Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced today, that his administration has developed a five-phase “Restore Illinois” plan that would reopen the state.
The plan is designed to be deployed regionally.
This is also a regional plan. We're one Illinois, but we are also one Illinois made up of of 60,000 square miles – and reality on the ground looks different across our state. We're looking at the state as four regions, each of which can move through phases at different times. pic.twitter.com/nQfNCCUrIZ
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 5, 2020
The phases are:
Phase 1 (this phase has already happened, and won’t be revisited outside of another outbreak)
In Phase 1 – or where we were from early March to April 30 – we moved to minimum essential operations to bend the curve, curtail the rapid spread of the virus and give us time to expand hospital capacity.
We’ve been through this phase once, and no one wants to go backward. pic.twitter.com/jXo1ftOkyW
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 5, 2020
Phase Two (this is where we are now):
We entered Phase 2 on May 1st with our modified Stay at Home order.
Many of our mitigations are similar to Phase 1, but adjustments were made to offer flexibility where public health experts told us we could. pic.twitter.com/WiejjoGKoB
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 5, 2020
Phase Three (there is no date for us to move into this phase):
Keep in mind that areas of the state can move into this phase before others with lower numbers.
Regions that meet certain thresholds over the next few weeks will be able to move to Phase 3.
Non-essential manufacturing and other businesses can reopen, including barbershops and salons. State parks can open. All public gatherings of 10 people or fewer can now take place. pic.twitter.com/kjA9Kf66Ti
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 5, 2020
Phase Four:
In Phase 4, a region would need to see continued declines in its positivity rate and hospitalizations and maintain surge capacity, and if so, restaurants, bars, spas, cinemas, theaters, retail and health & fitness clubs can open with new capacity limits and @IDPH safety guidance. pic.twitter.com/x2k0a0fCcV
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 5, 2020
Phase 5 (requires treatment or vaccine):
The only way we can cross into Phase 5 – Illinois Restored, with all sectors of the economy running with completely normal operations – is with a vaccine, or a widely available and highly effective treatment, or with the elimination of any new cases over a sustained period. pic.twitter.com/7NSGGrhe9l
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 5, 2020
IMPORTANT. Here’s what could cause us to move backwards in the plan instead of forward:
Just as public health indicators will tell us when to move forward, at any time, they could also signal that we need to move backward. If the virus begins to attack more people or the health care systems are heading toward becoming overwhelmed, swift action will need to be taken. pic.twitter.com/7Z19gJIG9W
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 5, 2020