Illinois Set to Move into Bridge Phase Friday. Here's What That Means For You

Currently in Phase 4 of its reopening plan, Illinois is preparing to enter the Bridge Phase at the end of this week, marking the start of a transitional period before the final Phase 5.

The Bridge Phase will begin Friday, allowing for higher capacity limits at places like museums, zoos and spectator events as well as increased business operations during a transitional period between the current guidelines and a full reopening.

So what changes between Phase 4 and the Bridge Phase? Here's a breakdown by category:

• Dining
  • Phase 4: Seated areas: Patrons ≥ 6 feet apart; parties ≤ 10, Standing areas: 25% capacity
    • In Chicago: Indoors: 50% capacity with no more than 100 people per space; table size ≤ 6, Outdoors: 6 feet between parties; table size ≤ 10
  • Bridge Phase: Seated areas: Patrons ≥ 6 feet apart; parties ≤ 10, Standing areas: 30% capacity indoors; 50% capacity outdoors
    • In Chicago: 75% capacity with at least 6 ft. between parties; table size ≤ 10; Seating at bars/counters limited to 6 per party indoors and outdoors, Standing areas limited to 25% capacity
• Health and fitness
  • Phase 4: 50% capacity, Group fitness classes of 50 or fewer indoors or 100 or fewer outdoors
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity, Group fitness classes of 50 or fewer indoors or 100 or fewer outdoors
• Offices
  • Phase 4: 50% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity
• Personal care
  • Phase 4: 50% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity
• Retail and service counter
  • Phase 4: 50% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity
• Amusement parks
  • Phase 4: 25% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity
• Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events
  • Phase 4: 15 people per 1,000 sq. ft.
  • Bridge Phase: 30 people per 1,000 sq. ft.
• Flea and farmers markets
  • Phase 4: 25% capacity or 15 people per 1,000 sq. ft.
  • Bridge Phase: Indoor: 15 people per 1,000 sq. ft., Outdoor: 30 people per 1,000 sq. ft.
• Film production
  • Phase 4: 50% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity
• Meetings, conferences and conventions
  • Phase 4: Venue with capacity < 200 persons: Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity *, Venue with capacity ≥ 200 persons: Lesser of 250 people or 25% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: Lesser of 1,000 people or 60% capacity
• Museums
  • Phase 4: 25% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity
• Recreation
  • Phase 4: Indoor: Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity, Outdoor: Maximum groups of 50; multiple groups permissible
  • Bridge Phase: Indoor: Lesser of 100 people or 50% capacity, Outdoor: Maximum groups of 100; multiple groups permissible
• Social events
  • Phase 4: Indoor: Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity, Outdoor: Lesser of 100 people or 50% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: Indoor: 250 people, Outdoor: 500 people
• Spectator events (ticketed and seated)
  • Phase 4: Indoor venue with capacity < 200 people: Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity, Outdoor venue or indoor venue with capacity ≥ 200 people: 25% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity
• Theaters and performing arts
  • Phase 4: Indoor venue with capacity < 200 persons: Lesser of 50 or 50% capacity, Outdoor venue or indoor venue with capacity ≥ 200 persons: 25% capacity
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity
• Zoos
  • Phase 4: 25% capacity, Lesser of 50 or 50% at indoor exhibits
  • Bridge Phase: 60% capacity

Illinois is expected to fully reopen and enter Phase 5 of its COVID reopening plan on June 11, "barring any significant reversals in our key COVID-19 statewide indicators."

Phase 5 would see all sectors of the economy fully reopened and no capacity limits, though Pritzker noted that the state will continue following mask guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This good news comes with a caveat. We have all seen throughout this pandemic that this virus and its variants have proven to be unpredictable," Pritzker said. "Metrics that look strong today are far from a guarantee of how things will look a week, two weeks, a month from now. We saw that last August and again in March."