CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The State of Illinois is on track to move into Phase 5 of its Restore Illinois plan in July, meaning all sectors of the economy will fully reopen with new health and hygiene practices permanently in place.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot made the announcement Tuesday while also announcing the return of the Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place, the first large convention to take place in Chicago since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
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The State of Illinois, including the City of Chicago, is currently in Phase 4 of its reopening plan. The next move will be into what's known as the "Bridge Phase" before a full reopening in the final Phase 5.
In order for Illinois to advance to the Bridge Phase, the entire state must reach a 70 percent first-dose vaccination rate for residents 65 and older, in addition to maintain the current required metrics of at least 20 percent ICU beds availability and holding steady on hospitalizations for COVID-19 or COVID-like illnesses, mortality rates and case rates over a 28-day monitoring period.
Officials announced Tuesday that statewide, 55 percent of individuals 16 and over and 79 percent of individual 65 and over have been vaccinated - both well above the threshold to advance. But increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have prevented the state from moving into the new phase in recent weeks.
Pritzker said Monday increases in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have gone down and it is possible for the state to move into the "Bridge Phase" next week.
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“The lifesaving power of vaccinations and the hard work by the people of our city and state has led us here. In recent weeks, we have seen our statewide COVID case rates and hospitalizations flatten and begin to fall, demonstrating a surge far short of the one we saw over the fall and winter. To be clear, our fight against the virus isn’t over yet – but things are getting better," Pritzker said Tuesday.
Mayor Lightfoot was a little more forward than Governor Pritzker, saying that the goal is to have the city fully reopen by July 4.
"Every day that our COVID-19 metrics continue to tick downward raises the day closer to be able to put this pandemic in the rearview mirror, and we are too close to accomplishing his mission to give up now," Lightfoot said. "Our goal, ladies and gentlemen, is to be fully open by July 4. I am working night and day toward this goal, as is our public health department, but we and I need you to continue to be on this journey with us and that means getting vaccinated now, as soon as possible. So I urge everyone to continue to follow the public health guidance, make sure that you take advantage of a life saving vaccine which is free and readily available all across the city."
Since the announcement last week of further loosened Phase 4 restrictions in Chicago and the launch of the 'Open Chicago' plan, COVID-19 test positivity rate has continued to drop and is now under 5 percent, city officials said.
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“We have seen steady progress in recent weeks with a downward trend in our leading COVID metrics and more and more people stepping up to get vaccinated, which is so important in getting us out of this pandemic,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady M.D. “That has made this exciting day possible.”
As these metrics continue to stabilize and decline, the state could soon move into the “Bridge Phase” of the Restore Illinois Reopening Plan. Following a 28-day period of continued stability or decline in key COVID-19 metrics, the state would then move into Phase 5, with all capacity limits lifted.
“The trends are encouraging, but we must be cautious as we move forward,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “As more venues reopen, it is critical that we increase the number of people who are vaccinated. Immunity is how we stop transmission of this virus, but we need greater community immunity and that requires as many of us as possible getting vaccinated as soon as possible.”