Reopening Illinois: 6 Things To Know

ILLINOIS — On Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced what some Illinois residents — especially those who side with "Reopen Illinois" demonstrators — have been waiting to hear: A plan for the reopening of the state. But it won't happen right away. Illinois has been largely shut down since March, when schools, bars and restaurants and non-essential businesses shut down to in-person classes and customers.

On May 1, an updated stay-at-home order was issued, and despite facing some legal challenges, it remains in effect through the end of the month, with modifications that allow some state parks and additional businesses to reopen, though many retailers are only permitted to do online orders and curbside pickup.

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But what about reopening everything? When will that happen?

The answer, according to Pritzker, is not anytime soon — and the next phase of reopening won't be until the end of the month for certain. He announced a five-phase Restore Illinois plan for reopening that will happen by region and based on coronavirus infection rates and hospital capacity

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Illinois has already moved through Phase 1, or the phase of rapid spread, in which non-essential gatherings were banned, essential gatherings (like funerals) were limited to 10 people, and only essential businesses were allowed to stay open.

Here are six things to know about Tuesday's announcement:

1) We're in Phase 2 now

All regions in the state are experiencing "flattening of the curve" to some degree or another as the rate of infection begins to slow and stabilize — not enough to fully reopen, but enough so that the stay-at-home order has been modified.

That means some non-essential businesses — retail, but not salons or barbershops — can reopen, but for online orders or curbside pickup only. Pet groomers have also been allowed to reopen with regulations to keep employees and customers safe.

Some state parks (a list can be found here) have also reopened. Golf courses can reopen with restrictions and limitations as well.

2) Illinois will reopen by region

Under the Restore Illinois plan, Illinois is divided into four regions: Northeast Illinois, North-Central Illinois, Central Illinois and Southern Illinois.

"Regions that meet certain healthcare thresholds over the next coming weeks can move to phase 3," Pritzker said. Regions will move forward — or backward — through phases based on their infection rates and data.

"The reality on the ground is that things look different for different regions," the governor said.

3) What has to happen for Phases 3 and 4 to start?

Phase 3 is the "recovery" phase, and no Illinois region can move to that phase before May 30 — despite some Illinois mayors defying the stay-at-home orders to launch their open reopening plans, including East Peoria.

For a region to move to Phase 3, its rate of infection among those who have been surveillance tested must be stable or declining. Coronavirus-related hospitalizations and ICU capacity must also remain stable or decrease.

Under Phase 3, face coverings in public continue to be required. Gatherings of 10 people or fewer for any reason can resume — not just "essential" gatherings. Select industries and personal care businesses — like health clubs, barbershops and salons — can begin returning to workplaces, with social distancing and sanitization practices in place. Retail businesses can reopen with limited capacity in Phase 3.

Barbershops and salons will be required to implement Illinois Department of Public Health safety guidance, and health and fitness clubs can provide outdoor classes and one-on-one training, but not indoor group classes.

After a region moves through Phase 3 and sees a continued decline in infections, it can move to Phase 4, or revitalization, which allows gatherings of 50 people and fewer, some travel with IDPH guidance, all health care providers to reopen, and schools and child care facilities to reopen with IDPH-approved safety guidance. Movie theaters, bars and restaurants, salons, spas and barbershops can reopen with capacity limits and IDPH-approved safety guidance in Phase 4.

4) Phase 5 could be a long way off

Phase 5, or "Illinois Restored" isn't going to happen anytime soon. Pritzker didn't mince words on Tuesday.

"Here's the truth, and I don't like it any more than you do," he said. "Until we have a vaccine, or an effective treatment ... the option of returning to normalcy doesn't exist. We have to figure out how to live with COVID-19 until it can be vanquished."

How long will it take for a vaccine to be created and approved? While multiple companies around the world are working on one, it's going to take a while — possibly 12 to 18 months, according to most reports.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he anticipates there will be another wave of coronavirus in the fall or winter.

Gregory Poland, an expert with the Infectious Diseases Society of America, told MarketWatch he doesn't believe there will be a vaccine before the coronavirus resurgence.

“We will not have a vaccine by next winter,” he said.

Illinois Restored won't happen until there is a coronavirus vaccine, effective and widely available treatment or the elimination of new cases over a sustained period of time through herd immunity or other factors.

Large conventions, festivals and other major events — such as Lollapalooza — will be on hold until Illinois reaches Phase 5

5) We could move backwards — even back to Phase 1

If Illinois starts seeing a new spike in coronavirus cases — no matter which phase each region is in — restrictions will be put back in place.

What could cause the state or a region to regress to a previous phase? With IDPH closely monitoring data and information from local health departments and regional health care councils, these things could prompt Illinois to move backwards:

• Sustained rise in positivity rate
• Sustained increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness
• Reduction in hospital capacity threatening surge capabilities
• Significant outbreak in the region that threatens the health of the region

"Moving backward is honestly the last thing that anyone wants to do," Pritzker said. If regions start to see a resurgence in the virus or a return to pre-Phase 5 numbers, "swift action will be taken," he said.

6) What happens if people violate the rules?

For the most part, probably not much, and putting more people in jail could help coronavirus spread in a congregate setting. With nearly 13 million people in Illinois, state and health officials are relying on the public to do the right thing and cooperate with restrictions through each phase.

"It’s not anybody’s goal to round up people and put them in jail," IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. "We don’t want to put somebody in a congregate setting to start with. So let’s just work together.

"We’re looking for people to take responsibility and do the right thing," she said. "We’re not looking to create a police state where we’re marching around and trying to put people in jail. We want to protect people’s health, and we want everyone to help us do that."