As coronavirus cases rise across Chicago and indoor dining remains suspended, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on Thursday that at least two popular locations among residents will remain open, for now.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she’s been pleased with residents adhering to guidelines along the lakefront and the 606 trail.
“Iif you actually go to the lakefront, or you go to the 606, I have been really pleased with how people are keeping it moving, how they are not lingering, and how they're wearing masks, and they're not gathering in large groups,” Lightfoot said. “It has really been remarkable.”
The lakefront and 606 trail were closed on March 26 but reopened on June 22 under guidelines designed to keep residents safe amid the pandemic, rules Lightfoot said took a lot of deliberation during the time they were closed.
“I spent a lot of time once we closed down the lakefront and the 606 thinking about what's the best way and really coming up with a lot of different permutations,” Lightfoot said. “I think for the most part, people understand that these treasures in our city will only be there and available to them if they're smart about the way that they use it.”
On Thursday, Illinois saw a record-high number of new coronavirus cases, even more than that the daily totals recorded while the lakefront and 606 trail were previously shutdown.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state saw 9,935 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, a record high for the pandemic so far, along with 97 additional deaths, the highest daily death toll since June 4.
