ST. LOUIS — Indoor dining and bar service will be banned in the Metro East starting Wednesday after an increase in COVID-19 positivity rates, Illinois health officials announced.
The area, which has been designated as Region 4, has had a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate of 8% or higher for three consecutive days.
"Region 4 triggered our 8 percent positivity average threshold, the second time it has done so since mid-summer," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday in a press release.
The following is a list of restrictions, as outlined by the Illinois Department of Public Health:
Bars
- No indoor service
- All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m.
- All bar 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
Restaurants
- No indoor dining or bar service
- All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m.
- Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart
- No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
- Reservations required for each party
- No seating of multiple parties at one table
Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings
- Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity
- No party buses
- Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable
Schools are exempt from these restrictions.
