Illinois Department of Public Health said earlier today that Region 8, which includes both DuPage and Kane counties, is on track to move to Tier 1 mitigations beginning Tuesday, January 26th.
Region 8 Currently in Tier 2
The region currently resides in Tier 2 with a positivity rate average of 7.3% over the past 7 days.
The region has over 20% hospital bed and ICU availability and has held that number for over 11 days.
The number of patients entering the hospital in the region has decreased in six of the past ten days. If the region has another day of decreasing hospitalization tomorrow, that would hit the target of 7 of 10 days of decreased hospitalizations.
If the region is able to advance to Tier 1, it will join Will and Kankakee counties of region 7, meaning all of Naperville would be in Tier 1 mitigations.
Tier 1 Mitigations
The biggest change Region 8 will see upon the move to Tier 1 is the return of indoor dining. Bars and restaurants will be able to serve 25 guests or up to 25% capacity.
Social gatherings such as weddings, funerals, and potlucks will also be able to be held at 25% capacity in Tier 1.
Tier 1 also allows any sport in the low risk or medium risk category to begin playing competitive games, while high risk sports such as basketball and football, may begin practicing in full. Games at the high risk level can be played once a region enters Phase 4 mitigations.
The current list of risk levels from the IDPH for each sport are as follows:
- Lower risk: archery, badminton, baseball, bass fishing, bowling, climbing, competitive cheer, competitive dance, crew, cross country, cycling, disc golf, fencing, gymnastics, horseback riding, ice skating, ropes courses, sailing/canoeing/kayaking, scholastic golf, sideline spirit, skateboarding, softball, skiing, swimming/diving, tennis, track and field, weight lifting.
- Medium risk: flag football/7-on-7 football, futsal, paintball, racquetball, soccer, volleyball, water polo, wheelchair basketball
- Higher risk: basketball, boxing, football, hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, rugby, ultimate frisbee, wrestling.
Phase 4 on the Horizon?
Regions 7 and 8 may not be too far from moving back into Phase 4. In order to reach that mark, the test positivity rate must equal 6.5% or less for three consecutive days over a 7-day average; AND staffed ICU bed availability must equal 20% for three consecutive days over a 7-day average; AND have no sustained increase in COVID patients in hospital with a 7-day average for 7 of 10 days.
Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 are currently in Phase 4.
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