Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has announced Region 7 of his Restore Illinois Plan has lowered its rolling seven day positivity rate under the 6.5% benchmark. The region is comprised of Will and Kankakee Counties, which covers part of Naperville.
Region 7 under Strict Mitigation
The region has been under strict mitigations since August 26th, which prohibits indoor dining and group gatherings of more than 25 people. The mitigations were triggered when the region surpassed an 8% rolling seven day positivity rate.
“Last week I said that I was hopeful that Region 7, that’s Will and Kankakee Counties, might become a testament to a community’s ability to turn their ship around,” Pritzker said. “Well, I’m very happy to say my hopefulness hasn’t been unwarranted.”
Pritzker noted the region’s positivity rate checked in at 6.4% today and will need to remain under the 6.5% benchmark for an additional two days to have the mitigations lifted. If the region accomplishes three straight days under 6.5%, phase four will be fully restored for the region.
High Contact Sport Restrictions Remain
But the governor stood firm on his restrictions for high contact sports, such as football. Those sports, he said, offer a higher opportunity for transmission of COVID-19..
“I want our kids back on the playing field, or on the ice as much as anyone,” said Pritzker. “And we’ll get there, when the doctors say it’s safe. Until then let’s focus on keeping our schools and our businesses open, and on keeping everyone safe. Let’s be kind to one another too.”
Though professional and some college teams have been able to play, the governor says high school teams do not have access to the daily testing, larger facilities and medical care which enables the higher level teams to remain safer.
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike noted that the science shows the more people, the closer the interaction, the more they share equipment and the longer the interaction, the higher the risk for the virus to spread.
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