Increased Mitigation Measures to Begin for Region 10
Governor Pritizker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) have announced that COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in Region 10 (Suburban Cook County) beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2020. According to a Press Release, Region 10 has had eight consecutive days of increases in test positivity and seven days of increased hospital admissions making it the first region in the state to meet the metrics for additional mitigations in two categories simultaneously. As a result of increased COVID-19 spread and increased positivity rates, heightened mitigation measures will be put into place for Region 10, which encompasses suburban Cook County, including La Grange.
What to Expect
Mitigation efforts will be put into place to reduce the increased spread of COVID-19. Region 10 will be required to adhere to Tier 1 mitigation measures, as determined by the Illinois Department of Public Health. These include the following restrictions:
Restaurants
- No indoor dining or bar service
- All outdoor dining closes at 11 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
Bars
- No indoor service
- All outside bar service closes at 11 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
Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings
- Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity
- No party buses
- Gaming and casinos close at 11 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable
Returning to Phase 4 Requires a Decrease in Positivity Rates
If the positivity rate in Region 10 averages less than or equal to 6.5% over a three-day period, there is a decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illnesses over a three-day period, and the three-day rolling averages of ICU bed availability and medical / surgical bed availability is greater than or equal to 20% over a seven-day period, the region will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan. Conversely, if the average positivity rate continues to increase over seven out of 10 days and the hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illnesses continues to increase over seven out of 10 days, more stringent mitigations can be applied. If the metrics remain stable, the region will continue to be monitored.
How You Can Help: Take Action Against COVID-19
Mitigation measures are based on COVID-19 positivity rates. To help reduce mitigation measures, the spread of COVID-19 must decrease. You can help support your local businesses by acting responsibly to slow the spread of illness, by following the below guidance from the CDC::
- Maintain a 6 feet social distance minimum.
- Wear a face mask when in public.
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
- Clean and sanitize commonly used surfaces.
- Quarantine for 14 days if returning from a COVID-19 hotspot.
- Avoid group gatherings.
- Stay home when you are sick or experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing.
- Get tested
- Avoid contact with others that are sick or experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
How You Can Help: Continue to Support our Businesses
Please continue to support all of our businesses and especially our restaurants through carry out, curbside pickup and delivery options. For more information about dining options, please visit the La Grange Delivers Website or the Village website.