Lightfoot unveils five-phase plan to reopen Chicago

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveiled a five-phase plan Friday to reopen Chicago in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said the plan enhances a similar statewide plan unveiled by Gov. JB Pritzker. The city plan has been in the works for several weeks and addresses what Lightfoot called the “unique” challenges faced by Chicago.

“The light at the end of the tunnel is absolutely there, but it is only a glimmer and we still have a long way to go before we can safely return to the way things were before,” she said.

The city’s plan sets higher guidelines for when it can move from phase-to-phase. The city is currently in phase two of the plan and must meet seven guidelines before it can move to phase three.

The indicators for moving phase-to-phase include:

• A decline of COVID-19 cases over 14 days, as a rolling average.
• A decline in severe outcomes, such as hospitalizations, ICU bed and ventilator use, over 14 days, as a rolling average.
• Increased hospital bed and ventilator capacity.
• The ability to test at least 5 percent of the city’s population per month.
• No higher than a 15 percent positivity rate for COVID-19 tests in the community and 30 percent for those in congregate settings over 14 days, as a rolling average.

Phase three will allow non-essential workers to begin to return to work in a phased way. Select businesses, nonprofits and city entities will also reopen with demonstrated, appropriate protections for workers and customers.

In phase four, “additional business and capacity restrictions are lifted with appropriate safeguards.” Phase five will allow all businesses to open and non-vulnerable individuals to resume working.

While the city’s plan goes farther than his own reopening plan, Pritzker said Friday he had no issues with the city’s plan.

“I think the mayor’s plan is a good one for Chicago,” he said, adding it fits within the state’s plan.

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