Governor J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday regions with metrics falling under the thresholds provided in Tier 3 mitigations will return to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan on January 15.
Lifting Tier 3 Mitigations
According the IDPH website, in order for a region to move back to Tier 2 mitigations, a region must experience less than 12 percent test positivity rate for three consecutive days AND greater than 20 percent available intensive care unit and hospital bed availability AND declining COVID hospitalizations in 7 out of the last 10 days.
Currently, region 8 has recorded 11 consecutive days under the 12% threshold, though it has seen an increase in positivity rate each day since December 25. The region also has 11 straight days of over 20% ICU bed availability. There have been nine days of declining hospitalizations.
In addition, region 7, which contains parts of southeast Naperville, currently meets all qualifications to lift tier 3 mitigations. However, the positivity rate sits at 11%, just under the threshold.
Return to Phase 4
Should mitigations get lifted January 15th, restaurants could once again seat patrons inside with a capacity limit while operating under IDPH approved safety guidance.
Movie theaters may also reopen with capacity limits. And private gatherings of up to 50 people are allowed.
COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
As of Wednesday, January 6, 207,000 doses have been administered in the state of Illinois, including a second round of shots administered.
Currently, Illinois is still in Phase 1A of the vaccine distribution, which includes health care workers and long term care facility residents and staff. 850,000 are eligible to receive the vaccine in Illinois under this phase.
Additionally, a third of health care work force outside Chicago has received the vaccine.
What’s Next
Illinois is receiving 120,000 doses a week, as allotted by the federal government. Phase 1B will commence once 1A has completed – which will lower age for general population from 75 to 65. Phase 1B will also include front line essential workers, who are classified as those whose work duties can’t be done remotely. Roughly 3.2 Illinoisans will qualify for a vaccine under Phase 1B.
