A restaurant worker in Chicago is frying. City officials said Tuesday that rules around indoor dining at bars and restaurants will be relaxed. (WTTW News)
Chicago officials announced Tuesday that they can operate 40% of their normal capacity, or no more than 50 people, inside and outside the eateries at pubs and restaurants.
Six days after officials announced they would slowly eat indoors and drink at pubs and restaurants at an expanded capacity to avoid an increase in COVID-19 cases, Chicago has the first measure set out in the plan, reach.
“In recent days, we have made incredible progress with the ongoing effort to save lives and defeat this deadly virus,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “I am delighted that we have made enough progress to facilitate more regulations carefully, but I would like to once again remind all our businesses and residents that we are not out of the woods yet. Only by committing ourselves to what we know can we proceed cautiously and responsibly. ”
Until Tuesday, there are no more than 50 people or 25% of the total room space available.
Representatives from the Cook County Department of Public Health told the WTTW News suburb that Cook County will follow the same rules for Chicago and reduce restrictions on indoor eating and drinking.
Evanston, Skokie and Oak Park, which have their own health departments, are not covered by the county’s rules.
Restaurants and bars can operate 40% of their normal capacity, but not more than 50 people, as the city has determined three days at the ‘moderate risk’ level, as determined by the number of COVID-19 cases diagnosed per day , the city is testing positivity, the number of visits to emergencies for COVID-19-like diseases and the number of intensive care beds occupied by those diagnosed with COVID-19, officials said.
Chicago, known as Region 11 under the state’s reopening plan, and suburban Cook County (Region 10) qualified on Jan. 30 for what state officials call phase 4 restrictions, which allow restaurants and bars to operate at 50% or 50 people . , whichever is the least.
However, Lightfoot has imposed stricter rules in an effort to ensure that the reopens do not cause an increase in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
Officials stood at a “moderate risk” level for three days from Tuesday.
The last measure the city achieved was to reduce the average number of COVID-19 cases to less than 400 cases per day, which was reached for the first time Sunday, according to updated data from the Chicago Department of Public Health.
An average of 344 Chicago residents have been diagnosed with the coronavirus every day in the past week, down 31% from the previous week, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health. The city’s average test positivity rate is 3.6%, according to data compiled by the city.
After 14 days at a ‘moderate risk’ level, the city said it allows restaurants and bars to operate 50% of their normal capacity or a maximum of 50 people. This could happen as soon as February 27, according to city data.
Rules requiring tables of up to six people to be kept 6 feet apart remain in place. In addition, pubs must serve food according to the rules. In Chicago, pubs can reopen without a food service license, as long as they partner with a eatery or allow delivery. Men should be worn when meals are not actively eating or drinking, officials said.
In addition, pubs and restaurants must stop selling alcohol at 23:00 and close for customers on the premises at midnight.
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]