CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tried to tamp down any over-confidence residents may be feeling as the city moves into a freer Phase 4 later this week.
She noted the spiking number of cases in Southern and Southwestern states where restrictions have been removed.
“That is not what we want to be the story of Chicago,” Lightfoot said at a Monday news conference to announce details of the coming Phase 4 of reopening, which includes indoor service at reduced-capacity restaurants.
“That depends on all of you following the guidance.”
Although the city is opening up a bit more after a surge of COVID-19 cases earlier this year, officials stress it’s important for people to wear masks when they cannot maintain 6 feet of distance between them and strangers.
Lightfoot said if Chicago’s COVID metrics start to go the wrong way, the city will be forced to reverse course and impose the stricter conditions of Phase 3.
Illinois has bent the curve of coronavirus infections, officials have said, and the number of new cases and deaths has decreased noticeably in recent weeks.
On Monday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 26 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the statewide total to 6,671 lives lost. The agency said there were another 462 confirmed new cases of the virus, taking the state’s number of cases past 137,000.
Chicago reopened the Lakefront Trail and 606 Trail on Monday, with restrictions that include a mandate to walkers, bikers and runners to "keep moving."