. The $220 million available under the second round has been allocated in the following manner:

• Heavily Impacted Industries
  • $60 million for heavily distressed industries, such as movie theatres, performing arts venues, concert venues, indoor recreation, amusement parks, and more.
• Disproportionately Impacted Areas (DIA)
  • $70 million set aside for DIAs, defined by zip codes identified by the General Assembly for communities that are most economically distressed and vulnerable to COVID-19. A searchable map of DIAs can be found here.
• Downstate Communities
  • The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has committed to ensuring that at least half of all remaining funds, totaling more than $100 million, are reserved for businesses in downstate and rural communities of Illinois.
• Priority Businesses
  • Apart from the $60 million for heavily impacted industries, applications from the following types of businesses will be prioritized for review for remaining funds: businesses directly affected by regional mitigations implemented by the state or local governments, independently owned retail, tourism and hospitality related industries including accommodations, and more.
• Agriculture
  • $5 million of the remainder of funds will be set aside for livestock production disruptions. Applications will be available in the coming weeks from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
• Grants and Loan Forgiveness for Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan recipients
  • As authorized by the General Assembly, DCEO will offer grants for businesses that have incurred eligible costs to offset loans received under the Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan program. This round of loan forgiveness and grants will go to businesses that have received loans or remain on the wait list and the program will sunset going forward as DCEO and its partners focus on making BIG awards.

Businesses outside the above categories are eligible to apply for and receive funding but may be reviewed later than priority businesses. While the application portal is not open until September 17, the DCEO has released the application questions and required document checklist.

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Utah effective Friday, September 18 at 12:01 a.m. Individuals arriving to Chicago from any of the states or territories identified under the Order are required to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory. States and territories subject to the required quarantine period will be removed from the list when the daily case average in that state or territory declines below 15 daily cases per 100k residents.

September 8, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Kentucky effective Friday, September 11 at 12:01 a.m. Individuals arriving to Chicago from any of the states or territories identified under the Order are required to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory. States and territories subject to the required quarantine period will be removed from the list when the daily case average in that state or territory declines below 15 daily cases per 100k residents for two consecutive weeks. Recently, California and Puerto Rico were removed from the list having both dropped below the 15 daily cases per 100k residents threshold.

September 2, 2020:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced additional COVID-19 mitigations to be implemented in Region 4 effective September 2. Region 4, also referred to as the Metro East region, consists of the following counties: Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington. Tier 1 mitigations were instituted in Region 4 on August 18. With a current 7-day rolling test positivity average of 9.6%, Region 4 will now be subject to Tier 2 mitigations. These new mitigation requirements include:

• Bars
  • All bars close at 11:00 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6 a.m. the following day
  • No indoor service
  • 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
  • All restaurants close at 11:00 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6:00 a.m. the following day
  • No indoor dining or bar service
  • 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 and gatherings (including weddings, funerals, potlucks, etc.)
  • Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity both indoors and outdoors
  • 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
• Organized group recreational activities (fitness centers, sports, etc.)
  • No change
  • All Sport Guidance effective August 15, 2020, remains in effect
  • Outdoor Activities (not included in the above exposure settings) continue per current DCEO guidance

Additional information on the COVID-19 mitigation tiers can be found here.

September 1, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Hawaii, Nebraska, and North Carolina effective Friday, September 4 at 12:01 a.m. Individuals arriving to Chicago from any of the states or territories identified under the Order are required to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory. States and territories subject to the required quarantine period will be removed from the list when the daily case average in that state or territory declines below 15 daily cases per 100k residents for two consecutive weeks.

August 27, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include South Dakota effective Friday, August 28 at 12:01 a.m. Individuals arriving to Chicago from South Dakota or any of the 18 other states and territories currently included under the Order are required to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state. States and territories subject to the required quarantine period will be removed from the list when the daily case average in that state or territory declines below 15 daily cases per 100k residents for two consecutive weeks.

August 25, 2020:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced new COVID-19 mitigation efforts to take effect in Region 7. This region includes Will and Kankakee counties. Beginning August 26, the following mitigation requirements will go into effect:

• Bars
  • All bars close at 11:00 p.m.
  • No indoor service
  • 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
  • All restaurants close at 11:00 p.m.
  • No indoor dining or bar service
  • 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 and gatherings
  • Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% 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

Region 7 will be monitored by the IDPH over a 14-day period. If the positivity rate averages greater than or equal to 8 percent after 14-days, additional mitigations will be imposed.

Additionally, the State of Illinois released new safety guidelines for restaurants and bars which go into effect on August 26. Namely, Illinois patrons will now be required to wear face coverings when approached by staff. Examples where face coverings must be worn include occasions where employees approach to take orders or deliver food and beverages to the table. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) maintains various Industry Toolkits to assist businesses in adjusting to changing guidelines and requirements. DCEO toolkit for Indoor and Outdoor Dining, updated to include these new safety guidelines, can be found here.

August 18, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now have Iowa and Kansas rejoin the travel quarantine list effective Friday, August 21 at 12:01 a.m. Both states are rejoining 18 states included under the Order which requires individuals arriving to Chicago to quarantine for 14-days.

August 17, 2020:

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced new COVID-19 mitigation efforts that will be implemented in the Metro East area beginning Tuesday, August 18. The Metro East region includes the following counties: Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington. Measures include the closing of bars, restaurants, and casinos by 11:00 p.m., the closing of party buses and the reduction of gathering sizes to the lesser of 25 people or 25 percent of room capacity. These measures will remain in effect over a 14-day period after which time more stringent mitigation measures, such as the closing of indoor bars and dining, may be implemented if metrics do not improve. The new mitigations can be found here.

August 10, 2020:

On August 7, 2020, Governor Pritzker announced efforts to protect Illinois communities and frontline workers by filing emergency rules for businesses, schools, and child care establishments regarding the use of face coverings and the size of gatherings. The rules provide flexibility for local communities and a measured process to keep people safe. That process is as follows:

• First, businesses will be given a warning in the form of written notice and encouraged to voluntarily comply with public health guidance.

• Second, businesses that do not voluntarily comply will be given an order to have some or all of their patrons leave the premises as needed to comply with public health and guidance and reduce risks.

• Third, if the business continues to refuse to comply, the business can receive a class A misdemeanor and be subject to a fine ranging from $75-$2,5000.

These rules do not apply to individuals and penalties will not exceed a misdemeanor and a $75-$2,500 fine.

Additionally, the Governor signed Senate Bill 471, that will take effect immediately, to help protect workers who continue to serve on the frontlines of the pandemic. The law adds a penalty for assaulting or battering a retail worker who is conveying public health guidance. The law also increases paid disability leave for any injury that occurs after March 9, 2020 by 60 days for firefighters, law enforcement and paramedics whose recovery was hindered by COVID-19.

More specifically, eligible employees include:

• Any part-time or full-time State correctional officer or any other full or part-time employee of the Department of Corrections

• Any full or part-time employee of the Prisoner Review Board

• Any full or part-time employee of the Department of Human Services working within a penal institution or a State mental health or developmental disabilities facility operated by the Department of Human Services

• Any full-time law enforcement officer or full-time firefighter.

August 6, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Puerto Rico effective Friday, August 7 at 12:01 a.m. Puerto Rico will join 22 states included under the Order which requires individuals arriving to Chicago to quarantine for 14-days.

Additionally, Mayor Lightfoot and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Regional Business Centers (RBC) to support local small businesses, particularly entrepreneurs of color. Five neighborhood organizations will be chosen to serve as licensing and resource hubs for small business owners. The RFP period is now open and information can be found here. Applications will be accepted from eligible organizations through August 31, 2020, and the five selected RBCs will be identified by early September.

August 5, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include Puerto Rico, effective Friday, August 7 at 12:01 a.m. Puerto Rico will join 22 states included under the Order which requires individuals arriving to Chicago to quarantine for 14-days.

Additionally, Mayor Lightfoot, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protections, and the Chicago Department of Transportation announced an expansion of the Outdoor Dining Program. Effective immediately, individual establishments that serve alcohol without a Retail Food License may apply to use this program to temporarily operate on the sidewalk in front of their establishment, and all restaurants and bars may use the permit in outdoor areas that would typically require an Outdoor Patio License. Bars and restaurants can use the Expanded Outdoor Dining Permit to temporarily operate in locations that would typically require the permanent Outdoor Patio License, reducing time to receive approval by up to two months and removing additional regulatory burdens that have prevented some applicants from receiving their permits.

July 30, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health’s updated Emergency Travel Order will now include the following states effective Friday, July 31, at 12:01 a.m.: Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. These four states will join 18 other states included under the Order which requires individuals arriving to Chicago from these states to quarantine for 14-days.

July 28, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health updated the Emergency Travel Order that went into effect on July 6. Under the Order travelers entering or returning to Chicago from the following states are directed to self-quarantine for a 14-day period upon arriving in Chicago: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma. Effective Friday, July 31, at 12:01 a.m., individuals arriving from the following states will also be subject to the 14-day quarantine period: Missouri, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Nebraska.

Businesses should continue to limit non-essential travel and should be prepared to accommodate the 14-day quarantine period for employees who must travel to these states.

The order also contains limited exceptions for essential workers, those working in critical infrastructure. Essential workers traveling for work purposes should still:

• Avoid any non-essential interactions until the quarantine period has ended. They must limit their activities to work-related activities and functions that directly support their work-related activities and avoid public spaces as much as possible.
• Monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.

To the extent possible, avoid extended periods in public, contact with strangers, and large congregate settings.

July 27, 2020:

On July 24, 2020, Governor Pritzker extended the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation and filed Executive Order 2020-48 extending 30 of his previous Executive Orders relating to COVID-19 through August 22, 2020. Notable Executive Orders among those extended include:

• Executive Order 2020-25 which suspends sections in the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure that permit the service of a garnishment summons, wage deduction summons, or a citation to discover assets on a consumer debtor or consumer garnishee;
• Executive Order 2020-30 which prohibits the commencement of residential eviction actions and the enforcement of orders of eviction for residential properties;
• Executive Order 2020-43 which lists public health requirements for individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations.

July 23, 2020:

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP)’s new reopening restrictions go into effect tomorrow at 12:01 a.m., these restrictions include:

• Bars, taverns, breweries and other establishments that serve alcohol for on-site consumption without a Retail Food license will no longer be able to serve customers indoors.
  • Restaurants that serve alcohol will be allowed to continue to operate as long as they abide by ongoing COVID-19 guidance and existing regulations.
  • Establishments without food may still provide outdoor service as they did under phase three.
• Maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants, bars, taverns and breweries will be reduced to six people.
• Indoor fitness class size will be reduced to a maximum of 10 people.
• Personal services requiring the removal of face coverings will no longer be permitted (shaves, facials, etc.).
• Residential property managers will be asked to limit guest entry to five per unit to avoid indoor gatherings and parties.

July 21, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health issued an emergency travel order that went into effect on July 6. Under the order, travelers coming to Chicago from the following states are directed to self-quarantine for a 14-day period upon arriving in Chicago: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Iowa, and Oklahoma. Notably, effective Friday, July 24 at 12:01 a.m., travelers from Kansas will also be subject to the 14-day self-quarantine period. Businesses should continue to limit non-essential travel and should be prepared to accommodate the 14-day quarantine period for employees who travel to these states.

The order also contains limited exceptions for essential workers, those working in critical infrastructure. Essential workers traveling for work purposes should:

• Avoid any non-essential interactions until the quarantine period has ended. They must limit their activities to work-related activities and functions that directly support their work-related activities and avoid public spaces as much as possible.
• Monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.
• To the extent possible, avoid extended periods in public, contact with strangers, and large congregate settings.

July 20, 2020:

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced the reinstatement of certain reopening restrictions following a recent rise in cases. Beginning Friday, July 24 at 12:01 a.m., the following restrictions will go into effect:

• Bars, taverns, breweries and other establishments that serve alcohol for on-site consumption without a Retail Food license will no longer be able to serve customers indoors.
  • Restaurants that serve alcohol will be allowed to continue to operate as long as they abide by ongoing COVID-19 guidance and existing regulations.
  • Establishments without food may still provide outdoor service as they did under phase three.
• Maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants, bars, taverns and breweries will be reduced to six people.
• Indoor fitness class size will be reduced to a maximum of 10 people.
• Personal services requiring the removal of face coverings will no longer be permitted (shaves, facials, etc.).
• Residential property managers will be asked to limit guest entry to five per unit to avoid indoor gatherings and parties.

The BACP will be hosting reopening framework webinars throughout the week to assist businesses in adapting to these new restrictions. A July 21 webinar beginning at 2:00 p.m. will address these restriction as applied to all businesses, followed by a 4:00 p.m. session dealing specifically with restaurants and bars. The BACP will host additional sessions addressing health and fitness centers on July 22 at 10 a.m., and personal services at 10:00 a.m. on July 23. These webinars can be accessed here.

July 16, 2020:

Under Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan, Illinois will now be divided into 11 regions. Previously, Illinois was divided into four regions under the plan: Northeast Illinois, North-Central Illinois, Central Illinois, and Southern Illinois. Now, Illinois is divided into the following regions: North, North-Central, West-Central, Metro East, Southern, East-Central, Southern Suburban, West Suburban, North Suburban, Suburban Cook, and Chicago.

In light of the recent COVID-19 resurgence in Illinois, each region could be subject to additional restrictions based upon the following factors:

• Sustained increase in 7-day rolling average (7 out of 10 days) in the positivity rate; and one of the following:
  • Sustained 7-day increase in hospital admissions for a COVID-19 like illness; or
  • Reduction in hospital capacity threatening surge capabilities (ICU capacity or medical/surgical beds under 20%)
• Or, three consecutive days averaging greater than or equal to 8% positivity rate

If an individual region experiences a resurgence, as defined by the factors above, it may be subject to various mitigation tiers. Continued resurgence will cause a region to advance to a more restrictive mitigation tier. For example:

• Offices
  • Tier 1: Institute remote work for high risk individuals; continued emphasis on telework for as many workers as possible
  • Tier 2: Reduce office capacity with recommendations to resume remote work where possible
  • Tier 3: Institute remote work for all non-essential workers

July 15, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health issued an emergency travel order that went into effect on July 6. Under the order, travelers coming to Chicago from the following states are directed to self-quarantine for a 14-day period upon arriving in Chicago: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Travelers from Iowa and Oklahoma are also now subject to the self-quarantine. Businesses should continue to limit non-essential travel and should be prepared to accommodate the 14-day quarantine period for employees who must travel to these states.

The order also contains limited exceptions for essential workers, those working in critical infrastructure. Essential workers traveling for work purposes should still:

• Avoid any non-essential interactions until the quarantine period has ended. They must limit their activities to work-related activities and functions that directly support their work-related activities and avoid public spaces as much as possible.
• Monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.
• To the extent possible, avoid extended periods in public, contact with strangers, and large congregate settings.

July 13, 2020:

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot announced that bars and restaurants with a liquor license must close by midnight in an effort to reduce the spread of the virus. Rules that ban the sale of alcohol for on-site consumption after 11 p.m. remain in place. Bars and restaurants offering curbside pick-up or delivery and restaurants that do not have a liquor license can continue to stay open past midnight.

July 7, 2020:

(Chicago): The Chicago Department of Public Health issued an emergency travel order that went into effect on July 6. Under the order, travelers coming to Chicago from the following states are directed to self-quarantine for a 14-day period upon arriving in Chicago: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Businesses should continue to limit non-essential travel and should be prepared to accommodate the 14-day quarantine period for employees who must travel to these states.

The order also contains limited exceptions for essential workers, those working in critical infrastructure. Essential workers traveling for work purposes should still:

• Avoid any non-essential interactions until the quarantine period has ended. They must limit their activities to work-related activities and functions that directly support their work-related activities and avoid public spaces as much as possible.
• Monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.
• To the extent possible, avoid extended periods in public, contact with strangers, and large congregate settings.

July 6, 2020:

Illinois is in Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has provided a Phase 4 guidelines overview. Industry-specific guidelines for Phase 4 are available for the following:

• Meetings and Social Gatherings
• Indoor and Outdoor Recreation
• Indoor and Outdoor Dining
• Museums
• Zoos
• Theaters and Performing Arts
• Youth and Recreational Sports
• Swimming facilities
• Film Production
• Manufacturing
• Offices
• Retail
• Service Counters
• Health and Fitness Centers
• Personal Care Services
• Day Camps

(Chicago): Chicago entered Phase 4 of Mayor Lightfoot’s reopening framework on Friday, June 26. Under Phase 4, the following industries may open with specific safety guidelines:

• Education and Childcare
  • Childcare guidelines
  • Higher education guidelines
  • Summer programs & youth activities guidelines
• Office and Real Estate
  • Commercial buildings guidelines
  • Residential buildings guidelines
• Accommodation and Tourism
  • Hotel and accommodation guidelines
  • Short term rentals guidelines
• Food Service and Bars
  • Food service and bars guidelines
• Retail and Services
  • Retail guidelines
  • Personal services guidelines
  • Health and fitness clubs guidelines
• B2B
  • Manufacturing guidelines
  • Construction guidelines
  • Transportation and warehousing guidelines
• Healthcare
  • Healthcare guidelines
• Transportation
  • CTA guidelines
  • Taxi and ride hail guidelines
• Parks and Outdoor Attractions
  • Parks and outdoor attractions guidelines
• Arts and Culture
  • Places of worship guidelines*
  • Film and TV production guidelines
  • Museums
  • Performance venues
  • Movie theaters

*Phase 3 guidelines

While guidelines differ between industries, common guidelines include (1) maintaining 6-foot social distancing, (2) requiring face coverings in common areas, (3) frequently cleaning “high touch” areas, and (4) posting visual signage regarding hygiene, social distancing and proper PPE. Importantly, these industry guidelines do not provide a one-size-fits-all blueprint. Rather, businesses should take care to assess employee and customer needs as well as the layout and dimensions of the business facility.

June 30, 2020:

Illinois entered Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan on Friday, June 26. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has provided a Phase 4 guidelines overview. Industry-specific guidelines for Phase 4 are available for the following:

• Meetings and Social Gatherings
• Indoor and Outdoor Recreation
• Indoor and Outdoor Dining
• Museums
• Zoos
• Theaters and Performing Arts
• Youth and Recreational Sports
• Swimming facilities
• Film Production
• Manufacturing
• Offices
• Retail
• Service Counters
• Health and Fitness Centers
• Personal Care Services
• Day Camps

(Chicago): Chicago entered Phase 4 of Mayor Lightfoot's framework on Friday, June 26. Under Phase 4, the following industries may open with specific safety guidelines:

• Education and Childcare
  • Childcare guidelines (Phase 3 guidelines)
  • Higher education guidelines (Phase 3 guidelines)
  • Summer programs & youth activities guidelines
• Office and Real Estate
  • Commercial buildings guidelines
  • Residential buildings guidelines
• Accommodation and Tourism
  • Hotel and accommodation guidelines
  • Short term rentals guidelines
• Food Service and Bars
  • Food service and bars guidelines
• Retail and Services
  • Retail guidelines
  • Personal services guidelines
  • Health and fitness clubs guidelines
• B2B
  • Manufacturing guidelines
  • Construction guidelines
  • Transportation and warehousing guidelines
• Healthcare
  • Healthcare guidelines
• Transportation
  • CTA guidelines
  • Taxi and ride hail guidelines
• Parks and Outdoor Attractions
  • Parks and outdoor attractions guidelines
• Arts and Culture
  • Places of worship guidelines (Phase 3 guidelines)
  • Film and TV production guidelines
  • Museums
  • Performance venues
  • Movie theaters

While guidelines differ between industries, common guidelines include (1) maintaining 6-foot social distancing, (2) requiring face coverings in common areas, (3) frequently cleaning “high touch” areas, and (4) posting visual signage regarding hygiene, social distancing and proper PPE. Importantly, these industry guidelines do not provide a one-size-fits-all blueprint. Rather, businesses should take care to assess employee and customer needs as well as the layout and dimensions of the business facility.

June 25, 2020:

Illinois enters Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan on Friday, June 26. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has provided a Phase 4 guidelines overview. Industry-specific guidelines for Phase 4 are available for the following:

• Meetings and Social Gatherings
• Indoor and Outdoor Recreation
• Indoor and Outdoor Dining
• Museums
• Zoos
• Theaters and Performing Arts
• Youth and Recreational Sports
• Film Production
• Manufacturing
• Offices
• Retail
• Service Counters
• Health and Fitness Centers
• Personal Care Services
• Day Camps

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, and the Department of Transportation announced an expansion to Chicago’s citywide outdoor dining program. The expansion allows certain restaurants to expand their outdoor seating capacity by closing streets in the following areas:

• Balmoral Street – closed on both sides of North Clark
• Chinatown Square – adjacent to Archer Avenue from Wentworth to Princeton
• Taylor Street – closed from Loomis to Ashland
• Oliphant Avenue – closed from Northwest Highway to the first alley to the North
• 75th Street – sidewalk dining areas from Indiana to Calumet

Chicago enters Phase 4 of Mayor Lightfoot’s reopening framework on Friday, June 26. Under Phase 4, the following industries may open with specific safety guidelines:

• Education and Childcare
  • Childcare guidelines
  • Higher education guidelines
  • Summer programs & youth activities guidelines
• Office and Real Estate
  • Commercial buildings guidelines
  • Residential buildings guidelines
• Accommodation and Tourism
  • Hotel and accommodation guidelines
  • Short term rentals guidelines
• Food Service and Bars
  • Food service and bars guidelines
• Retail and Services
  • Retail guidelines
  • Personal services guidelines
  • Health and fitness clubs guidelines
• B2B
  • Manufacturing guidelines
  • Construction guidelines
  • Transportation and warehousing guidelines
• Healthcare
  • Healthcare guidelines
• Transportation
  • CTA guidelines
  • Taxi and ride hail guidelines
• Parks and Outdoor Attractions
  • Parks and outdoor attractions guidelines
• Arts and Culture
  • Places of worship guidelines
  • Film and TV production guidelines
  • Museums
  • Performance venues
  • Movie theaters

While guidelines differ between industries, common guidelines include (1) maintaining 6-foot social distancing, (2) requiring face coverings in common areas, (3) frequently cleaning “high touch” areas, and (4) posting visual signage regarding hygiene, social distancing and proper PPE. Importantly, these industry guidelines do not provide a one-size-fits-all blueprint. Rather, businesses should take care to assess employee and customer needs as well as the layout and dimensions of the business facility.

June 24, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced that Illinois K–12 schools will be allowed to reopen for in-person instruction this fall. Each Illinois school district must develop its own reopening plan before in-person instruction resumes. Safety guidelines will require teachers, staff, and students to wear face coverings, maintain social distancing, undergo screenings for symptoms, and increase cleaning and disinfection. Individual schools or districts could still opt to continue online learning. Community colleges and universities will also be allowed to reopen this fall, subject to guidance released by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) released applications for a new grant program to offset the economic impact of the pandemic on Illinois businesses. Applications are due on July 7. Eligibility and application information can be accessed through DCEO’s website.

June 23, 2020:

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health announced that Chicago will join the rest of Illinois and move into Phase 4 on Friday, June 26. This is one week sooner than was previously announced. By moving into Phase 4, the following industries can open in Chicago for the first time, subject to Chicago’s Phase 4 industry guidelines:

• Indoor seating in bars and restaurants
• Museums
• Zoos
• Performance venues
• Youth and recreational sports

The Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection of Chicago is hosting webinars on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week to help businesses of all industries prepare for the Phase 4 guidelines.

June 22, 2020:

Current data from the Illinois Department of Public Health shows that each of Illinois’ four regions are on track enter Phase 4 on June 26. For the first time, all four regions have a positivity rate below 5%. Governor Pritzker, in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Activity, has released guidelines specific to Phase 4. Guidelines and other resources are available for the following:

• Meetings and Social Gatherings
• Indoor and Outdoor Recreation
• Indoor and Outdoor Dining
• Museums
• Zoos
• Theaters and Performing Arts
• Youth and Recreational Sports
• Film Production
• Manufacturing
• Offices
• Retail
• Service Counters
• Health and Fitness Centers
• Personal Care Services
• Day Camps

(Chicago): Starting on Friday, June 26, restaurants and bars will be able to allow indoor service, subject to the following guidelines:

• 25% capacity, with a maximum capacity of 50 people per room or floor
• Tables must be six feet apart, with ten people or fewer per table
• Drinking establishments without a Retail Food Establishment License will be limited to a maximum of two hours per party
• Alcohol sales at bars and restaurants for on-site consumption must cease at 11:00 p.m. each night
• Alcohol sales for carryout or delivery must cease at 9:00 p.m. each night
• Employees and customers must wear protective gear
• Establishments must abide by daily cleaning and sanitizing standards
• Signs must provide visual guidance on hygiene standards, social distancing, and protective gear requirements
• Ventilation systems must be clean and must be operating properly

June 17, 2020:

Under Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan, Illinois is divided into the following four regions: Northeast Illinois; North-Central Illinois; Central Illinois; and Southern Illinois. Under the Plan, a region may enter Phase 4 upon satisfying the following conditions: 

• At or under a 20 percent positivity rate and increasing no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period, AND
• No overall increase (i.e. stability or decrease) in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days, AND
• Available surge capacity of at least 14 percent of ICU beds, medical and surgical beds, and ventilators

Current data from the Illinois Department of Public Health shows that each Illinois region is positioned to move into Phase 4 on June 26.

(Chicago): Chicago bars and breweries were permitted to reopen outdoor seating areas today. Industry specific guidelines for bars and restaurants define outdoor dining and alcohol consumption areas as rooftops, rooms with retractable roofs and indoor spaces where 50% or more of a wall can be removed via the opening of windows, doors, or panels provided that dining tables are within 8-ft from such openings. Notable guidelines for bars and restaurants include:

• Space tables 6 feet apart
• Complete and meet standards set forth in the FDA reopening checklist
• Drinking establishments with tavern licenses should provide access to food, if possible
• Drinking establishments with tavern licenses should limit seating to a maximum of 2 hours to manage consumption of alcohol
• If practical, establish separate entry and exit doors to access indoor amenities, such as restrooms
• Use impermeable barriers where 6-foot social distancing is not possible
• Ensure music volume remains low so employees and customers can practice social distancing while talking

June 16, 2020:

(Chicago): Chicago bars and breweries will reportedly be permitted to reopen outdoor seating areas on Wednesday, June 17. Since Chicago entered Phase 3 of Mayor Lightfoot’s reopening framework on June 3, restaurants and coffee shops have been permitted to open for outdoor dining, but bars and breweries were excluded from this allowance. Previously released food service industry guidelines have been amended to include guidance for bars. Under the industry specific guidelines, dining and alcohol consumption areas considered to be outdoors include rooftops, rooms with retractable roofs and indoor spaces where 50% or more of a wall can be removed via the opening of windows, doors, or panels provided that dining tables are within 8-ft from such openings. While all the industry guidelines should be carefully followed some notable guidelines include:

• Space tables 6 feet apart
• Complete and meet standards set forth in the FDA reopening checklist
• Drinking establishments with tavern licenses should provide access to food if possible
• Drinking establishments with tavern licenses should limit seating to a maximum of 2 hours to manage consumption of alcohol
• If practical, establish separate entry and exit doors to access indoor amenities (e.g., restrooms)

June 15, 2020:

(Chicago): Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady announced that Chicago is on track to move into the next phase of reopening on July 1. While Illinois is subject to Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan, Mayor Lightfoot has instituted her own Chicago specific reopening framework. At this time, Illinois will assumedly move into Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s plan on June 26, with Chicago entering Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s and Mayor Lightfoot’s respective plans on July 1.

June 11, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced that while Illinois is on track to move into Phase 4 of his Restore Illinois Plan it will not do so before June 26. The following factors will determine whether Illinois will move into Phase 4:

• Cases and Capacity: The determination of moving from Phase 3 to Phase 4 will be driven by the COVID-19 positivity rate in each region and measures of maintaining regional hospital surge capacity.
  • At or under a 20 percent positivity rate and increasing no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period, AND
  • No overall increase (i.e. stability or decrease) in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days, AND
  • Available surge capacity of at least 14 percent of ICU beds, medical and surgical beds, and ventilators
• Testing: Testing available in region regardless of symptoms or risk factors
• Tracing: Begin contact tracing and monitoring within 24 hours of diagnosis for more than 90% of cases in region

Illinois’ progression into Phase 4 will bring the following changes:

• Gatherings: Gatherings of 50 people or fewer are allowed with this limit subject to change based on latest data and guidance
• Travel: Travel should follow IDPH and CDC approved guidance
• Health care: All health care providers are open
• Education and child care: P-12 schools, higher education, all summer programs, and child care open with IDPH approved safety guidance
• Outdoor Recreation: All outdoor recreation allowed
• Businesses:
  • Manufacturing: All manufacturing open with IDPH approved safety guidance
  • “Non-essential” businesses: All employees return to work with IDPH approved safety guidance; Employers are encouraged to provide accommodations for COVID-19-vulnerable employees
  • Bars and restaurants: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance
  • Personal care services and health clubs: All barbershops, salons, spas and health and fitness clubs open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance
  • Entertainment: Cinema and theaters open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance
  • Retail: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance

True of each Phase, there is no guarantee that Illinois will remain in Phase 4. The IDPH will recommend Illinois’ return to a previous phase based on the following factors:

• Sustained rise in positivity rate
• Sustained increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness
• Reduction in hospital capacity threatening surge capabilities
• Significant outbreak in the region that threatens the health of the region

(Chicago): Chicago cannot enter phase 4 of Mayor Lightfoot’s reopening framework prior to Illinois’ movement into Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan. However, Mayor Lightfoot can delay Chicago’s progression under the respective reopening plans. It is unclear at this time whether Chicago will progress into Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Plan with the rest of Illinois on June 26.

June 3, 2020:

(Chicago): Chicago entered Phase 3 of Mayor Lightfoot’s reopening framework today. Under Phase 3, the following industries may open with specific safety guidelines:

• Childcare centers and family childcare
• Non-lakefront parks (no contact sports)
• Libraries and other city services
• Office-based jobs, professional services, and real estate services
• Hotels / lodging
• Outdoor attractions, such as boating – not including the Playpen, non-Lakefront golf courses
• Non-essential retail
• Personal services, such as hair/nail salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors
• Restaurants and coffee shops (outdoor dining only)
• Manufacturing, construction, and warehousing
• Hospitals, dentists, community mental health centers, and Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Public transit, regional transit, taxis and rideshare
• Gyms (outdoor and 1:1 personal training only)

Mayor Lightfoot released industry specific guidelines for Chicago businesses transitioning into Phase 3. These guidelines include the following:

• Education and Childcare
  • Childcare guidelines
• Office and Real Estate
  • Commercial buildings guidelines
  • Residential buildings guidelines
• Accommodation and Tourism
  • Hotel and accommodation guidelines
• Food Service
  • Food service guidelines
• Retail and Services
  • Retail guidelines
  • Personal services guidelines
  • Health and fitness clubs guidelines
• B2B
  • Manufacturing guidelines
  • Construction guidelines
  • Transportation and warehousing guidelines
• Healthcare
  • Healthcare guidelines
• Transportation
  • Transportation and warehousing guidelines
  • CTA guidelines
  • Taxi and ride hail guidelines
• Parks and Outdoor Attractions
  • Parks and outdoor attractions guidelines

While guidelines differ between industries, common guidelines include (1) maintaining 6-foot social distancing, (2) requiring face coverings in common areas, (3) frequently cleaning “high touch” areas, and (4) posting visual signage regarding hygiene, social distancing and proper PPE. Importantly, these industry guidelines do not provide a one-size-fits-all blueprint. Rather, businesses should take care to assess employee and customer needs as well as the layout and dimensions of the business facility.

June 2, 2020:

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot announced today that Chicago will enter Phase 3 of her reopening framework on Wednesday, June 3. The following industry specific guidelines have been released to guide Chicago businesses under this next phase:

• Education and Childcare
  • Childcare guidelines
• Office and Real Estate
  • Commercial buildings guidelines
  • Residential buildings guidelines
• Accommodation and Tourism
  • Hotel and accommodation guidelines
• Food Service
  • Food service guidelines
• Retail and Services
  • Retail guidelines
  • Personal services guidelines
  • Health and fitness clubs guidelines
• B2B
  • Manufacturing guidelines
  • Construction guidelines
  • Transportation and warehousing guidelines
• Healthcare
  • Healthcare guidelines
• Transportation
  • CTA guidelines
  • Taxi and ride hail guidelines
• Parks and Outdoor Attractions
  • Parks and outdoor attractions guidelines

June 1, 2020:

Illinois moved into Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan on May 29. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity released a Phase 3 Business Toolkit containing industry specific guidance for Illinois businesses transitioning into Phase 3. Friday, June 26 is the earliest date any Illinois region can move into Phase 4 of the Plan.

(Chicago): Chicago is expected to move into Phase 3 of Mayor Lightfoot’s Chicago-specific reopening framework on Wednesday, June 3. However, Mayor Lightfoot has announced that Chicago officials are considering pushing back the June 3 transition in light of ongoing protests in Chicago. At this point, no decision on delaying Chicago’s move into Phase 3 has been released. When Chicago does move into Phase 3, the following industry specific guidelines have been released to guide businesses:

• Education and Childcare
  • Childcare guidelines
• Office and Real Estate
  • Commercial buildings guidelines
  • Residential buildings guidelines
• Accommodation and Tourism
  • Hotel and accommodation guidelines
• Food Service
  • Food service guidelines
• Retail and Services
  • Retail guidelines
  • Personal services guidelines
  • Health and fitness clubs guidelines
• B2B
  • Manufacturing guidelines
  • Construction guidelines
  • Transportation and warehousing guidelines
• Healthcare
  • Healthcare guidelines
• Transportation
  • CTA guidelines
  • Taxi and ride hail guidelines
• Parks and Outdoor Attractions
  • Parks and outdoor attractions guidelines

May 29, 2020:

Illinois entered Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan today. In conjunction with Governor Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has released a Phase 3 Business Toolkit. The toolkit contains industry specific guidance for Illinois businesses. This industry specific guidance provides a clearer and up-to-date overview of the changes under Phase 3. This guidance contains the following information:

• Boating and Fishing Guidelines
• Youth Sports Guidelines
• Tennis Facility and Player Safety Guidance
• Service Counter Guidelines
• Retail Guidelines
• Restaurant and Bars for Outdoor Dining Guidelines
• Personal Care Services Guidelines
• Outdoor Recreation Guidelines
• Offices Guidelines
• Manufacturing Guidelines
• Health and Fitness Business Guidelines
• Golf Operational Restrictions
• Day Camps Guidelines

Friday, June 26 is the earliest date any Illinois region can move into Phase 4 of the Plan.

Chicago has not entered Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Plan. Rather, Chicago will move into Phase 3 of Mayor Lightfoot’s Chicago-specific reopening framework on Wednesday, June 3. Phase 3 of Mayor Lightfoot’s plan allows for the following industries to reopen in Chicago:

• Childcare centers and family childcare
• Non-lakefront parks (no contact sports)
• Libraries and other city services
• Office-based jobs, professional services, and real estate services
• Hotels / lodging
• Outdoor attractions, such as boating – not including the Playpen, non-Lakefront golf courses
• Non-essential retail
• Personal services, such as hair/nail salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors
• Restaurants and coffee shops (outdoor dining only)
• Manufacturing, construction, and warehousing
• Hospitals, dentists, community mental health centers, and Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Public transit, regional transit, taxis and rideshare
• Gyms (outdoor and 1:1 personal training only)

Mayor Lightfoot similarly released industry specific guidelines providing additional information for the following industries:

• Education and Childcare
  • Childcare guidelines
• Office and Real Estate
  • Commercial buildings guidelines
  • Residential buildings guidelines
• Accommodation and Tourism
  • Hotel and accommodation guidelines
• Food Service
  • Food service guidelines
• Retail and Services
  • Retail guidelines
  • Personal services guidelines
  • Health and fitness clubs guidelines
• B2B
  • Manufacturing guidelines
  • Construction guidelines
  • Transportation and warehousing guidelines
• Healthcare
  • Healthcare guidelines
• Transportation
  • CTA guidelines
  • Taxi and ride hail guidelines
• Parks and Outdoor Attractions
  • Parks and outdoor attractions guidelines

May 28, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced at his daily press conference that Illinois will move into Phase 3 of his Restore Illinois Plan tomorrow, May 29. In conjunction with Governor Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has released a Phase 3 Business Toolkit. The toolkit contains industry specific guidance for Illinois businesses. Given Governor Pritzker’s changes to Phase 3 which are not represented in the original Restore Illinois Plan, the industry specific guidance provides a clearer and up-to-date overview of the changes to come under Phase 3. This guidance contains the following information:

• Boating and Fishing Guidelines
• Youth Sports Guidelines
• Tennis Facility and Player Safety Guidance
• Service Counter Guidelines
• Retail Guidelines
• Restaurant and Bars for Outdoor Dining Guidelines
• Personal Care Services Guidelines
• Outdoor Recreation Guidelines
• Offices Guidelines
• Manufacturing Guidelines
• Health and Fitness Business Guidelines
• Golf Operational Restrictions
• Day Camps Guidelines

Friday, June 26 is the earliest date any Illinois region can move into Phase 4 of the Plan. Governor Pritzker also acknowledged that individual cities and counties are permitted to impose restrictions beyond that of his Plan.

(Chicago): While Chicago is eligible to progress into Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan with the rest of Illinois on Friday, it will not do so. Instead, Mayor Lightfoot announced today that Chicago will move into Phase 3 of her Chicago-specific reopening framework on June 3. Mayor Lightfoot has also released industry specific guidance for Chicago businesses under Phase 3 of her framework. Phase 3 allows for the following industries to reopen in Chicago:

• Childcare centers and family childcare
• Non-lakefront parks (no contact sports)
• Libraries and other city services
• Office-based jobs, professional services, and real estate services
• Hotels / lodging
• Outdoor attractions, such as boating – not including the Playpen, non-Lakefront golf courses
• Non-essential retail
• Personal services, such as hair/nail salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors
• Restaurants and coffee shops (outdoor dining only)
• Manufacturing, construction, and warehousing
• Hospitals, dentists, community mental health centers, and Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Public transit, regional transit, taxis and rideshare
• Gyms (outdoor and 1:1 personal training only)

May 27, 2020:

Illinois is set to move into Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan this Friday, May 29. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has released a Phase 3 Business Toolkit. The toolkit contains industry specific guidance for Illinois businesses transitioning under Phase 3.

(Chicago): Chicago Mayor Lightfoot released industry specific guidance for businesses as Chicago prepares to move into Phase 3 of her reopening framework in early to mid-June. This guidance lists the following industries which will open under Phase 3:

• Childcare centers and family childcare
• Non-lakefront parks (no contact sports)
• Libraries and other city services
• Office-based jobs, professional services, and real estate services
• Hotels / lodging
• Outdoor attractions (e.g., boating – not including the Playpen, non-Lakefront golf courses)
• Non-essential retail
• Personal services (e.g., hair/nail salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors)
• Restaurants and coffee shops (outdoor dining only)
• Manufacturing, construction, and warehousing
• Hospitals, dentists, community mental health centers, and Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Public transit, regional transit, taxis and rideshare
• Gyms (outdoor and 1:1 personal training only)

Namely, Chicago will not move into Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan with the rest of Illinois on May 29.

May 26, 2020:

As Illinois prepares to move into Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan on May 29, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has released a Phase 3 Business Toolkit. The toolkit contains information for Illinois businesses including a 55-page document covering (1) manufacturing guidelines, (2) restaurants and bars for outdoor dining guidelines, (3) outdoor recreation guidelines, (4) physical care services guidelines, (5) retail guidelines, (6) service counter guidelines, (7) youth sports guidelines, (8) offices guidelines, (9) day camps guidelines, and (10) health and fitness business guidelines. Phase 3 of the plan includes the following:

• Gatherings: All gatherings of 10 people or fewer are allowed with this limit subject to change based on latest data & guidance
• Travel: Travel should follow IDPH and CDC approved guidance
• Health Care: All health care providers are open with DPH approved safety guidance
• Education and child care: Remote learning in P-12 schools and higher education; Limited child care and summer programs open with IDPH approved safety guidance
• Outdoor recreation: State parks open; Activities permitted in groups of 10 or fewer with social distancing
• Businesses:
  • Manufacturing: Non-essential manufacturing that can safely operate with social distancing can reopen with IDPH approved safety guidance
  • “Non-essential” businesses: Employees of “non-essential” businesses are allowed to return to work with IDPH approved safety guidance depending upon risk level, tele-work strongly encouraged wherever possible; Employers are encouraged to provide accommodations for COVID-19-vulnerable employees
  • Bars and restaurants: Open for delivery, pickup, and drive through only
  • Personal care services and health clubs: Barbershops and salons open with IDPH approved safety guidance; Health and fitness clubs can provide outdoor classes and one-on-one personal training with IDPH approved safety guidance
  • Retail: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance, including face coverings

(Chicago): Mayor Lightfoot has announced that Chicago is not yet on track to move into Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Plan with the rest of Illinois. Mayor Lightfoot previously released her own Plan to reopen Chicago which includes more restrictive language than Governor Pritzker’s broader Plan for Illinois. While Illinois is set to move into Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Plan on May 29, Chicago will stay behind with the hope of moving into Phase 3 of Mayor Lightfoot’s plan in mid-June. Phase 3 of Mayor Lightfoot’s plan currently includes the following:

Phase Three: Cautiously Reopen – Strict physical distancing with some businesses opening; goal is to thoughtfully begin to reopen Chicago safely

• Non-essential workers begin to return to work in a phased way
• Select businesses, non-profits, city entities open with demonstrated, appropriate protections for workers and customers
• When meeting others, physically distance and wear a face covering
• Non-business, social gatherings limited to <10 persons
• Phased, limited public amenities begin to open
• Stay at home if you feel ill or have come into contact with someone with COVID-19
• Continue to physically distance from vulnerable populations
• Get tested if you have symptoms

Under Mayor Lightfoot’s Plan the following specific epidemiological factors have been established to guide Chicago from Phase 2 to Phase 3:

• COVID-19 Case Rate (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Declining rate of new cases, based on incidence and/or percent positivity
• Severe Outcome Rate (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Stable or declining rates of cases resulting in hospitalization, ICU admission, and/or death
• Hospital Capacity Citywide (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Hospital beds: <1800 COVID patients
  • ICU beds: <600 COVID patients
  • Ventilators: <450 COVID patients
• Testing Capacity:
  • Test at least 5% of Chicago residents per month
• Testing Percent Positivity Rates (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Congregate: <30% positive tests
  • Community: <15% positive tests
• Syndromic Surveillance (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Declining emergency department visits for influenza-like illness and/or COVID-like illness
• Case Investigation & Contract Tracing:
  • Expanded system in place for congregate and community investigations and contact tracing

May 21, 2020:

A proposed emergency rule from Governor Pritzker which would make it a Class A misdemeanor for businesses to open in violation of Illinois’ Stay At Home Order has reportedly been withdrawn.

May 19, 2020:

Under Governor Pritzker’s 5-Phase Restore Illinois plan, Illinois is broken up into the following four regions: Northeast Illinois; North-Central Illinois; Central Illinois; and Southern Illinois. Notably, the Northeast Illinois region includes highly populated counties such as Cook, DuPage and Lake. Illinois is currently positioned in phase 2 of the plan and individual regions will progress into phase 3 based on the following factors:

• At or under a 20 percent positivity rate and increasing no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period, AND
• No overall increase (i.e. stability or decrease) in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days, AND
• Available surge capacity of at least 14 percent of ICU beds, medical and surgical beds, and ventilators

In early May, Northeast Illinois was the only region to not meet the above factors. Specifically, Northeast Illinois failed to have a positivity rate at or under 20 percent. However, the Illinois Department of Public Health now reports a positivity rate in the Northeast Illinois region of 17.5%. Northeast Illinois reportedly dropped below a 20 percent positivity rate on May 14. As such, the region is on track to join Illinois’ other three regions in moving into phase 3 on May 29. Phase 3 of the plan includes the following:

• Gatherings: All gatherings of 10 people or fewer are allowed with this limit subject to change based on latest data & guidance
• Travel: Travel should follow IDPH and CDC approved guidance
• Health Care: All health care providers are open with DPH approved safety guidance
• Education and child care: Remote learning in P-12 schools and higher education; Limited child care and summer programs open with IDPH approved safety guidance
• Outdoor recreation: State parks open; Activities permitted in groups of 10 or fewer with social distancing
• Businesses:
  • Manufacturing: Non-essential manufacturing that can safely operate with social distancing can reopen with IDPH approved safety guidance
  • “Non-essential” businesses: Employees of “non-essential” businesses are allowed to return to work with IDPH approved safety guidance depending upon risk level, tele-work strongly encouraged wherever possible; Employers are encouraged to provide accommodations for COVID-19-vulnerable employees
  • Bars and restaurants: Open for delivery, pickup, and drive through only
  • Personal care services and health clubs: Barbershops and salons open with IDPH approved safety guidance; Health and fitness clubs can provide outdoor classes and one-on-one personal training with IDPH approved safety guidance
  • Retail: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance, including face coverings

May 18, 2020:

Governor Pritzker filed new emergency rules which would allow businesses that open in violation of his Stay At Home Order to be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. The rules will reportedly be reviewed by a bipartisan oversight committee of legislators on Wednesday, May 20. The rules, if not rejected by the committee, will remain in place for 150 days.

May 13, 2020:

(Madison County): Madison County passed a 4-Phase Order to re-open. The first phase lasts from May 13 through May 27 and includes the following:

• Nonessential travel may resume
• Avoid social gatherings of 10 or more people
• Retail business may open with a 25% occupancy
• Restaurants/Bars may continue to prepare and serve food for off-premise consumption while serving through means such as in-house delivery, third-party delivery, drive-through service and curbside pick-up. Additionally, patrons may use seated dining at a rate of 25% occupancy
• Personal Care Providers (such as hair, nail, massage, etc.) may reopen. When possible limit customers by appointment only
• Professional Services (such as banking, accounting) may reopen. When possible limit customers by appointment only
• While the Madison County Board of Health recognizes the constitutional limitation we have to regulate attendance and religious freedom, churches and other places of worship may open with a 50% occupancy
• Childcare facilities may reopen. All food preparation surfaces, handles, knobs and common surfaces shall be sanitized before and after each use. Continual cleaning of surfaces used by employees and children is encouraged
• Gyms, exercise facilities and other indoor recreation spaces may reopen at 25% occupancy. Equipment should be maintained according to local health department guidelines
• Public parks, golf courses, campgrounds, athletic fields, swimming pools and other outdoor recreation spaces may reopen. Distancing between family members is at their discretion. Golf carts can have an occupancy of two people or more if designed for extra passengers. It is suggested that one bring sanitizing wipes for common items (items open to use by all visitors such as playground equipment). The bleacher section must follow social distancing guidelines. Personal seating may be used, but social distancing guidelines must be maintained
• Theatres, museums and bowling alleys may reopen at 25% occupancy.

The Illinois Statewide Order remains in place until the end of May. This County Order conflicts with Governor Pritzker’s re-opening plan and the state order may supersede the County Order.

May 11, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced where each of Illinois’ four regions stand in relation to his 5-phase Restore Illinois plan. The four regions under this plan include: Northeast Illinois; North-Central Illinois; Central Illinois; and Southern Illinois. All regions are currently positioned in Phase 2 and the factors determining a region’s progression into Phase 3 are as follows:

• At or under a 20 percent positivity rate and increasing no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period, AND
• No overall increase (i.e. stability or decrease) in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days, AND
• Available surge capacity of at least 14 percent of ICU beds, medical and surgical beds, and ventilators

Currently, all Illinois regions, with the exception of Northeast Illinois, are on track to move into Phase 3 at the end of May. At this point, Northeast Illinois fails under the first factor, concerning positivity rate. Notably, the Northeast Illinois region includes densely populated counties such as Cook, Will, DuPage and Lake, among others. However, Governor Pritzker emphasized that this positivity metric is based on a 14-day period and, as such, Northeast Illinois may still satisfy this requirement and progress into Phase 3 with Illinois’ other three regions.

May 8, 2020:

(City of Chicago): Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a five phase framework for reopening Chicago titled “Protecting Chicago.” This Chicago specific framework runs in conjunction with Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan. Mayor Lightfoot stated that Chicago has experienced Phase 1 and is now in Phase 2. Under this framework, Chicago’s progression into Phase 3 would include the following:

Phase Three: Cautiously Reopen - Strict physical distancing with some businesses opening; goal is to thoughtfully begin to reopen Chicago safely

• Non-essential workers begin to return to work in a phased way
• Select businesses, non-profits, city entities open with demonstrated, appropriate protections for workers and customers
• When meeting others, physically distance and wear a face covering
• Non-business, social gatherings limited to

Under this framework, advancement through the phases is based upon epidemiological criteria rooted in public health guidance that will be reviewed and revisited on an ongoing basis. The following specific epidemiological factors have been established to guide Chicago from Phase 2 to Phase 3:

• COVID-19 Case Rate (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Declining rate of new cases, based on incidence and/or percent positivity
• Severe Outcome Rate (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Stable or declining rates of cases resulting in hospitalization, ICU admission, and/or death
• Hospital Capacity Citywide (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Hospital beds: <1800 COVID patients
  • ICU beds: <600 COVID patients
  • Ventilators: <450 COVID patients
• Testing Capacity:
  • Test at least 5% of Chicago residents per month
• Testing Percent Positivity Rates (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Congregate: <30% positive tests
  • Community: <15% positive tests
• Syndromic Surveillance (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
  • Declining emergency department visits for influenza-like illness and/or COVID-like illness
• Case Investigation & Contract Tracing:
  • Expanded system in place for congregate and community investigations and contact tracing

May 6, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced a 5-Phase plan to “Restore Illinois.” Illinois will move through the phases regionally based on the following four regions: Northeast Illinois; North-Central Illinois; Central Illinois; and Southern Illinois. Notably, the Northeast Illinois region includes densely populated counties such as Cook, Will, DuPage and Lake, among others. Governor Pritzker noted that Illinois has already experienced Phase 1 of the plan and is now positioned in Phase 2. Movement from Phase 2 to Phase 3 will be driven by the COVID-19 positivity rate in each region and measures of maintaining regional hospital surge capacity. Data relevant to this includes:

• At or under a 20 percent positivity rate and increasing no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period, AND
• No overall increase (i.e. stability or decrease) in hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness for 28 days, AND
• Available surge capacity of at least 14 percent of ICU beds, medical and surgical beds, and ventilators

Phase 3 includes the following:

• Gatherings: All gatherings of 10 people or fewer are allowed with this limit subject to change based on latest data & guidance
• Travel: Travel should follow IDPH and CDC approved guidance
• Health Care: All health care providers are open with DPH approved safety guidance
• Education and child care: Remote learning in P-12 schools and higher education; Limited child care and summer programs open with IDPH approved safety guidance
• Outdoor recreation: State parks open; Activities permitted in groups of 10 or fewer with social distancing
• Businesses:
  • Manufacturing: Non-essential manufacturing that can safely operate with social distancing can reopen with IDPH approved safety guidance
  • “Non-essential” businesses: Employees of “non-essential” businesses are allowed to return to work with IDPH approved safety guidance depending upon risk level, tele-work strongly encouraged wherever possible; Employers are encouraged to provide accommodations for COVID-19-vulnerable employees
  • Bars and restaurants: Open for delivery, pickup, and drive through only
  • Personal care services and health clubs: Barbershops and salons open with IDPH approved safety guidance; Health and fitness clubs can provide outdoor classes and one-on-one personal training with IDPH approved safety guidance
  • Retail: Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance, including face coverings

Linear movement through the phases is not guaranteed and, following IDPH recommendation, regions may be moved back into a previous phase. The factors which may cause a regression include:

• Sustained rise in positivity rate
• Sustained increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness
• Reduction in hospital capacity threatening surge capabilities
• Significant outbreak in the region that threatens the health of the region

May 5, 2020:

May 5, 2020: Governor Pritzker announced a 5-Phase “Restore Illinois” plan today. The plan will be instituted regionally based on the following four regions: Northeast Illinois; North-Central Illinois; Central Illinois; and Southern Illinois. Governor Pritzker explained that Illinois already experienced Phase 1 and, since the modified Stay At Home Order was instituted on May 1, has been positioned in Phase 2. While no official document for Restore Illinois has been released the Phases are reportedly as follows:

Phase 1 – Rapid Spread: The rate of infection among those tested and the number of patients admitted to the hospital is high or rapidly increasing. Strict stay at home and social distancing guidelines are put in place and only essential businesses remain open. Every region has experienced this phase once already and could return to it if mitigation efforts are unsuccessful.

Phase 2 – Flattening: The rate of infection among those tested and the number of patients admitted to the hospital beds and ICU beds increases at an ever slower rate, moving toward a flat and even a downward trajectory. Non-essential retail stores reopen for curb-side pickup and delivery. Illinoisans are directed to wear a face covering when outside the home, and can begin enjoying additional outdoor activities like golf, boating and fishing while practicing social distancing. To varying degrees, every region is experiencing flattening as of early May.

Phase 3 – Recovery: The rate of infection among those tested, the number of patients admitted to the hospital, and the number of patients needing ICU beds is stable or declining. Manufacturing, offices, retail, barbershops and salons can reopen to the public with capacity and other limits and safety precautions. All gatherings limited to 10 or fewer people are allowed. Face coverings and social distancing are the norm. The earliest a region can move to this phase is May 29.

Phase 4 – Revitalization: The rate of infection among those tested and the number of patients admitted to the hospital continues to decline. All gatherings of up to 50 people are allowed, restaurants and bars reopen, travel resumes, child care and schools reopen under guidance from the IDPH. Face coverings and social distancing are the norm.

Phase 5 – Illinois Restored: With a vaccine or highly effective treatment widely available or the elimination of any new cases over a sustained period, the economy fully reopens with safety precautions continuing. Conventions, festivals and large events are permitted, and all businesses, schools, and places of recreation can open with new safety guidance and procedures in place reflecting the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Pritzker emphasized that there is no guarantee of a linear progression through these phases.

May 1, 2020:

Governor Pritzker’s modified Stay At Home Order took effect today. The order, which will reportedly remain in place until May 30 unless Governor Pritzker takes further action, includes the following modifications among others:

• Wearing a face covering in public places or when working. Any individual who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering (a mask or cloth face-covering) shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain a six-foot social distance. Face-coverings are required in public indoor spaces such as stores.
• Requirements for essential stores. Retail stores (including, but not limited to, stores that sell groceries and medicine, hardware stores, and greenhouses, garden centers, and nurseries) designated as Essential Businesses and Operations under this Order shall to the greatest extent possible:
  • provide face coverings to all employees who are not able to maintain a minimum six-foot social distance at all times;
  • cap occupancy at 50 percent of store capacity, or, alternatively, at the occupancy limits based on store square footage set by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;
  • set up store aisles to be one-way where practicable to maximize spacing between customers and identify the one-way aisles with conspicuous signage and/or floor markings;
  • communicate with customers through in-store signage, and public service announcements and advertisements, about the social distancing requirements set forth in this Order (Social Distancing Requirements); and
  • discontinue use of reusable bags.

Households must limit the number of members who enter stores to the minimum necessary.

• Requirements for non-essential stores. Retail stores not designated as Essential Businesses and Operations may re-open for the limited purposes of fulfilling telephone and online orders through pick-up outside the store and delivery – which are deemed to be Minimum Basic Operations. Employees working in the store must follow the social Distancing Requirements, and must wear a face covering when they may come within six feet of another employee or a customer.
• Requirements for manufacturers. Manufacturers that continue to operate pursuant to this Order must follow Social Distancing Requirements and take appropriate precautions, which may include:
  • providing face coverings to all employees who are not able to maintain a minimum six-foot social distance at all times;
  • staggering shifts;
  • reducing line speeds;
  • operating only essential lines, while shutting down non-essential lines;
  • ensuring that all spaces where employees may gather, including locker rooms and lunchrooms, allow for social distancing; and
  • downsizing operations to the extent necessary to allow for social distancing and to provide a safe workplace in response to the COVID-19 emergency.
• Requirements for all businesses. All businesses must evaluate which employees are able to work from home, and are encouraged to facilitate remote work from home when possible. All businesses that have employees physically reporting to a work-site must post the guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Office of the Illinois Attorney General regarding workplace safety during the COVID-19 emergency. The guidance will be posted on the IDPH webpage.

April 30, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced at his daily press briefing that the modified extension of Illinois’ Stay At Home Order will go into effect tomorrow, May 1. The extended Order will continue through May 30. The extension has not yet been released but is reported to modify the original Stay At Home Order as follows:

• Essential businesses and manufacturers will be required to provide face-coverings to employees that cannot maintain six feet distancing
• There will be new occupancy limits on essential businesses for employees and customers
• New precautions will be taken for essential businesses including staggering shifts, and operating only essential lines for manufacturers
• Non-essential retail may operate with pick-up and delivery
• Individuals will be required to wear face coverings in public
• State parks will begin a phased re-opening, with fishing in boating in groups of no more than two people permitted, and golf will be permitted under strict safety guidelines
• Gardening and nurseries will qualify as essential, along with animal grooming
• Educational institutions can allow students to pick up their supplies and belongings

April 24, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced yesterday that he will be signing an extension of Illinois Stay At Home Order. The order, originally set to expire on April 30, will be extended through May 30. The extension has not yet been released but is reported to modify the original Stay At Home Order as follows:

• Essential businesses and manufacturers will be required to provide face-coverings to employees that cannot maintain six feet distancing

• There will be new occupancy limits on essential businesses for employees and customers

• New precautions will be taken for essential businesses including staggering shifts, and operating only essential lines for manufacturers

• Non-essential retail may operate with pick-up and delivery

• Individuals will be required to wear face coverings in public

• State parks will begin a phased re-opening, with fishing in boating in groups of no more than two people permitted, and golf will be permitted under strict safety guidelines

• Gardening and nurseries will qualify as essential, along with animal grooming

• Educational institutions can allow students to pick up their supplies and belongings

April 23, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced at his daily press conference that, next week, he intends to sign an extension of the Stay-At-Home Order through May 30, 2020. The original Order was set to expire on April 7, 2020 but was extended through April 30, 2020. Governor Pritzker noted that beginning May 1 some surgeries postponed by the Stay-At-Home order may be performed. Further, retail stores not previously listed as essential may open to offer online ordering and curbside pickup. Finally, state parks will begin to open with social distancing protocols remaining in place. Details of the changes to take place under this extension have not yet been released.

April 14, 2020:

Governor Pritzker announced that the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission adopted an emergency amendment which holds that, for petitioners who are COVID-19 First Responders or Front-Line Workers, there is a rebuttable presumption, where petitioner contracts COVID-19, that exposure arose from the employment. The term “COVID-19 First Responder or Front-Line Worker” means any individuals employed as police, fire personnel, emergency medical technicians, or paramedics and all individuals employed and considered as first responders, health care providers engaged in patient care, correction officers, and the crucial personnel identified in the Illinois Stay-At-Home Order.

Those categories of employment include: Stores that sell groceries and medicine; Food, beverage, and cannabis production and agriculture; Organizations that provide charitable and social services; Gas stations and businesses needed for transportation; Financial institutions; Hardware and supplies stores; Critical trades; Mail, post, shipping, logistics, delivery, and pick-up services; Educational institutions; Laundry services; Restaurants for consumption off-premises; Supplies to work from home; Supplies for Essential Businesses and Operations; Transportation; Home-based care and services; Residential facilities and shelters; Professional services; Day care centers for employees exempted by Executive Order 2020-10; Manufacture, distribution, and supply chain for critical products and industries; Critical labor union functions; Hotels and motels; and Funeral services.

April 2, 2020:

April 1, 2020: Following his March 31 announcement, Governor Pritzker extended COVID-19 Executive Order No. 8, requiring Illinois residents to stay at home, through April 30, 2020.

April 1, 2020:

On March 31, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced at the daily COVID-19 press briefing that on April 1, 2020 he will sign an extension of the Illinois Stay-At-Home order through April 30, 2020. The order, effective from March 20, 2020 was originally set to extend through April 7, 2020.

March 19, 2020:

Governor Pritzker issued a Shelter-At-Home executive order requiring all individuals living in the state to stay at home except for essential activities, essential government functions, or for the operation of essential businesses and operations. Essential businesses include healthcare and public health operations, human services, stores that sell groceries, medicine, and hardware supplies, gas stations, financial institutions, mail services, laundry, manufacturers of food and beverages, professional services such as legal or insurance, and hotels, among others. Restaurants can remain open for delivery or carry-out. The order also prohibits gatherings of more than ten people and instructs enforcement authorities to cease enforcement of orders of evictions.

March 16, 2020:

Governor Pritzker issued an executive order requiring that all businesses in the state that offer food or beverages for on-premises consumption may only operate for take-out and delivery services. The current order is in place until March 30, 2020. The order also prohibits private and public gatherings of more than 50 people.

March 7, 2020:

Governor Pritzker declared all counties in Illinois as a disaster area pursuant to the Illinois Emergency Management Act.  Pursuant to the Act, upon proclamation that a disaster exists, the Governor has widespread powers for a period of 30 days, including “the power to utilize all available resources as reasonably necessary to cope with the disaster.” The Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation currently extends through April 7, 2020.