In late February 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court issued an order, removing indoor mask mandates for that court and state appellate courts. Answer Call. He has been a Cook County judge since 1992. Chicago, Cook County to lift mask mandates and vaccine requirement Feb. 28, lift the citys proof of vaccination requirement. Still, Amaal Tokars, acting director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said in statement Friday that the agency would stress this (is) not a cause for alarm.. Ads can be delivered in a heavier concentration to areas of concern, if clusters or outbreaks pop-up. Suburban Cook County plans on rescinding its indoor mask requirements if key COVID-19 metrics continue to improve throughout the month of February, according to health officials. When worn properly over the nose and mouth, masks have been proven highly effective in preventing COVID-19 from spreading. CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-11 was issued on December 23, 2021, amended on January 3, 2022, and goes into effect on January 3, 2022, requiring masking in indoor public spaces and requiring patrons to be fully vaccinated in indoor spaces that serve food and drink for on-premises consumption and in health and fitness centers. Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said Thursday morning Chicago officials will reimpose an indoor mask mandate only if and when the number of COVID-19 patients threatens the ability of Chicagos hospitals to function. The Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and Illinois Department of Public Health have separate guidance. Metra also issued an alert to riders Monday morning. This isnt forever, but it is necessary to help decrease the risk for all Chicagoans right now.. Following the guidance, Gov. Anyone can get COVID-19 even you. CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-01 was issued on February 2, 2021 initiates Phase 4 Mitigation Guidance. If COVID threatens our local hospitals and health care facilities capacity, we will take further action like citywide indoor mask mandates or even more stringent if thats required, Arwady said Thursday. You have to trust that people will be honest, but it only takes a few who are not to spread the virus around.. She informed my staff that our local community transmission rate remains substantial, and strongly recommends we continue our mask mandate until levels reach moderate or low, Judge Evans said. Establishments previously cited for violation under the Cook County Department of Public Health Mitigation Orders 2020-1 and 2020-2 will be retained by the Department but not listed. Wearing a mask around others indoors helps protect yourself and those around you, which is especially important for people who are immunocompromised, who are at-risk for complications from COVID, or who are unvaccinated by choice or because they are too young. Chicago health officials announced Friday that indoor masking is once again strongly recommended but not required in the city as the risk of contracting COVID-19 in Cook County has increased. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy However, Judge Evans said Rubin indicates that relaxing the policy might be warranted following and (sic) anticipated surge in COVID infections over the winter.. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). and Terms of Service apply. When worn properly over the nose and mouth, masks have been proven highly effective in preventing COVID-19 from spreading. The Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) anticipates that if key metrics continue to improve through February, the CCDPH vaccination and masking order for suburban Cook County (minus Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park and Stickney Township) can be lifted consistent with the Governor's time frame. Share. Cook County is at 259 cases per 100,000 residents, according to CDC data. Based on the current CDC guidance, CCDPH recommends: No CCDPH-issued requirements for mitigation strategies in addition to current state or federal mandates are currently in effect for suburban Cook County. The decision was made in consultation with Dr. Rachel Rubin, M.D., senior medical officer and co-lead of the Cook County Department of Public Health. Address :Cook County Department of Public Health Administrative Office, 7556 Jackson Boulevard Download this 11X17 poster for your workplace, business, college or university, apartment building, condo or home. Chicago Office | Illinois Policy Here's What We Know So Far. The problem is, you can be infected, not know it and spread it to others in your family or community who are at much greater risk of complications, including death. 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. 2021-11, joining the City of Chicago in requiring certain indoor establishments (including restaurants, gyms and. Illinois also announced the state will widely align with the new CDC guidance, as well as remove the school mask mandate starting Monday. But Arwady said the city would follow Cook County if the county broke 200 cases per 100,000 first. High-resolution design files are available for download and use by partners interested in branding as their own with a source credit to CCDPH. 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. People in Cook County are once again being urged to mask up. CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-07 was issued on April 30, 2021. (Niles Fire Department EMS personnel will continue to wear appropriate masks and protective equipment on calls). Sign up for our morning newsletter to get all of our stories delivered to your mailbox each weekday. There are some very simple, yet effective things each of us can do to make a big difference in the fight against COVID-19. The statewide mask mandate will end 12:01 a.m. Monday, the Governor's Office confirmed Friday. increasing indoor dining capacities to the lesser of 25% or 50 people. Learn more about the factors that can affect yourrisk of getting very sickfrom COVID-19 to better understand how COVID-19 could affect you and others around you. Ebola Information for Healthcare Organizations, Be Aware. Cook County residents advised to wear masks regardless of vaccination As of Sept. 22, the IDPH has reported the Cook County Covid transmission risk level as medium.. The Biden administration is forecasting another spike in Covid activity this fall and winter, as the weather cools and people congregate more indoors. Masks remain optional in outdoor settings. Saved Stories Save . The number of people who have died from COVID-19 has never been lower, according to data from the Chicago Department of Public Health. The order also blocked the Biden administration from forcing workers and volunteers at Head Start facilities to receive the Covid vaccine. High-resolution design files are available for download and use by . Many people in the United States have some protection, or immunity, against COVID-19 due to vaccination, previous infection, or both. There are things we can do to protect ourselves and others from getting COVID-19. CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-3 was issued on February 10, 2021 and updates the Mitigation Guidelines capacities for Social Settings. According to the CDC, 3.5%of staffed hospital beds in Cook County are in use by COVID-19 patients on average during the past seven days. Missing Crain's in print? Answer Call. I think all of us are very hopeful that we might be able to never put masks back on, Pritzker said at a news conference Feb. 9. Chicago and Cook County health officials said they will lift the citys proof of vaccination requirement and indoor mask mandate by Feb. 28, nearly two years under COVID-19 mitigations. Published February 14, 2022 Updated on February 14, 2022 at 1:38 pm. Executive Orders - Illinois Illinois Coronavirus Updates: Chicago, Cook County Mask Mandates to Cook County this week has 51 cases per 100,000 people, up 78 percent from the prior 7-day period, CDC data shows. Please email CCDPH Communications for details. Mayor Lori Lightfoot addresses the news media on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Schools Continue to Grapple With Masking Decisions After Judge's Ruling. 130 E. Randolph St. Separately, Gov. With the way the current COVID variants are behaving, those are measures we would consider if we reached the high COVID-19 community level which we arent close to reaching in Chicago right now.. Court officials will continue to meet with the Cook County Department of Public Health in the coming weeks and provide updates as necessary. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Chicago Tribunes Dan Petrella contributed. During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, several Executive Orders and Recommendations have been issued by the State of Illinois and Governor Pritzker. School districts, too, may decide to implement their own mask mandates. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Masks would be urged for all residents in indoor public spaces in counties that rise to the high risk level. In Lake County and most of suburban Cook County, the diocese wrote that masks will be optional beginning Thursday. Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike previously reminded residents that masks will remain necessary in certain places and situations, including for public transportation, inside federal buildings and in parts of long-term care facilities. The decision was made in consultation with Dr. Rachel Rubin, M.D., senior medical officer and co-lead of the Cook County Department of Public Health. The Chicago Transit Authority reminded travelers Saturday that masks are still required on public buses and trains, as well as within the station. Community billboards called wild postings are being installed on the sides of buildings in communities most affected by COVID-19. Since then, the Illinois Department of Public Health has at times moved Cook Countys Covid risk level between low and high several times. The county is one of 15 statewide to move to high community spread of COVID-19, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Illinois Under the federal agency's recommendation, areas of substantial transmission are . Rubin continues to recommend masking in all court facilities, Evans wrote in the recent memo. starts here. But as we saw, things started to rise and it was good thing that people in Illinois were maybe ahead of others to say, time to put masks back on so yeah, there may come a time in the future when we need to do that.. The Chicago Department of Public Health reported 532 new daily cases on Feb. 10, down 46% from the previous week. The designation of Cook County being in the low level comes as Illinois and Chicago prepare to lift their respective mask mandates. (emergency preparedness), Don't Guess. Get a Test. The #MASKUP Cook County campaign raises awareness that people can be asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic and spreading COVID-19 without even knowing it. This Order rescinds Mitigation Order 2021-11, which required masking and proof of vaccination in certain settings. In each of the past two winters of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, the state has recorded significant Covid activity surges, first from the so-called Delta variant and then from the so-called Omicron variant. (sexually transmitted infections), Fight the Bite (mosquito bite prevention), Go the Distance Cook County (physically active), Rethink Your Drink (sugar-sweetened beverages), Slow Spread. The metrics are based on a combination of new cases and hospitalizations, but the medium category is automatically reached if weekly cases surpass 200 positive tests per 100,000 residents.