New COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Advisory & Event Limitations Effective Monday
Please be advised that today Mayor Lightfoot announced the launch of a new citywide strategy to reverse the alarming rise in COVID -19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The “Protect Chicago” campaign uses targeted regulations, strong messaging, and a community-based outreach strategy to call on all residents to do what is necessary to flatten the curve. Without immediate action to stem the tide of cases, the city is on track to lose 1,000 more Chicagoans by the end of the year.
As part of "Protect Chicago", the Mayor has instituted a Stay-at-Home Advisory that will go into effect on Monday, November 16 at 6AM. As part of this advisory, the City is calling on all residents of Chicago to stay at home. Residents are strongly encouraged to only leave home to go to work or school, or for essential needs such as seeking medical care, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, picking up take-out food, or receiving deliveries. If you do leave home, wear a face covering and practice social distancing by staying six feet away from others. Additionally, residents are strongly advised to:
Not have guests in their homes unless they are essential workers (e.g., home healthcare providers, childcare workers or educators).
Cancel traditional Thanksgiving celebrations.
Avoid travel.
Coinciding with the Stay-at-Home Advisory, the City will be implementing new, enforceable regulations to limit capacity at meetings and special events to no more than ten people. Effective Monday, November 16 at 6AM, all indoor or outdoor events and meetings, such as weddings, birthday parties, and other events taking place at banquet halls, event venues or similar spaces will be limited to no more than ten people. This ten-person limit does not supersede industries that have existing capacity guidelines, such as fitness clubs, retail stores, movie theaters or performance venues.
Through the Stay-at-Home Advisory, the City is strongly encouraging everyone to take important steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. However, businesses can continue operating under the existing COVID-19 regulations, with the addition of the new ten-person limit on events. You can find the latest information on these regulations, including guidelines by industry, at chicago.gov/reopening.
To review this full press release, just click here.