ILLINOIS, USA — Governor JB Pritzker announced Monday that fully vaccinated people in Illinois no longer need to wear a mask or social distance, aligning the state with CDC guidance announced last week.
Pritzker signed an executive order Monday, making the new guidance effective immediately. Under the new guidelines, fully vaccinated people can:
- Resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance
- Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
- Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
- Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
- Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
- Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible
According to CDC data, 36.5% of the population in Illinois is fully vaccinated and 50.7% have at least 1 dose. According to a news release from Gov. Pritzker's office, 86% of people 65 and older are fully vaccinated.
Restaurant owner Bennie Parr pulls up the latest health guidance Monday afternoon, unsure what it means for his Belleville business, Bennie's Pizza Pub.
Parr says many of his staff members are already vaccinated, but he'll likely stick to his existing safety measures, explaining "I have a new baby at home so I may stay masked up for a little while longer."
People who are not fully vaccinated should still social distance and wear masks when in places like stores or public outdoor spaces where social distancing is not always possible.
Everyone — including people who are fully vaccinated — is required to continue to wear a mask when on public transportation and in healthcare settings.
Businesses and restaurants must still be in line with the state's "Bridge to Phase 5" requirements.
The following requirements are in place for different businesses and public places under the new order.
Requirements for all businesses. All businesses must:
- ensure that employees who are not fully vaccinated practice social distancing and wear face coverings when social distancing is not always possible;
- ensure that all spaces where employees may gather, including locker rooms and lunchrooms, allow for social distancing; and
- ensure that all visitors (customers, vendors, etc.) to the workplace who are not fully vaccinated can practice social distancing; but if maintaining a six-foot social distance will not be possible at all times, encourage those visitors to wear face coverings; and
- continue to take all necessary steps to protect employees and customers by ensuring that any return to work plans adhere to all applicable public health guidance.
Requirements for retail stores. Retail stores must ensure all employees who are not fully vaccinated practice social distancing and must take appropriate additional public health precautions, in accordance with DCEO guidance, which include:
- provide face coverings to all employees who are not fully vaccinated and who are not able to maintain a minimum six-foot social distance from customers and other employees at all times;
- cap occupancy at 60 percent of store capacity, or, alternatively, at the occupancy limits based on store square footage set by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; and
- communicate with customers through in-store signage, and public service announcements and advertisements, about the social distancing and face covering requirements set forth in this Order.
Requirements for manufacturers. Manufacturers must ensure all employees who are not fully vaccinated practice social distancing and must take appropriate additional public health precautions, in accordance with DCEO guidance, which include:
- provide face coverings to all employees who are not fully vaccinated and who are not able to maintain a minimum six-foot social distance at all times;
- ensure that all spaces where employees may gather, including locker rooms and lunchrooms, allow for social distancing; and
- modify and downsize operations (staggering shifts, reducing line speeds, operating only essential lines, while shutting down non-essential lines) to the extent necessary to allow for social distancing and to provide a safe workplace in response to the COVID-19 emergency.
Requirements for office buildings. Employers in office buildings must ensure all employees who are not fully vaccinated practice social distancing and must take appropriate additional public health precautions, in accordance with DCEO guidance, which may include:
- provide face coverings to all employees who are not fully vaccinated and who are not able to maintain a minimum six-foot social distance at all times;
- consider implementing capacity limits where the physical space does not allow for social distancing;
- allow telework where possible; and
- develop and prominently post plans and signage to ensure social distancing in shared spaces such as waiting rooms, service counters, and cafeterias.
Requirements for meetings, conferences, and conventions. Indoor venues and meeting spaces can operate in a manner consistent with DCEO guidance.
Requirements for restaurants and bars. All businesses that offer food or beverages for on-premises consumption—including restaurants, bars, grocery stores, and food halls—may continue service for on-premises consumption, as permitted by DCEO guidance. Such businesses continue to be permitted and encouraged to serve food and beverages so that they may be consumed off-premises, as permitted by law, through means such as in-house delivery, third-party delivery, drive-through, and curbside pick-up. Establishments offering food or beverages for on-premises consumption or for carry-out must ensure that they have an environment where patrons who are not fully vaccinated maintain adequate social distancing. All businesses covered in this section may permit outdoor on-premises food and beverage consumption in accordance with DCEO guidance and when permitted by local ordinances and regulations.
Requirements for fitness and exercise gyms. Fitness and exercise gyms may be open in a manner consistent with DCEO guidance, which involves operating for member workouts at a maximum of 60 percent capacity and with social distancing and other precautions.
Requirements for personal services facilities. Personal services facilities such as spas, hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, waxing centers, tattoo parlors, and similar facilities may be open but must comply with capacity limits in accordance with DCEO guidance and must ensure the use of face coverings and adherence to social distancing requirements for individuals who are not fully vaccinated.
Requirements for outdoor recreation, youth day camps, and youth sports. Businesses offering outdoor recreation, youth day camps, and youth sports may be open but must ensure the use of face coverings and adherence to social distancing requirements for individuals who are not fully vaccinated, and must take other public health steps in accordance with DCEO guidance.
Requirements for places of public amusement. Places of public amusement may continue services consistent with DCEO guidance for indoor and outdoor recreation (including but not limited to arcades and driving ranges), museums and aquariums, zoos and botanical gardens, theaters and performing arts, and outdoor seated spectator events.
Requirements for film production. Film production may operate with restrictions contained in DCEO guidance.
Minimum basic operations. All businesses may continue to:
- Perform necessary activities to maintain the value of the business’s inventory, preserve the condition of the business’s physical plant and equipment, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or for related functions.
- Perform necessary activities to facilitate employees of the business being able to continue to work remotely.
- Fulfill online and telephonic retail orders through pick-up or delivery.
You can read the full order below: