IDPH Announces Region 5 Moves into Tier 1 Mitigation – Limited Indoor Dining

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced Region 5, southern Illinois (Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White, Williamson), has met the metrics to move out of Tier 2 mitigations and into Tier 1 mitigations, which will allow limited indoor dining.

“I am excited to see southern Illinois move into Tier 1 mitigations and I encourage them to continue to practice personal protective actions so they can get back to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.  “This should serve as motivation for other regions.  However, I do want to caution that moving back through tiers does not mean abandoning your mask or attending large events and gatherings.  We must continue to watch our distance and wear our masks and get vaccinated when it we become eligible.”
 
Tier 1
Bars and Restaurants
•        Indoor service limited to lesser of 25% or 25 people per room
•        Establishment must serve food for indoor service
•        Reservations required and limited to 2 hours
•        No tables exceeding 4 people indoors
•        Bars and restaurants close at 11 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6 a.m. the following day

Meetings, social events and gatherings (including weddings, funerals, potlucks, etc.)
•        Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity both indoors and outdoors
•        Applicable to professional, cultural and social group gatherings.
•        Not applicable to students participating in-person classroom learning, or sports.
•        This does not reduce the overall facility capacity dictated by general Phase 4 business guidance such as office, personal care, retail, etc.

Organized group recreational activities (fitness centers, sports, etc.)
•        Sports should follow the mitigation measures set forth in the All Sport Guidelines, which outlines appropriate levels of practice and competition based on  individual                 sport risk
•        Face coverings must be worn at all times in fitness centers, including while engaged in individual exercise regardless of person or machine spacing.

Tier 1 requires a region to meet the following metrics:
1) A test positivity rate below 8% for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; and 2) Greater than or equal to 20% available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 3-day rolling average; and 3) No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.

Beginning January 16, 2021, staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds will be based on a 7-day rolling average to help stabilize the numbers and reduce the variations associated with natural hospital admission trends.

Regional COVID-19 metrics can be found on the IDPH website at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics.

For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.