RESTRICTIONS TO BE LIFTED?: Gov. Pritzker Says He May Alter Region 4 COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions On Friday

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced today that Region 4, which includes both Madison and St. Clair counties, may see COVID-19 restrictions ease by Friday.

Gov. Pritzker announced Wednesday that Region 4's positivity rate fell from over 10 percent to 6.7 percent for Tuesday and the seven-day average is 6.7 percent. He said because of the much lower range, mitigations may be loosed by Friday, Oct. 9.

"Region 4 is so close," Pritzker said to lift the restrictions.

Included in Region 4 are Madison, St. Clair, Bond, Clinton, Monroe, Randolph and Washington counties. Region 4 had exceeded a positivity rate over 8 percent or above for three consecutive days and on Sept. 2, the region started operating under new mitigation requirements. The state of Illinois over last seven days is 3.2 percent positivity rate. St. Clair County over the past seven days has a 4.8 percent positivity rate.

Madison County's positivity rate stood at 4.64 percent for the past three days and 4.65 percent for the past seven days.

Region 3, which includes Springfield and Quincy has flipped from an increasing positivity rate to a stable rate from last week.

All bars were ordered to have no indoor service and patrons were to be seated at tables outside. No ordering, seating or congregating at the bar was allowed and bar stools were to be removed.

All restaurants were to have no indoor service and close at 11 p.m. Tables were required to be 6 feet apart outside. As far as meetings, social events and gatherings, they were limited to lesser than 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity both indoors and outdoors. No party buses were allowed. Gaming and casinos were required to close at 11 p.m. and limited to 25 percent capacity. This rule includes weddings and funerals.

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