It's Nice Out, But Don't Stop Social Distancing, Officials Say

CHICAGO, IL — While Chicagoans are being asked to stay home to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, warm weather forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday is sparking concerns about whether residents will be able to maintain social distancing.

According to the National Weather Service, Tuesday is set to be unseasonably warm, with temperatures hitting the low-to-mid 70s for the first time this year, and the potential for a high of 81 degrees.

When the weather is this nice, Chicagoans usually emerge from their homes en masse, where they've been hunkered down throughout the winter. But this year, they're being asked to stay home, despite the nice weather, since the coronavirus has hit the city hard, with 5,043 positive cases and 118 deaths as of Tuesday morning.

Due to the widespread impact of the coronavirus, Illinois' stay-at-home order has been extended through at least April 30. The mandatory order requires all residents to stay home except for essential business.

• Illinois Coronavirus Update April 7: 12,262 Cases; 307 Deaths
• Temps in the 70s, Warm Start to the Week

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Outdoor activity such as walking, running and biking is allowed, but group sports like basketball, soccer and touch football are banned. When people are exercising outside, they must practice social distancing, which means keeping six feet of distance between themselves and the next person.

Enforcing the stay-at home order has proven to be difficult. On March 25, Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered police to close the entire lakefront and added the downtown Riverwalk, the "606" trail that snakes through Northwest Side neighborhoods, and park field houses citywide the following day.

Between March 25 and March 31, police issued 869 "disbursement" warnings, wrote seven citations and made one arrest citywide. During the first two days of April, officers issued 269 additional warnings, wrote three more tickets and arrested two more people.

In addition, suburban forest preserve districts have warned people to keep their distance from each other, threatening to shut down trails and preserves if they don't.

"We intend to keep most of the preserves and trails open during the state's stay-at-home order, but that could change quickly if visitors don't abide by safe social distancing rules by maintaining a six-foot separation between people or family groups, and follow CDC recommended COVID-19 prevention strategies," officials with the Lake County Forest Preserve District said in a statement last week.

The forest preserve district has already shut down all its facilities, dog exercise areas, marinas, restrooms and playgrounds.

In Cook County, the forest preserve district recently shut down its restrooms, nature centers, campgrounds, nature play areas, permit offices and the Swallow Cliff Stairs.

"We urge you to follow recommended visitor precautions when in the forest preserves," the Forest Preserves of Cook County said, in the news release. "We are committed to the health and safety of our visitors and will continue to monitor the situation and add or extend closures and cancellations as necessary."

The Will County Forest Preserve District took it one step further, closings its parking lots as well.

• Coronavirus: Forest Preserve Closes Dog Parks, Parking Lots

On Wednesday, temperatures will be slightly cooler but still significantly warmer than they have been, reaching mid-60s to low 70s. Temperatures will then cool off through the rest of the week.

More on Patch:

• Coronavirus Testing Offered at Lab in Orland Park
• County-by-County Look at Coronavirus Updates
• Where Are Chicagoans Violating Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Warnings?