Bigger Weddings, Festivals And More As City Loosens Restrictions

CHICAGO — The city is loosening its Phase 4 COVID-19 restrictions, effective immediately. Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the change on Wednesday, citing a promising fall in positivity rates and a rise in the number of Chicagoans getting vaccinated.

This means some festivals can return, stadiums can loosen capacity restrictions, and conventions can restart, with restrictions.

Lightfoot said the reversal of last month's trend of rising numbers of new coronavirus trend, combined with accelerating vaccine distribution allowed the city to bring its regulations in line with the state's.

"These loosened Phase 4 regulations will allow large indoor venues, such as the United Center and places of worship to operate at 25 percent capacity," Lightfoot said. "Furthermore, we are able to reveal our Chicago Bridge Phase, which will allow us to continue expanding capacity in as soon as two weeks if our metrics continue to improve."

The first street festival in Chicago in more than a year, the Windy City Smokeout country music and barbecue event is planned outside the United Center from July 8 to 11.

Organizers said attendees will be required to show they have been vaccinated or tested negative for COVID-19 using the Clear Health Pass, a not-yet-functional app produced by a company that manages a secure identification platform used by airports and other institutions.

Here are the biggest and most anticipated changes:

• Restaurants and bars can increase capacity to the lesser of 50 percent or 100 people.
• Larger indoor venues for seated spectator events, which includes concerts and theaters, can now operate at 25 percent capacity.
• Smaller indoor venues for seated events can operate at the lesser of 50 percent capacity or 50 people.
• Large indoor venues can now operate at the lesser of 25 percent of 250 people. This will include conventions and large meetings.
• Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events can operate with 15 people per 1,000 square feet.
• Flea and farmers markets can operate at 25 percent capacity or 15 people per 1,000 square feet.
• Places of worship with large, indoor venues can operate at 25 percent capacity.
• Fully vaccinated people will not count towards capacity limits at social events.

The city announced people who are 14 days out since receiving their final vaccine dose will not count towards capacity limits at private events. The private events must have an RSVP list and private business owners will have to verify the guests who are fully vaccinated.

Officials said the city's "Bridge Phase" is possible in the next two weeks. The Bridge Phase will mean expanded hours for bars and restaurants and even looser restrictions on private events.

At a press conference at the newly re-opened Navy Pier, the city's public health commissioner, Dr. Allison Arwady, said the new allowances are thanks to one thing.

"This is happening, make no mistake, because people are getting vaccinated," Arwady said.

The loosening of Phase 4 puts Chicago close to where the rest of Illinois is in terms of restrictions.