Will and Kankakee County are expected to have new mitigations put into place after consecutive days since crossing the State of Illinois’ fail-safe threshold of 8.0% on August 19th. The Region first tested at 8.0% on Saturday and has since had two consecutive days testing above 8.0%, both Sunday and Monday at 8.3% for the Region.
New mitigations restrictions are expected to include limiting capacity in restaurants and bars, along with additional steps to combat a rise in cases. Last Wednesday, Governor J.B. Pritzker pleaded with local leaders in the counties to implore additional mitigation tactics in the region before the State would have to step in.
Earlier today, Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53 became the sixth school system in Kankakee County to have cases among its Community, and the third in Bourbonnais, joining Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School and Olivet Nazarene University.
At the time of writing, Olivet Nazarene University had reported 7 cases of COVID-19 among its students, with three isolating on campus and four isolating at their homes off campus.
New mitigation measures expected this week for Region 7 include:
Bars
- All bars close at 11:00pm
- No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
- All bar patrons should be seated at tables inside and outside
- All indoor tables should be reduced to 6 persons or less
- 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
Restaurants
- All restaurants close at 11:00pm
- All indoor tables should be reduced to 6 people or less
- 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
- If the restaurant also has a bar, the rules for bars apply
Meetings, social events and gatherings
- Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity
- All reception halls closed
- No party buses
- Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00pm and are limited to 25 percent capacity
Organized group recreational activities (fitness centers, sports, etc.)
- No change
- All Sports Guidance effective August 15, 2020, remains in effect
- Outdoor Activities continue per current DCEO guidance
Once a region hits new mitigations, IDPH will track the positivity rate over a 14-day monitoring period to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigation should remain in place. If positivity rates averages less than or equal to 6.5 percent over a 14-day period, the region will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan. If the positivity rate averages between 6.5 percent and 8 percent, IDPH will continue to monitor the region to determine if additional mitigations are needed.
On Monday, Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,612 new COVID-19 cases with 8 additional deaths, bringing statewide totals to 221,790 cases and 7,888 deaths since the pandemic began.
