Measures are being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 | Pexels
Measures are being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 | Pexels
Illinois State House District 41 issued the following announcement on Nov. 9.
He participated on a conference call with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and other legislators from DuPage, Will, Kane and Kankakee Counties. We were told that because COVID-19 positivity rates in Regions 7 and 8 have remained above 8% for more than 14 days, a second tier of resurgence mitigations will be taking effect this week on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Region 7 (Will and Kankakee Counties) and Region 8 (DuPage and Kane Counties) were placed on Tier I mitigations on Friday, Oct. 23. As you know, those mitigations closed restaurants and bars to indoor service and limited all public gatherings to 25% capacity or 25 people, whichever is smaller. Per Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan, regions under Tier I mitigations that do not reduce COVID-19 positivity rates to below 8% within 14 days are subject to Tier II mitigations, which are even more restrictive. Specifically, Tier II mitigations that will begin on Wednesday include:
All Tier I mitigations, plus:
Outdoor restaurant and bar table service is limited to 6 people per table
Public gatherings are limited to 10% capacity or 10 people, whichever is lower
As a point of reference, as of Sunday, Nov. 8, Region 7’s positivity rate was 15.4%, and Region 8’s positivity rate was 13.3%. Positivity rates are climbing quickly throughout the entire state, and Governor Pritzker announced on Sunday that he may have to consider stricter statewide mitigations. It is more important than ever for Illinoisans wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash and sanitize hands frequently, and avoid large crowds.
There was also a representative from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) on the call, and he reminded lawmakers that there is still $170 million in business interruption grants available for businesses suffering due to COVID-19. Businesses experiencing resurgence mitigations will be given priority consideration as these grants continue to roll out on a weekly basis. As of today, $95 million in BIG grants have been awarded statewide, with $12 million in funding distributed between the four counties included in Regions 7 and 8. Grants are between $5,000 and $150,000, depending on the size of the business seeking the grant.
Original source can be found here.
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