Actions to Combat a Resurgence of COVID-19
tt
From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois followed the science and listened to public healthexperts by putting mitigations in place and then deliberately and gradually lifting many of them. As
other states see their cases and positivity rates surge, Illinois has one of the lowest positivity rates in
the nation because we let public health guide our decisions.
Even so, the virus is still out there and as mitigations are lifted, it is likely that cases will rise. The
administration is committed to being fully prepared for any resurgence and transparent with the public
as to what that planning looks like. Just as Illinois took a gradual and regional approach to safely
reopen our state, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health have put forward adeliberate plan that will utilize several layers of mitigations to combat a resurgence of COVID-19 andprevent uncontrollable spread.
This plan recognizes that the state is in its strongest position to combat the virus since the pandemic
began, with a robust testing operation regularly yielding more than 30,000 tests per day, expanded
tracing operations with 1,450 contact tracers, a growing stockpile of personal protective equipment,
and hospital surge capacity. The plan also accounts for months of additional data and research as
public health experts reach a greater scientific understanding of this virus and how it spreads.
This updated guidance establishes a menu of mitigation options organized by risk level. The following
health metrics will be used to determine when the spread of the virus in a region requires additional
mitigations:

What Could Cause a Region to Become More Restrictive?
•Sustained increase in 7-day rolling average(7 out of 10 days) in the positivity rate
AND ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:•

Sustained 7-day increase in hospital
admissions for a COVID-19 like illness•

Reduction in hospital capacity threatening
surge capabilities (ICU capacity or
medical/surgical beds under 20%)

OR

• Three consecutive days averaging
greater than or equal to 8% positivityrateMitigations will be applied on a regional basis based on the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Regionsthat have traditionally guided IDPH in its statewide public health work. Expanding to 11 regions allows for amore granular approach in this phase of the response to COVID-19. The new regions follow county lines toaccount for counties that are in more than one region of the EMS system. The new regions are as follows:
1. NORTH: Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, Winnebago
2. NORTH-CENTRAL: Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle,Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark,Tazewell, Warren, Woodford
3. WEST-CENTRAL: Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian, Greene, Hancock, Jersey, Logan,Macoupin, Mason, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott
4. METRO EAST: Bond, Clinton, Madison,Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, Washington
5. SOUTHERN: Alexander, Edwards, Franklin,Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson,Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope,Pulaski, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne,White, Williamson
6. EAST-CENTRAL: Champaign, Clark, Clay,Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt,Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford,
Iroquois, Jasper, Lawrence, Macon, Moultrie,Piatt, Richland, Shelby, Vermillion
7. SOUTH SUBURBAN: Kankakee, Will
8. WEST SUBURBAN: DuPage, Kane
9. NORTH SUBURBAN: Lake, McHenry
10. SUBURBAN COOK: Suburban Cook
11. CHICAGO: City of Chicago
All public health criteria included in this document are subject to change.
As research and data on this novel coronavirus continue to develop, this plan
can and will be updated to reflect the latest science and data.

Once a region meets the resurgence criteria, the following tiered menu of mitigation options will beconsidered. If sustained increases in health metrics continue unabated, further mitigations could beadded from additional tiers.

Actions to Combat a Resurgence of COVID-19
Triggers: (1) sustained increase in positivity rate and A) sustained increase in hospital admissions or B) reduction
in hospital capacity threatening surge capabilities; or (2) ≥ 8% positivity rate over three consecutive days
SETTINGTIER 1TIER 2TIER 3

Bars andrestaurants

Reduce indoor dining
capacity and suspend
indoor bar service

Suspend indoor dining andbar service

Suspend in-person dining;takeout onlyHospitals

Reduce elective surgeries
and procedures; limit
visitation at hospitals;
implement twice daily bedreporting

Suspend elective surgeries
and procedures; implement
surge capacity; assessneed to open Alternate
Care Facility

Open Alternate Care
Facility

Meetings, social
events andreligious
gatherings

Additional limits ongatherings and room
capacity

Greater limits ongatherings and room
capacity

Strictest limit to gatherings
and room capacity

Offices

Institute remote work forhigh risk individuals;
continued emphasis on
telework for as many
workers as possible

Reduce office capacity withrecommendations toresume remote work wherepossible

Institute remote work for all
non-essential workers

Organized group
recreational
activities & gyms*(fitness centers,sports, etc.)

Reduce indoor capacity

Suspend organized indoor
recreational activities

Suspend organized indoor
and outdoor recreational
activities

Retail*Reduce in-person capacity

Suspend in-person nonessential retail; online andcurbside pick-up available
for all

Suspend all non-essentialretail; only essential retailopen (i.e. grocery stores,pharmacies)

Salons andpersonal care*

Institute temporary
location shutdown tied tooutbreakInstitute temporary
location shutdown tied tooutbreak with possible
broader mitigations

Suspend salon andpersonal care operations* Optional measures based on a region’s on-the-ground condition. This list is not exhaustive and other industries may
be added if indicated by the data.