WEST LOOP COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION: City of Chicago Re-Instates Targeted COVID-19 Restrictions To Help Combat Recent Rise In Community Cases

West Loop Community Organization issued the following announcement on July 20.

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced a re-tightening of COVID-19 restrictions for bars, restaurants, gyms and personal services as a precautionary move in response to a recent increase in community cases of the virus.

Throughout the pandemic, data has guided every move made by the City, and the recent uptick in cases as well as surging COVID-19 activity in other states around the country is cause for concern and motivated this move to dial back reopening in certain high-risk environments.

As CDPH recently announced, the city is back in a high-incidence state under Centers for Disease Control guidelines after topping 200 cases per day on a 7-day rolling average. As of Sunday, July 19, that number was 233. That increase has been driven in part by rising cases among young people 18-29 years old as the city has seen more social activity and interactions in bars, restaurants, parks and the lakefront. Chicago has also seen an increase in its percent positivity rate – the percentage of people tested who are positive for COVID-19 – after weeks of decline.

The reinstatement of certain restrictions will go into effect Friday, July 24 at 12:01 a.m., in order to allow businesses time to prepare. Restrictions will include:

• Bars, taverns, breweries and other establishments that serve alcohol for on site consumption without a Retail Food license will no longer be able to serve customers indoors. Restaurants that serve alcohol will be allowed to continue to operate as long as they abide by ongoing COVID 19 guidance and existing regulations. Establishments without food may still provide outdoor service as they did under phase three.
• Maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants bars taverns and breweries will be reduced to six people.
• Indoor fitness class size will be reduced to a maximum of 10 people.
• Personal services requiring the removal of face coverings will no longer be permitted (shaves, facials, etc.)
• Residential property managers will be asked to limit guest entry to five per unit to avoid indoor gatherings and parties.