TRI-COUNTY (WEEK) – It’s been just over a week since the Tri county area entered into ‘Phase Three’ of the ‘Restore Illinois’ plan. What’s it going to take to get into phase 4, and how long before we get there?
Daily COVID 19 briefings are done, and Peoria City County Health Administrator Monica Hendrickson said that means progress.
“I think it’s a good sign that we are progressing through the reopening phases so i’m happy that i don’t have to do it,” Hendrickson explained.
To get to ‘Phase Four’, six pieces of criteria need to be met. Including the percent of positive tests, hospitalizations, ICU beds available and ventilators available.
“Those measure we really sit in the green area. So hopefully we’ll have the ability in a few weeks to move into Phase 4,” said Hendrickson.
An OSF representative said its too early to tell if hospitals are ready to move to the next phase right now. Either way, we can’t move on until 4 weeks from the start of phase 3, which would be June 26th.
In ‘Phase 4’ groups of up to 50 people are allowed to gather. Other businesses are allowed to open as well, like gyms, restaurants, and other retail operations with capacity limits.
“I want to bring back indoor dining as much as anybody. The more we can get people back to work, the more we can get back to normal, the better off we are,” explained Governor JB Pritzker Monday.
Meanwhile large gatherings like protests are getting the governor’s attention for health reasons.
“I worry about the thousands and thousands of people who were in close quarters with one another,” he explained.
Hendrickson says we won’t know right away if large demonstrations cause a spike in covid cases, but if you have participated she suggests you get a free test.
With the stay at home order no longer in effect, that means more and more people are going to be out and about. And health officials say the best way to continue to protect yourself is doing things like wearing a mask in public, and continuing to practice good hygiene by washing hands and sanitizing regularly.
