JB Pritzker

Pritzker Announces New ‘Bridge Phase' Aimed at Getting Illinois to Phase 5

The updated guidelines bridge the gap between Phase 4, which the state is currently in, and Phase 5, which would mark a complete reopening

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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a new transition phase as part of Illinois’ reopening framework that would bridge the gap between the current Phase 4 of reopening and a full Phase 5 reopening. He also announced plans to expand eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to all Illinois residents over the age of 16, except for those in the city of Chicago, beginning on April 12.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday new metrics and guidelines aimed at transitioning the state to a full reopening, unveiling what he called a "Bridge Phase" that would allow for higher capacity limits prior to entering Phase 5.

The new phase allows for higher capacity limits at places like museums, zoos and spectator events as well as increased business operations, the state announced, but masks will continue to be mandated.

The updated guidelines bridge the gap between Phase 4, which the state is currently in, and Phase 5, which would mark a complete reopening and requires a widely available vaccine or highly effective treatment.

According to the governor, the so-called Bridge Phase "will serve as a transition period with higher capacity limits and increased business operations, without prematurely embracing a reckless reopening before the majority of Illinoisans have been vaccinated."

“We want and need to move forward, but we must be measured and cautious in the approach,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a statement. “Rather than flipping a switch and saying we’re now in Phase 5, we’re looking at it more like a dial – dialing back some of the capacity restrictions that helped reduce transmission, and ultimately the number of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.  We don’t want to move too quickly and risk a significant reversal of our progress.”

Unlike previous mitigations and phases, all of Illinois will move through the Bridge Phase and Phase 5 together, once they meet the required metrics.

In order for Illinois to advance to the Bridge Phase, the entire state must reach a 70% first-dose vaccination rate for residents 65 and older, in addition to maintain the current required metrics of at least 20% ICU beds availability and holding steady on hospitalizations for COVID-19 or COVID-like illnesses, mortality rates and case rates over a 28-day monitoring period.

To move to Phase 5, the state must reach a 50% vaccination rate for residents age 16 and over and meet the same metrics and rates required to enter the transition phase, over an additional 28-day period, state officials said.

“COVID-19 has not gone away, but the light we can see at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter as more people get vaccinated,” Pritzker said in a statement. “It’s time to begin to cautiously move toward normalcy, and it’s imperative that we do so in a way that maintains all the progress we’ve made to date."

The state could be forced to revert back to an earlier phase if, over the course of 10 days, the state experiences an increasing trend in COVID-19 and COVID-like illness hospital admissions, a decrease in ICU bed availability, an increase in the mortality rate, and an increasing case rate, the state said.

In addition to announcing the transition phase, the state also made changes to current Phase 4 guidelines.

Under a new rule, anyone with proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test within one to three days of an event or outing will not count toward capacity limits.

In addition, lower-risk activities that were either not permitted or allowed at a lower capacity have been expanded in Phase 4.

"As regulations are rolled back gradually in the weeks ahead, Illinoisans should continue practicing the public health guidelines that have kept us safe during the pandemic, including wearing face coverings and maintaining social distance," the state said in a release.

Still, Chicago said it is "evaluating the guidance released [Thursday] and will be releasing updated city guidelines early next week."

Here's a complete breakdown of the phase changes:

Phase 4

Dining

Seated areas: Patrons ≥ 6 feet apart; parties ≤ 10
Standing areas: 25% capacity

Health and fitness

50% capacity

Group fitness classes of 50 or fewer indoors or 100 or fewer outdoors *

Offices

50% capacity

Personal care

50% capacity

Retail and service counter

50% capacity

Amusement parks

25% capacity *

Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events

15 people per 1,000 sq. ft. *

Flea and farmers markets

25% capacity or 15 people per 1,000 sq. ft.

Film production

50% capacity

Meetings, conferences and conventions

Venue with capacity < 200 persons: Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity *

Venue with capacity ≥ 200 persons: Lesser of 250 people or 25% capacity *

Museums

25% capacity

Recreation

Indoor: Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity

Outdoor: Maximum groups of 50; multiple groups permissible

Social events

Indoor: Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity *

Outdoor: Lesser of 100 people or 50% capacity *

Spectator events (ticketed and seated)

Indoor venue with capacity < 200 people: Lesser of 50 people or 50% capacity *

Outdoor venue or indoor venue with capacity ≥ 200 people: 25% capacity *

Theaters and performing arts

Indoor venue with capacity < 200 persons: Lesser of 50 or 50% capacity

Outdoor venue or indoor venue with capacity ≥ 200 persons: 25% capacity *

Zoos

25% capacity

Lesser of 50 or 50% at indoor exhibits

Bridge Phase

Dining

Seated areas: Patrons ≥ 6 feet apart; parties ≤ 10

Standing areas: 30% capacity indoors; 50% capacity outdoors

Health and fitness

60% capacity

Group fitness classes of 50 or fewer indoors or 100 or fewer outdoors

Offices

60% capacity

Personal care

60% capacity

Retail and service counter

60% capacity

Amusement parks

60% capacity *

Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events

30 people per 1,000 sq. ft. *

Flea and farmers markets

Indoor: 15 people per 1,000 sq. ft.

Outdoor: 30 people per 1,000 sq. ft.

Film production

60% capacity

Meetings, conferences and conventions

Lesser of 1,000 people or 60% capacity ^

Museums

60% capacity

Recreation

Indoor: Lesser of 100 people or 50% capacity

Outdoor: Maximum groups of 100; multiple groups permissible

Social events

Indoor: 250 people

Outdoor: 500 people

Spectator events (ticketed and seated)

60% capacity

Theaters and performing arts

60% capacity

Zoos

60% capacity

In addition to the changes to the reopening framework, Pritzker also announced that eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine will expand to all Illinois residents over the age of 16, except for those in the city of Chicago, beginning on April 12.

All Illinois residents over the age of 16 will be eligible to get vaccinated beginning on April 12, Pritzker said, adding that state officials in the coming days would make available more information on certain populations that will become eligible before that final expansion.

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