Chicago 's mask and vaccination requirements will end on Monday, February 28, the same day the state mask mandate is lifted, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced yesterday. Positivity rate: Chicagos positivity rate must be at 4.9 percent or lower. Providing guidance, services, and strategies that make Chicago a healthier and safer city. That would mean Chicago could shortly have three out of four goals ticked off and would just need to wait two weeks to lift its mandates, under its own rules. As Illinois aims to lift its mask mandate by Feb. 28, Chicago city officials assert the city's proof-of-vaccination and mask requirements could end soon, but have stopped short of providing a specific date. Its at 2 percent. ICU beds: Chicago must have an average of 99 or fewer ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients per day. The fire began around 3:30 a.m. Monday in an apartment neighboring the brewery at 2925 W. Montrose Avenue, according to multiple news reports, before rapidly spreading to Twisted Hippo and a nearby gym, both of which were decimated. Something went wrong. Thats their choice and obviously thats their right, Lightfoot said. Were going back to a sense of normalcy. But its also a sign of the turmoil in U.S. cities following the COVID-19 pandemic, with its economic fallout and spikes in violent crime in many places. See How All 50 Wards Voted in the 2023 Chicago Mayoral Election, All Eyes On a Strong' System That Could Hit Chicago Area Friday, But Much Uncertainty Remains, Who is Brandon Johnson? A few months ago they said they didnt know who I was. Here's what you should know as the mandates are removed. coronavirus chicago Chicago's mask mandate may not end when statewide restrictions are lifted, Lightfoot says Gov. ", "I don't want to put an artificial date on when this is going to happen when we still see some danger signs in the data," Lightfoot said. Lightfoot, the first Black woman and first openly gay person to lead the city, won her first term in 2019 after promising to end decades of corruption and backroom dealing at City Hall. READ MORE: Pritzker to lift Illinois mask mandate for some. Rudina Alihajdaraj, a hostess with Pequods Pizza, inspects a COVID-19 vaccination card on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, the first day that proof of vaccination mandate is required to eat inside at Chicago restaurants. The fires origins remain in question Fire Department investigators say it likely began in a gangway between Twisted Hippo and the apartments and officials are probing the 72 pending court cases associated with landlord Gary Carlson. On the North Side, business owners aren't satisfied with the still-uncertain plan. Chicagos health department then announced it would also aim to end the citys mask and vaccine card mandates by the end of the month, though Chicago would have to hit three out of four milestones for at least two weeks for that to happen. "The Nanny" star Fran Drescher who is the current Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) president, alluded to the end of vaccine mandates in . It wouldnt be worth confusing residents to continue the mandates, so long as Chicago has hit at least three of its goals and numbers are declining, she said. The word spring, of course, is a nebulous concept in Chicago, as cold temperatures and even snow have been known to linger as late as April. SAG-AFTRA president and The Nanny actress Fran Drescher urged Hollywood to end its vaccine mandates in her opening remarks at the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony on Sunday (Feb. 26 . At times, it has led to some mixed messaging and conflict with the state. Its had a total of 553,812 confirmed cases. Chicago lifting mask and vaccine mandates on Feb. 28 but will keep masks in schools for now Rather than risk yet another confrontation with the Chicago Teachers Union, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez will follow the agreement they struck with CTU to end a dispute that canceled classes for five days last month. "As the . Its been a tough January and February for restaurant operators, he said. Lightfoot touted her record of investing in neighborhoods and supporting workers, such as by increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Based on key data, it looks as if the worst of the Omicron surge is behind us and we will be able to safely remove these emergency measures instituted to protect the health and safety of our residents, said Mayor Lightfoot. Chicago was supposed to hit three out of four COVID-19 milestones for two weeks before it'd drop the city's mandates. The city's end to its mandates will line up with the state, which plans to lift its own mask mandate Monday. The Cook County Department of Public Health said it also anticipates that if key metrics continue to improve, the vaccination and masking orders for suburban Cook County, less Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park and Stickney Township, can be lifted in the same timeframe Pritzker laid out Wednesday. A post shared by Chicago Gourmet (@chicago_gourmet). We look forward to the day when we can be mask-optional at CPS, but we still need to get more students vaccinated across our District, and we still need to work with our public health and labor partners on the best way to preserve a safe in-person learning environment for all., The CTU said in a statement it was glad that CPS will continueto honor the safety agreement that our members sacrificed four days of pay [for] last month despite a right-wing legal attack to remove public health protections.. The deluge of well-wishes has prompted Golom to think about delaying the closure and put the business up for sale in the hope that another operator will take it over. COVID Illinois: City of Chicago vaccine mandate, face mask requirements may not end Feb. 28, date Gov. Asked at an unrelated event in Chicago about the citys decision to end its mask rule Monday, Pritzker said that date seems like a great day for everybody to follow suit., But, the governor continued, I will add that there are local governments that have imposed stricter mitigations, and theyre welcome to do so.. Its been two years since Illinois legalized recreational marijuana, and since then, cannabis-related calls to the Illinois Poison Center have nearly doubled, the Tribune reports, from 487 in 2019 to 855 in 2021. The Wild Things 2023 Conference drew thousands of outdoor sorts. More information will be announced next week, Arwady said. J.B. Pritzkers school mask requirement. There are clear contrasts between Vallas and Johnson. But it's only hit one so far and the state's masking end date is creeping up. Previously, the United Center had required proof of vaccination (and did not accept a negative test) for entry, and required all event-goers to wear masks. Plus, the Wieners Circle celebrates the Packers loss, and Peanut Park is a taste of Chicago history. Arwady said that the vaccine mandate wont be removed until the city gets down to medium-low, the Tribune reports. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. She is the first elected Chicago mayor to lose a reelection bid since 1983, when Jane Byrne, the citys first female mayor, lost her Democratic primary. Throughout the pandemic, Lightfoot has walked a fine line between tough measures and keeping the city open. The metrics include test positivity, hospital beds occupied by COVID patients, ICU beds occupied by COVID patients and daily COVID cases. Lea este artculo en espaol en La Voz Chicago. The requirement forced restaurants and bars already struggling with a shortage of staff to reassign some workers to check vaccination cards and IDs or ask beleaguered wait staff to do it. Suburban Cook County will follow suit, the Tribune reports. DeFranco is not the only one frustrated; another restaurant owner said if the city mandates go past Feb. 28, she's not going to enforce them. Chicago Tribunes Alice Yin, Tracy Swartz and Clare Spaulding contributed. Hospital beds: Chicago must have an average of 249 or fewer beds occupied by COVID-19 patients per day. They cited a 1.5 point drop in the past week in Chicago's positivity rate. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune). Vallas, a former schools CEO backed by the police union, and Johnson, a Cook . The mask mandate and proof-of-vaccine requirement will also end on Monday in suburban Cook County, officials said. In addition, the new guidelines do not change the federal requirement to wear masks on public transportation and indoors in airports, train stations and bus stations. Clickhereto support Block Clubwith atax-deductible donation. Chicago will act in concert with the state, which is also scheduled to lift its mask mandate on Monday. See How All 50 Wards Voted in the 2023 Chicago Mayoral Election, All Eyes On a Strong' System That Could Hit Chicago Area Friday, But Much Uncertainty Remains, Who is Brandon Johnson? We will make Chicago the safest city in America, Vallas said. CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Tuesday that the city will end its mask mandate and vaccine requirement for certain indoor spaces beginning next week. Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Feb. 22, 2022, as she announces the city will be ending its indoor mask requirement in most locations on Feb. 28. It makes me angry," he said. All Rights Reserved. More Chicagoans were hospitalized with COVID-19 during the Omicron surge than at any prior point in the pandemic and the great majority of these hospitalizations were in unvaccinated Chicagoans. Regardless of tonights outcome, we fought the right fights and we put this city on a better path, Lightfoot said. Public safety has been an issue in other recent elections, including the recall of a San Francisco district attorney who was criticized for progressive policies. School districts, too, may decide to implement their own mask mandates. Asked if she was treated unfairly because of her race and gender, Lightfoot said: Im a black woman in America. And if operators still want to impose mask mandates at their individual restaurants, they can. That brings the total number of confirmed cases in Illinois up to 3,004,664. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and other City Council members, Woman, 55, fatally wounded Tuesday night in North Austin neighborhood, New NCAA president says NIL rules could protect college athletes, Glencoe begins cost sharing program to combat lead pipes, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The seven-day rolling averages for each category need to be at a "lower transmission" level, which is set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A federal judge last week denied a request from Chicago-based fast food giant McDonalds to toss out a discrimination lawsuit brought by Byron Allen, the high-profile businessman and media mogul behind the Weather Channel, according to Crains. [Read more] Masks are staying in Chicago Public Schools, but some parents demand to know where is the COVID-19 off-ramp? . At least 32,072 people have died from COVID-19 in Illinois, and another 3,985 deaths are probably related to the virus, according to the state. school that temporarily suspended the mask rules, Ald. Illinois statewide mask mandate is set to end Feb. 28. Noting that she caught a mild case of COVID-19, Lightfoot said she intends to continue wearing a mask, particularly in restaurants where diners will soon have no idea whether other customers are vaccinated. Crime was an issue that resonated with voters. Mikerphone also led a fundraising campaign, ultimately raising more than $145,000. Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that Chicago will drop its mask mandate for most settings, as well as its proof-of-vaccination mandate at restaurants, bars and other indoor establishments, at the end of the month, reflecting a renewed hope for normalcy in the city as COVID-19 cases continue dropping from alarming highs. Originally, Dr. Allison Arwady, the citys chief public health official, had said that the mandates would only be lifted if three of the four basic COVID-19 transmission metrics were at the two lowest levels for two weeks. The omicron variant arrived instead. Cook Countys public health department, which covers most of the countys suburbs, announced it would follow suit, lifting its general mask mandate and proof-of-vaccine requirement on Monday, as well as its requirement that employees of establishments such as restaurants and gyms be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing. Got a story tip? The lawsuit, which was initially dismissed but is now moving ahead with an amended complaint, seeks $10 billion in damages. As of Tuesday, Chicagos average daily case rate was 283 down 37% from the 452 cases-a-day just one week ago. Please enter a valid email and try again. Mask mandates are being lifted across Illinois, including in Chicago . Eleven Chicago aldermen signed a letter callingon the city to lift all mandates by this weekend, in time for the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day. CHICAGO (AP) Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson will meet in a runoff to be the next mayor of Chicago after voters on Tuesday denied incumbent Lori Lightfoot a second term, issuing a rebuke to a leader who made history as head of the nation's third-largest city. She also said she will continue to wear a mask in public. The pandemic also may shape elections for mayor in other cities this year, such as Philadelphia and Houston, where incumbents cannot run again due to term limits. Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Tuesday that based on the way the city's COVID-19 numbers are trending, proof of vaccination requirements could be lifted . Could happen as soon as today.Test positivity is in lower transmission.Hospital beds in yellow (substantial), heading toward blue (lower). pic.twitter.com/kGG0dgPvn1, Chicago has met the goal for its positivity rate, and it could meet the goal for ICU beds within a day or two, Arwady said. Still, a lawsuit by CPS parents in Mount Greenwood against the mandate could impact the situation going forward. Johnson has avoided the word defund during the race, and his campaign says he does not want to cut the number of police officers. newsletter, The Return of Haymarkets Sausage Fest and 10 More Chicago Pop-Ups to Know, Logan Square Pasta Haven Daisies to Close This Weekend Ahead of Its Move, Ramen-san Brings Late-Night Fried Rice to Lincoln Park and Three More Openings, The Owners of Kalish Will Unveil a New Vegan Restaurant Next Week in Uptown, Chez Moi Bids Adieu After 11 Years and Six More Restaurant Closings. CDPH recommends Chicagoans who may be immunocompromised or have a family member who is immunocompromised still wear a mask, as well residents under the age of 5 who are still not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. But Arwady noted that the full two-week period may not be reached before the lifting begins. The health commissioner expects the city to hit its goal for non-ICU hospital beds just a little behind that.. The city is seeing an average of more than eight people dying per day, down 40 percent from a week ago. And many business owners are getting frustrated with the city, especially those in the restaurant industry, which has been hit hard by the pandemic. DeFranco is among many restaurant owners feeling left in the dark. At his victory party, Vallas noted that Lightfoot had called to congratulate him and asked the crowd to give her a round of applause. Heres what we know and what it means for schools, Chicago and the suburbs. Lightfoot said the city is "making tremendous progress" in bringing down COVID-19 cases, but added that 500 cases per day is "not where we want to be," saying "we're still seeing too many people dying every day from COVID. JB Pritzker set for state. Still, the number of cannabis-related calls is a very small percentage of the more than 80,000 the center received last year; of those, the highest percentage were for household cleaners, prescription drugs, cosmetics, and alcohol. Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices up to 70% amid pressure to slash costs, Jurors to visit Murdaugh crime scene ahead of closing arguments, $1M winning Powerball ticket sold in Chicago. The move to lift the mandates comes after the bottom dropped out on the Omicron surge. Every dime we make fundsreportingfrom Chicagos neighborhoods. The Chicago Board of Education is poised to vote on a resolution at Wednesdays monthly board meeting that would ratify district COVID-19 safety measures including universal masking of students and staff; testing for unvaccinated employees; and directing those who test positive or have been exposed to the virus to temporarily stay home. Similarly, hospitalization rates are a fraction of what they were at the height of the omicron surge, when more people were admitted to hospitals than at any time during pandemic most unvaccinated, she said. Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices up to 70% amid pressure to slash costs, Jurors to visit Murdaugh crime scene ahead of closing arguments, $1M winning Powerball ticket sold in Chicago. CHICAGO Chicago is not on track to end its mask mandate Feb. 28, when the statewide mandate is set to end but the city might lift the requirement then, anyway. All rights reserved, This Map Shows Exactly How the City of Chicago Voted for Mayor in the 2023 Election, Report: Jalen Carter Arrest Warrant Issued for Racing Car, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its masking guidance Friday, Election Results: See How All 50 Wards Voted in Chicago's Aldermanic Elections, Who Did Your Ward Vote For? That is their right. JB Pritzker said last week he anticipates the state's indoor mask mandate for venues that are not schools, hospitals and public transit will lift on Feb. 28 as COVID hospitalizations continue to drop. But if it's the difference of just a few days, I don't think it's worth the potential confusion to the public. Given the progress we are making, I am feeling very optimistic, Arwady said. CHICAGO The city's mask and vaccine card mandates will end Monday. In June, Skeleton Key saw extensive damage after it was hit by a tornado. 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