CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, along with Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady and other city officials, officially announced Friday the reopening of Chicago with praise and rewards for residents’ resilience over the last 15 months.
"Due to the incredible progress we've made in our mission to stop the spread of COVID-19, I am thrilled to announce that we are able to safely transition into Phase 5 and become the first major city in the country to fully reopen," said Mayor Lightfoot, in a statement. "Our ongoing vaccination efforts, which prioritize equity and inclusion, have made a remarkable difference in our COVID-19 journey and have resulted in the lowest positivity rate since the beginning of the pandemic. This progress, as well as ongoing initiatives such as Open Chicago, have allowed us to safely lift capacity limits and reconnect our residents back to the activities they love the most. With today's announcement and even more residents continuing to do their part and get vaccinated, we are one step closer to being able to put this pandemic in our rear-view mirror."
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The mayor said Chicago is the first major U.S. city to fully reopen after months of restrictions, calling it a long, dark, and difficult period.
"You masked up, you got vaxxed up, and now it's time for you to get up, get out of the house this summer and fully and safely enjoy the events of the best city on the planet," Lightfoot said.
To help in that, and to reward businesses that have suffered under capacity limits and closures, Lightfoot partnered with Raise Marketplace and World Business Chicago to give away hundreds of $250 gift cards that can be used at more than 4,000 restaurants and shops across Chicago.
From now through July 4, hundreds of gift cards will be hidden at different locations each weekend in all 77 of Chicago’s neighborhoods to encourage people to get back out to local businesses this summer.
The city is also giving away 1,000 free one-day passes to Lollapalooza for fully vaccinated people.
"For doing your part, for enduring incredible hardship, but standing tall as we always do as Chicagoans. We are strong. We are resilient. And we are back," Lightfoot said.
Public health director Dr. Allison Arwady says the announcement comes as the city is recording its lowest covid cases, hospitalizations, and more since the beginning of the pandemic.
"We have made that progress, while turning the dial on reopening. And with that, we are turning it all the way open today," Dr. Arwady said... “This historic day is a testament to the hard work of Chicagoans to follow COVID-19 safety protocols and the power of vaccines. While our case rates are the lowest since the pandemic began, COVID-19 has not gone away completely, and overwhelmingly, those who are being diagnosed are those who are unvaccinated. Chicagoans who are not yet vaccinated should get a vaccine as soon as possible – it is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community.”
Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago no longer requires masks for fully vaccinated people in most settings. If you are not fully vaccinated, you need to continue to wear your mask in all indoor settings. However, regardless of vaccination status, everyone is required to wear masks in certain settings, including health care settings, schools, correctional/congregate sites, and on public transportation.
For businesses, Phase 5 means a broad lifting of COVID-19 restrictions across industries. For the first time since March 15, 2020, businesses can operate without capacity limits, mask mandates, social distancing, or the prohibition of specific business activities. Many businesses will choose to keep certain regulations in place for the safety of their customers and employees, including requiring masks for all customers, and the city supports any business that makes this choice.
Many Chicagoans will also continue to wear masks, even if they are fully vaccinated – businesses should be supportive of customers and employees that continue wearing a face covering.
To learn more about the Phase 5 reopening, visit chicago.gov/reopening.
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