COVID-19 Updates:
New City and State Measures
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Over the past few weeks our State and City have seen a rise in COVID positivity rates. With the change in weather and winter fast approaching it is important that we continue to do all we can to stop the spread. Continue to wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands, and get your flu shot ASAP. Beginning Friday, October 30 the Governor has announced that Region 11 (Chicago) has joined 5 other regions including suburban Cook County in entering Tier 1 of new mitigation strategies to stop the spread of COVID. Region 11 has triggered additional mitigations due to a sustained increase in our positivity rate as well as a sustained increase in COVID-related hospitalizations for more than seven of the past ten days.
This means the following restrictions will take place for the corresponding settings:
Bars and Restaurants
- All bars and restaurants close at 11pm and may reopen no earlier than 6am the following day
- No indoor service
- All bar and restaurant patrons should be seated at tables outside
- No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
- Tables should be 6 feet apart
- No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
- No dancing or standing indoors
- Reservations required for each party
- No seating of multiple parties at one table
Meetings, social events and gatherings (including weddings, funerals, potlucks, etc.)
- Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity both indoors and outdoors
- No party buses
- Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00pm, are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable
Offices
- Continued emphasis on telework for as many workers as possible
Organized group recreational activities & gyms*
(fitness centers, sports, etc.)
- All Sports Guidance effective August 15, 2020, remains in effect
- Outdoor Activities (not included in the above exposure settings) continue per current DCEO guidance
*These mitigation measurers do not apply to polling places or schools.
The Illinois Department of Public Health will continue to track metrics in Region 11 to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigations should remain in place. If the positivity rate in Region 11 averages less than or equal to 6.5% over a three-day period, there is a decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illness over a three-day period, and the three-day rolling averages of ICU bed availability and medical/surgical bed availability is greater than or equal to 20% over a seven-day period, the region will return to Phase 4 mitigations under the Restore Illinois Plan.
To read more on the Governor's 3 tiered mitigation plan click here.
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Yesterday the City of Chicago released an updated travel quarantine guide which now consists of a guide to quarantine when traveling to 31 states and Puerto Rico. This guide is updated every Tuesday and is based on daily infection rates in the corresponding state per every 100,000 residents.
To read more and review the City's FAQ page as it relates to quarantine visit their website here.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady announced guidelines for celebrating a safe and fun Halloween this year. Visit chicagohalloweek.org throughout the month of October for updates on guidelines and events taking place during "Halloweek." Starting October 18th, residents can download a Halloweek toolkit complete with safety messaging and signage to let others know they are safely participating in Halloween this year. Please keep these guidelines in mind when celebrating this year:
- Masks aren’t just for trick-or-treaters this year! Everyone—including candy givers—should wear a face covering (multi-layered, covering the mouth and nose, without gaps around the face).
- Leave a light on or hang a Halloweek sign in your window to let others know your house is giving out candy safely.
- Handing out candy? Please socially distance and have hand sanitizer, too.
- Trick or treating? Stay on the move! Less congregating means more houses and more candy.
- Ensure there’s all treats and no tricks. Please don’t reach into candy bowls while trick or treating, and eat candy only at home after washing your hands.
- No Haunted Houses. They are truly spooky and dangerous this year.
- Keep your candy crew small. Trick-or-treating groups should be 6 people or less.
- No house parties large or small this year.
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COVID-19 Count as of Tuesday, October 27:
If you have questions related to COVID-19 you can contact the Illinois Department of Public Health:
Hotline: 800-889-3931
Email: dph.sick@illinois.gov
City of Chicago's Department of Public Health:
Hotline: 312-746-4835
Email: coronavirus@chicago.gov
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Cook County COVID-19 Recovery Cash Assistance Program |
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The Cook County COVID-19 Recovery Resident Cash Assistance Program offers a one-time cash payment of $600 to income eligible suburban Cook County residents who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To be eligible for cash assistance through the Cook County COVID-19 Recovery Resident Cash Assistance Program, you must reside in suburban Cook County, (residents in the City of Chicago are not eligible for this fund), meet income requirements based on household income prior to March 1, 2020, and have a negative financial impact during the COVID-19 pandemic due to job or wage losses, unpaid leave to care for vulnerable or infected relatives, unpaid sick leave, or loss of wages due to school closures. Click here to apply or here for FAQ.
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Cook County residents are qualified to get help paying their light and gas bills than Check out the new, expanded income guidelines to see if you qualify. To fill out the application click here. Open to residents of the City of Chicago and suburban Cook County. To get more information about other CEDA utility programs to help you through COVID-19 recovery click here.
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The Cook County Health Department is offering free or low cost flu shots to residents of Chicago. Getting an annual flu vaccine is the single best way to protect yourself and your family from flu and flu-related complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or worsening of chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, or diabetes. It can take up to two weeks for the vaccine to provide full protection. For a list of locations click here.
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Drive-Through Shred Event |
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For those interested in participating in this event please find the graphic below to view the flow of traffic. We are asking that individuals turn into Senn parking lot and follow traffic control directions of our volunteers and staff. We ask that all participants remain in their car and unlock their vehicle when it is their turn to allow us to grab items that need to be shredded. |
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OEMC Rising Lake Levels:
Notification System
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Sincerely,
Kelly Cassidy
State Representative, 14th District
Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy
5533 N Broadway
Chicago IL 60640
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773-784-2002(phone)
773-784-2060(fax)
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