BREAKING: Quad-Cities Moves To Phase Four, Loosening Covid-19 Restrictions Even More
BREAKING: Things are going back to normal — for the most part — in the Illinois Quad-Cities.
According to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker in his daily press conference, the region including Rock Island County and the Illinois Quad-Cities 
has met the metrics to be moved to phase 4 in covid-19 mitigations. The move means that things can get much more back to normal, as restaurants and bars can accommodate groups of up to 10 at tables and gatherings such as meetings and weddings can have up to 50 people at one time. Youth sports, including basketball and soccer can resume, according to the Illinois High School Association.
Masks are still required in some indoor settings, and social distancing is still recommended, but there are increased numbers of people allowed and events are allowed to actually take place.
Illinois had only 2,944 confirmed cases yesterday, its lowest since the fall surge began in November, which had caused Governor J.B. Pritzker to put the state into Tier 3 mitigations on Nov. 20.
The declining covid numbers statewide were seen as a sign that those mitigations worked, as other states, including Iowa, are continuing to see much higher numbers and rates than Illinois.
JB Pritzker at his press conference today.
The 21-county Region 2, which includes the Quad-Cities, has seen a string of days in which its positivity rate has been below 7 percent, with the threshold of 12 percent being the trigger that led Pritzker to push the state to Tier 3, meaning that numbers have been roughly cut in half since the late fall.
For more info on the region metrics in Illinois click here.
In Phase 4:
- Gatherings with 50 or fewer people are allowed.
- Indoor dining and bar service can reopen with capacity limits and IDPH-approved safety guidance.
- All outdoor recreation is allowed.
- P-12 schools, higher education, all summer programs, and child care facilities can open, with IDPH-approved safety guidance.
- All manufacturing is open with IDPH-approved safety guidance.
- Barber shops, salons, and spas can open with capacity limits and IDPH-approved safety guidance.
- Health and fitness clubs can open with IDPH-approved safety guidance.
- Cinemas and theaters can reopen with capacity limits and IDPH-approved safety guidance.
- Retail is open with capacity limits and IDPH-approved safety guidance.
For continuing coverage of the covid-19 situation, stay tuned to your website for free, fact-based news, QuadCities.com.
