Restrictions On Metro East Bars, Restaurants May End Friday: Gov

CHICAGO — The recent decline in the coronavirus positivity rate in the Metro East region means state public health officials could relax extra restrictions on bars, restaurants and gatherings, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday at a remote news conference.

Pritzker said Region 4, where indoor service has been restricted at bars and restaurants for more than a month, has seen its seven-day rolling average coronavirus positivity rate fall from a peak of more than 10 percent in early September.

"That's enormous progress," Pritzker said. "If the region sustains an average below the 6.5 percent threshold, Region 4 could see a return to the looser mitigations enacted in most of the state as soon as Friday, perhaps."

Region 4, the Edwardsville emergency medical services region, includes Madison, St. Clair, Bond, Clinton, Monroe, Randolph and Washington counties. It was the first region to have additional COVID-19 mitigation measures triggered by an 8 percent positivity rate imposed on it. And until recently, it had the highest rate of the state's 11 coronavirus resurgence mitigation regions.

According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the region's positivity rate has been below 8 percent since Sept. 17. After about two weeks of fluctuation between 7 and 8 percent, the rate declined by 1.4 percentage points from Sept. 30 through Sunday, the most recent day for which data is available from IDPH.

IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said talking about the various statistics involved in the public health response to COVID-19 can be confusing sometimes, but state public health officials are committed to sharing millions of pieces of data.

"I want to assure people that IDPH is being transparent with the data, sharing everything about COVID-19 while still protecting our residents and their right to privacy," Ezike said. "We also want to see the people use this data and follow along confidently alongside IDPH. IDPH will continue to work diligently and transparently to provide meaningful data to all of you."

The region with the highest coronavirus positivity rate in the state is Region 1, the Rockford emergency medical services region. The region's northwest Illinois counties border both Iowa and Wisconsin, where the rate of infection has been increasing in recent weeks. State authorities imposed additional restrictions on the region for the first time Saturday. As of Sunday, its positivity rate was 8.6 percent.

Pritzker said Region 9, which includes Lake and McHenry counties, and Region 5, the Marion region in southern Illinois, have both reversed their trends of declining positivity rates. Other regions that have been on the decline are now stable. Only Region 3, the Springfield region, turned increasing positivity into a decline last week, the governor noted.

Speaking from his Chicago home, where he is in the midst of a two-week quarantine due to a staff member's positive coronavirus test, the governor urged residents to continue to get tested themselves.

"There is testing available to you if you need it," Pritzker said. "Whether you've potentially been in contact with a COVID-19 case, if you're feeling unwell, if you just want to check in, you're able to get a test and you can get a test at no cost."