Reopening Chicago
IMPORTANT CHICAGO REOPENING NOTICE
The State of Illinois imposed new mitigation measures that went into effect on Friday, November 20 at 12:01 am. These restrictions are the most up to date and take precedence over the industry-specific guidelines if there are points of contradiction.
Click here to view all up-to-date Phase IV Capacity Guidelines
The following industries or activities are closed indoors:
- Restaurants & Bars, Movie Theaters, Performance Venues, Museums, Group Sports & Recreational Activities
- Meeting Rooms, Banquet Centers, Private Party Rooms, Private Clubs, Country Clubs and other Event Venues may not host gatherings indoors or outdoors
The following industries or activities may continue operating under the following regulations:
- Bars and Restaurants: Outdoor service, take-out, curbside pick-up, and delivery can continue. Reservations required for outdoor service. Private event spaces must be closed
- Retail stores: 25% capacity
- Grocery Stores and Pharmacies: 50% capacity (note: big box store that sell a combination of general retail, groceries and/or pharmacies among other goods must operate at 25% capacity)
- Places of worship: Limit each indoor space to 50 individuals, while practicing social distancing, or 25% capacity (whichever is fewer). However, special events such as weddings, potlucks, and other community events can have no more than 10 people. It is also recommended that regular services operate at no more than 10 individuals, when possible. Funerals are limited to 10 family members of the decedent, not including staff
- Health and Fitness Centers: 25% indoor capacity; indoor group classes must cease; outdoor activities allowed at 25% capacity with group activities limited to 10 people or fewer; locker room areas, including saunas and steam rooms should be closed.
- Personal Services: Limit to 25 individuals or 25% capacity, whichever is fewer. Services that require the removal of face coverings must cease. Physical, occupational and massage therapy allowed as deemed necessary by a medical provide
- Outdoor Activities: Outdoor museums, performance venues and other outdoor activities can continue at 25% capacity. Group sizes are limited to 10 people or less, with total capacity limited to 100 people, while social distancing. Reservations required for each guest.
- Out-of-School Programs: Indoor group exercise or fitness classes must cease (e.g., dance, yoga). Programs in which participants are primarily seated/stationery may continue in cohorts of up to 15 people (e.g., painting, creative writing, homework help).
- Libraries: Considered an essential service as they support Chicagoans needing support with remote learning, job searching, temporary refuge for weather relief, securing needed benefits and resources. Libraries may remain open at 25% indoor capacity with protective measures in place to ensure the health and safety of the public and staff. See chipublib.org for more details.
Non-essential businesses must be closed to the public between the hours of 11:00 pm and 6:00 am
- Impact on liquor sales:
- Bars, restaurants and other establishments with a Tavern or Consumption on Premises-Incidental Activity license can sell alcohol on-site or to-go until 11:00 pm
- Liquor stores, grocery stores and other establishments with a Package Goods license must still cease alcohol sales at 9:00 pm.
- Restaurants may continue to sell food via delivery, takeout, or curbside pickup at all hours
Where we are
Currently we are in: PHASE IV
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we have been committed to basing our decisions on the science and data related to this disease and communicating our actions to the public in an open and transparent way. This chart shows how we plan to return to work and life as well as protecting our health during each phase.
How we determine the current phase
The details for each phase are being informed by economic and health data, and a combination of input from industry working groups, health experts and the public. The specific health criteria for transition between the latter phases will be established and released over the coming weeks to ensure the City is open and responsive to new data and information as it arises.
PHASE I
STRICT STAY-AT-HOME
Goal is to limit interactions to rapidly slow the spread of COVID-19
Limit the amount of contact with others
WORK
Essential workers go to work; everyone else works from home
LIFE
Stay at home and limit going out to essential activities only
HEALTH
Physically distance from anyone you do not live with, especially vulnerable friends and family
PHASE II
STAY-AT-HOME
Goal is to continue flattening the curve while safely being outside
(Guard against unsafe interactions with others)
WORK
Essential workers go to work; everyone else works from home
LIFE
Stay at home as much as possible
HEALTH
Wear a face covering while outside your home
Physically distance from anyone you do not live with, especially vulnerable friends and family
PHASE III
CAUTIOUSLY REOPEN
Goal is to thoughtfully begin to reopen Chicago safely
Strict physical distancing with some businesses reopening
WORK
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
LIFE
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​
HEALTH
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
PHASE IV
GRADUALLY RESUME
Goal is to further reopen Chicago while ensuring the safety of residents
Continued staggered reopening into a new normal
WORK
Additional business and capacity restrictions are lifted with appropriate safeguards
LIFE
Additional public amenities open
Continue to wear a face covering and physically distance
HEALTH
Continue to distance and allow vulnerable residents to shelter
Get tested if you have symptoms or think you have had COVID-19
PHASE V
PROTECT
Goal is to continue to maintain safety until COVID-19 is contained
Continue to protect vulnerable populations
WORK
All businesses open
Non-vulnerable individuals can resume working
LIFE
Most activities resume with health safety in place
Some events can resume
HEALTH
Sign up for a vaccine on the COVID Coach web portal
PHASE IV Re-opening Metrics Update for November 28, 2020
This analysis presented on data through November 24, 2020
For detailed report: download Phase IV Metrics Update Report.
For the most current daily COVID data, please see the Daily COVID Dashboard at chi.gov/coviddash.
Phase IV: Gradually Resume
Goal: Declining rate of new citywide cases over 28 days and/or less than 200 new cases per day over 14 days
CAUTION: Pause and Monitor
|
Indicator |
Goal |
Current State |
Sub-Phase |
|
COVID-19 Case Incidence |
|
|
|
|
Citywide |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/4-11/10) Stable (11/10-11/14) Decrease (11/15-11/19) Daily New Cases: 1933 |
CAUTION: Monitor |
|
Black |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/1-11/10) Stable (11/10-11/13) Decrease (11/14-11/19) |
CAUTION: Monitor |
|
Latinx |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/6-11/10) Stable (11/10-11/13) Decrease (11/14-11/19) |
CAUTION: Monitor |
|
White |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/18-11/10) Stable (11/10-11/13) Decrease (11/14-11/19) |
CAUTION: Monitor |
|
Asian |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/14-11/10) Stable (11/9-11/13) Decrease (11/14-19) |
CAUTION: Monitor |
Phase IV: Gradually Resume
Goal: Stable or declining rates of cases resulting in hospital admissions and deaths (over 28 days)
STOP: May need to delay
|
Indicator |
Goal |
Current State |
Sub-phase |
|
COVID-19 Hospital Admissions |
|
|
|
|
Citywide |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/10-11/10) Daily Admissions: 110 |
STOP: May need to delay |
|
Black |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/13-11/10) |
STOP: May need to delay |
|
Latinx |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/10-10/26) Stable (10/26-10/31) Increase (11/1-11/10) |
STOP: May need to delay |
|
White |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/5-11/2) Stable (11/3-11/10) |
STOP: May need to delay |
|
Asian |
Stable or Declining |
Increase (10/26-11/9) |
CAUTION: Monitor |
|
COVID-19 Deaths |
Stable or Declining |
Increase 10/19- 11/18 Daily Deaths: 14 |
STOP: May need to delay |
Phase IV:Gradually Resume
Goal: Stable or declining emergency department visits for influenza-like illness and/or COVID-like illness over 21 days
CAUTION: Pause and Monitor
|
Indicator |
Goal |
Current State |
Sub-Phase |
|
Influenza-like Illness ED Visits |
Declining |
Increase (10/17-11/1) Stable (11/1-11/22) |
GO: Continued progress |
|
COVID-like Illness ED Visits |
Declining |
Increase (10/19-11/10) Stable (11/10-11/15) Decrease: (11/15-11/22) |
CAUTION: Monitor |
Phase IV: Gradually Resume
Goal: Maintain less than 5.0% positivity among all tests performed
STOP: May need to delay
|
Indicator |
Goal |
Current State |
Sub-phase |
|
Percent Positivity |
<5.0% |
12.9% |
STOP: May need to delay |
Phase IV: Gradually Resume
Goal: Ensure adequate citywide hospital capacity to maintain normal operations and handle an increase in COVID admissions
CAUTION: May need to delay
|
Indicator |
Goal |
Current State |
Sub-phase |
|
Non-ICU Hospital Bed Occupancy |
<1000 beds occupied |
1078 |
CAUTION: Monitor |
|
ICU Bed Occupancy |
<150 beds occupied |
293 |
STOP: May Need to Delay |
|
Ventilator Utilization |
<150 being utilized |
154 |
CAUTION: Monitor |
Phase IV: Gradually Resume
Goal: Maintain testing >4,500 diagnostic tests conducted per day
GO: Advanced Progress
|
Indicator |
Goal |
Current State |
Sub-phase |
|
COVID Testing Capacity |
>=9000 tests per day |
17,487 tests per day |
GO: Advanced Progress |
Phase IV: Gradually Resume
Goal: Assign 90% of case investigations within 24 hours of receipt
|
Indicator |
Goal |
Current State |
Sub-phase |
|
COVID Response Capacity |
>=90% of cases assigned within 24 hrs |
not available |
|
CDPH COVID-19 Phase IV starting June 26 2020
| Stop: May need to delay moving ahead | Caution: Pause and monitor | Go: Cautious progress | Go: Continued progress | Go: Advanced progress | |
|
Cases |
Any sustained increase >14 days within phase |
Increase 0-14 days (in most recent 14 -day period) |
Stable or decrease 0-13 days (w/o increase in most recent 14- day period) |
Stable or decrease 14-28 days |
Stable or decrease >28 days and/or sustained <200 new cases per day (~100 cases per 100,000 persons) |
|
Hospitalizations |
|||||
|
Deaths |
|||||
|
COVID Emergency department visits |
|||||
|
Positivity rate |
>10% |
5-10% |
<5% |
<5% |
<5% |
|
Hospital system capacity |
>1280 non-ICU beds >480 ICU beds >360 ventilators |
>1000 non-ICU beds >400 ICU beds >300 ventilators |
<1000 non-ICU beds occupied by COVID patients <400 ICU beds occupied by COVID patients <300 ventilators occupied by COVID patients |
||
|
Testing capacity |
Unexplained decline in testing <4500 tests/day |
Explained decline in testing <4500 tests/day |
Stable testing >4500 total tests/day |
||
|
Response capacity |
N/A |
N/A |
Initiate case investigation within 24h of assignment for 50% of cases 75% of cases 90% of cases |
||
How we move between phases
Chicago is monitoring the answers to these four questions in order to decide when and how to reopen.
01 - Is the rate of disease spread across the city and surrounding counties decreasing?
- Tracking cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, testing, and deaths across city and region
- Monitoring cases over time by zip code, age, sex, race, and ethnicity (and direct resources where they are most needed)
02 - Does the city have the testing and contact-tracing capacity to track the disease and limit spread?
- Scaled-up testing across the city
- Tracking percent of positive tests
03 - Are there enough support systems in place for vulnerable residents?
- Shelters and housing for vulnerable populations
- Increased testing at nursing homes
- Food delivery and specific store times for senior citizens
- Food security for CPS students and meals through Greater Chicago Food Depository
04 - Can the healthcare system handle a potential future surge (including beds, ventilators, PPE)?
- Adequate ventilator and PPE supply
- Surge capacity for hospital and ICU beds
- McCormick ready for overflow