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Tier 3 mitigation measures to take effect as COVID-19 cases surge

Update: Oak Park to follow new state restrictions to help slow the spread of COVID-19

Nov. 18, 2020 - New restrictions are set to go into effect Nov. 20 in Oak Park and across the state to help slow the spread of COVID-19, including reducing capacity in retail stores and prohibiting group fitness classes.

Stopping short of an official lockdown, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the Tier 3 Mitigations boil down to "if you don't need to do it, don't."

Under the new restrictions, gyms may remain open, but reservations will be required and no group classes allowed. Theaters also will be closed.

Groceries and pharmacies will be allowed 50 percent capacity, while general merchandise and big-box stores will be limited to 25 percent capacity.

Restaurants will still be able to serve meals outside, and the decision to continue in-person teaching will be up to local school districts and operators of private and parochial schools.

Click here to read the state news release on the new restrictions

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Oct. 26, 2020 – Indoor bar and restaurant service will be suspended this week in Oak Park as part of state-mandated COVID-19 mitigation measures for suburban Cook County announced today.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, no indoor service will be allowed in bars and restaurants, and service will end at 11 p.m. In addition, meetings, social events and gatherings will be limited to 25 guests or 25 percent of venue capacity, except schools. Click here to read the state’s announcement.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced the mitigation measures for Region 10, which encompasses Oak Park and the rest of suburban Cook County, following eight consecutive days of increases in test positivity and seven days of increased hospital admissions.

Sharp increases in COVID-19 cases have been reported across the county and state in recent days, and the surge is also being reflected in Oak Park’s local testing data.

Seventy two new COVID-19 cases were reported among Oak Park residents during the past week from Oct. 20 – 26, marking the largest one-week increase since the first case was reported here March 18.

“The recent increase in cases is quite concerning, especially as we head into colder weather and the holidays,” Oak Park Health Director Mike Charley said. “These mitigation measures certainly create challenges, but they are in place to help reduce the spread of the virus. We continue to stress the importance of commonsense strategies such as wearing a mask, keeping your social distance, limiting group sizes and washing your hands to protect yourself and the community.”

Recent studies have shown when people gather indoors to drink and eat at parties, bars, or restaurants they are more likely to become lax in following physical distancing and masking guidelines.

The following mitigation measures cover all of suburban Cook County but do not apply to schools:

Bars 

  • No indoor service 
  • All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m. 
  • All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside 
  • No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
  • Tables should be 6 feet apart  
  • No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
  • No dancing or standing indoors 
  • Reservations required for each party 
  • No seating of multiple parties at one table 

Restaurants 

  • No indoor dining or bar service 
  • All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m. 
  • Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart 
  • No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
  • Reservations required for each party
  • No seating of multiple parties at one table 

Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings 

  • Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity 
  • No party buses
  • Gaming and casinos close at 11 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable

Village officials reached out Monday to Oak Park businesses impacted by the mitigation measures. Residents are reminded that local restaurants remain open for take-out, drive-through, delivery and outdoor dining, with restrictions. 

In the coming days, IDPH will continue to track the positivity rate in Region 10 to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigations should remain in place.

If the positivity rate in Region 10 averages less than or equal to 6.5 percent over a three-day period, there is a decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness over a three-day period, and the three-day rolling averages of ICU bed availability and medical/surgical bed availability is greater than or equal to 20 percent over a seven-day period, the region will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan.

Conversely, if the average positivity rate continues to increase over seven out of 10 days and the hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness continues to increase over seven out of 10 days, more stringent mitigations can be applied. If the metrics remain stable, the region will continue to be monitored.

Regional COVID-19 data is posted on the IDPH website at www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics. Information about how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is available on the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/covid19.

For the latest information on Oak Park’s response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, visit www.oak-park.us/covid19.