Chicago and Cook County health officials announced plans to revoke pandemic masking and vaccination entry requirements by Feb. 28, the day Illinois statewide mask mandate will be lifted. CCDPH's current mask order applies to all of suburban Cook County excluding Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park and Stickney Township. Arwady urged residents to take additional precautions while community spread is high, including wearing face coverings indoors, avoiding crowded indoor settings, limiting gathering sizes and getting up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, which are now recommended for all individuals ages 5 and up five months after the last jab. During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, several Mitigation Orders and Recommendations have been issued by the Cook County Department of Public Health. J.B. Pritzker and Dr. Ngozi Ezike announced Wednesday. The Cook County Sheriffs Office has notified the court that detainees being brought to court will continue to be masked. As of Sept. 22, the IDPH has reported the Cook County Covid transmission risk level as medium.. Schools Continue to Grapple With Masking Decisions After Judge's Ruling. The decision to phase out statewide pandemic protocols coincides with announcements this week that New York, New Jersey, California, Delaware, Connecticut, Nevada and Oregon will do the same. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"XyjEMcN0YUqhjJR0vKFOD2l_jbHFDr5H6e_rxsmaLxg-1800-0"}; Ebola Information for Healthcare Organizations, Be Aware. Ads can be delivered in a heavier concentration to areas of concern, if clusters or outbreaks pop-up. Take Action. If 10% of staffed hospital beds in Cook County are in use by COVID-19 patients on average during the past seven days, the risk level would rise to high, according to the CDC. Lightfoot said the announced end of the mandates on Feb. 28 doesn't have to do with a lawsuit challenging the vaccine mandates for . The Cook County Department of Public Health announced, beginning Jan. 3, 2022, customers age 5 and up will be required to show proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, bars, gyms, and . Masks would be urged for all residents in indoor public spaces in counties that rise to the high risk level. Illinois This includes in workplaces and schools. Chicago, IL 60601 The order also blocked the Biden administration from forcing workers and volunteers at Head Start facilities to receive the Covid vaccine. Masking as part of isolation after infection and quarantine after exposure is still necessary to prevent COVID-19 transmission. Cook County moved from a low COVID-19 risk to a medium risk of COVID-19 on May 5. I thank you for your continued cooperation as we follow medical professionals recommendations of best practices to keep us all safe during these times, Judge Evans said. As a result, CDPH is recommending that businesses, employers and event organizers require universal masking in all public indoor settings. JB Pritzker announced plans to lift a statewide indoor mask mandate on Feb. 28, but not for schools. // Therefore, until local transmission rates reach safer levels, the court will continue its policy of requiring masks or other face coverings in the courthouses at all times other people are present, unless a person is otherwise instructed by the judge or court personnel. Missing Crain's in print? The mandate that all persons using Circuit Court of Cook County facilities must wear face coverings will remain in place until further notice, said Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans. Under the federal agency's recommendation, areas of substantial transmission are . Technically this past week, the city of Chicago stood at 195 new cases per 100,000 residents just below the 200-case threshold. Hospital admissions mirror this decline through the end of January. He has been a Cook County judge since 1992. Countywide, the Cook County Department of Public Health reports an average of 632 new daily cases, down from 1,007 the week prior. The Mitigation Orders can be seen below: CCDPH Mitigation Order 2022-1 CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-11 CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-10 CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-9 CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-8 Forest Park, IL 60130. Under that courts new orders, employees and visitors to the federal districts courthouses in Chicago and Rockford are now encouraged, but not required, to wear a face covering. The mask mandate, however, would still apply to jurors and anyone participating in a jury trial. Witnesses testifying and attorneys questioning witnesses are also excused from the mask mandate. Remember: Per federal mandate, everyone must wear masks while on a CTA bus, train or station, even if you're vaccinated. Residents should wear a mask indoors, limit gatherings to a small number of people and consider avoiding higher-risk activities such as crowded indoor gatherings, according to the guidance from federal officials. Despite the CDC recommendations, local governments, including those in areas of low risk, like most of northern Illinois, have the ability to set their own rules. The CDC has issued updated recommendations for any county experiencing substantial or high community transmission of COVID-19. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News). CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-01 was issued on February 2, 2021 initiates Phase 4 Mitigation Guidance. We are taking this step to prevent further spread of the very contagious Delta variant and to protect public health, CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in astatement Friday. (Niles Fire Department EMS personnel will continue to wear appropriate masks and protective equipment on calls). DuPage is at about 59, McHenry is at about 58 and Will is at almost 73. . The county is one of 15 statewide to move to high community spread of COVID-19, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. For all of 2022, even when courthouses and virtually all other non-healthcare settings throughout the rest of Illinois dropped their mask mandates, Cook County courthouses have continued to require everyone entering to wear a mask, unless specifically directed otherwise by a judge. Click here to get the full experience on your screen. J.B. Pritzker's appeal for a mask mandate in. Consider using a self-test before joining indoor gatherings with others who are not in your household. In a statement issued Feb. 9, the Cook County Department of Public Health announced its vaccination and masking orders can be lifted in consistent with Illinois' Gov. High-resolution design files are available for download and use by partners interested in branding as their own with a source credit to CCDPH. (contact tracing), Spread Facts Not Flu (flu and germ prevention). However, the appetite among Americans for further continued restrictions, including indoor mask mandates, seems to be wearing thin and mask usage continues to drop, as mandates fall. Look for #MASKUP Cook County posters in barber and beauty shops, gas stations, corner stores and other public places in communities most affected by COVID-19. comeback Click below to see everything we have to offer. #MASKUP when you cannot safely maintain a distance of 6 feet from others. The move comes as counties across Illinois see COVID cases increase, due largely to the more contagious delta variant. increasing indoor dining capacities to the lesser of 40% or 50 people. and Terms of Service apply. There are things we can do to protect ourselves and others from getting COVID-19. Use our sample social media posts to encourage your friends and family to #MASKUP. However, the states high court allowed any of the states 24 circuit courts to issue their own rules pertaining to masking. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The state will continue to evaluate the need for additional mitigations and will not hesitate to put them in place as needed to protect thehealthof Illinois residents, the Thursday statement says. Cook County's public health department, which covers most of the county's suburbs, announced it would follow suit, lifting its general mask mandate and proof-of-vaccine requirement on Monday . (sexually transmitted infections), Fight the Bite (mosquito bite prevention), Go the Distance Cook County (physically active), Rethink Your Drink (sugar-sweetened beverages), Slow Spread. Look for #MASKUP Cook County social media ads on YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat throughout the month of September in English and Spanish. The order would also still allow judges to order masks be worn in their courtrooms. Pritzker said the indoor mask mandate will remain in effect at these venues throughout the city, county and state. . In the memo, obtained by The Cook County Record, Judge Evans advised the Circuit Courts judges and employees that the circuit court intends to continue following the guidance of the Cook County Department of Public Health to mandate everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks while indoors at the countys courthouses in Chicago and the suburbs. in a current lawsuit regarding the state's COVID mitigations in schools. Stay safe out there and be sure to do your part to protect yourself and those around you. increasing indoor dining capacities to the lesser of 25% or 50 people. Under the federal agencys recommendation, areas of substantial transmission are those with 50 to 99 cases per 100,000 people over a 7-day period, whileareas of high transmission are those with more than 100 cases per 100,000. COOK COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT ON COVID MANDATES. All rights reserved. t 312.346.5700 f 312.896.2500, Copyright 2023 Illinois Policy | Illinois' comeback story starts here. Chicago moving into the medium level does not mean a citywide mask mandate, restrictions on public gatherings, or reinstatement of vaccination requirements at this time, Arwady said in a statement. He said the courts would only revisit the decision if public health officials drop their recommendation that people continue to wear masks in public indoor settings, or if local transmission rates reach safer levels..