Updated Face Covering Guidance
On Tuesday, May 18, following guidance from the CDC and the State of Illinois, and recognizing how safe and effective the COVID vaccine is, the City of Chicago announced that it will no longer require masks for fully vaccinated people in most settings, including businesses. In alignment with federal and state guidelines, masks will still be required, regardless of vaccination status, in health care settings, schools, correctional/congregate settings and on public transportation.
As a reminder, fully vaccinated means two weeks after your second vaccine dose if you got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two weeks after your single dose if you got the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. If you are not fully vaccinated, you need to continue to wear your mask in all indoor settings.
Businesses are strongly encouraged to verify vaccination status before allowing customers and/or employees to not wear face coverings.
The City also strongly encourages businesses to continue requiring face coverings in all indoor settings in Chicago until we enter Phase Five and all regulations are lifted, especially if businesses do not have the capacity to verify vaccination status or if employees, clients or attendees are not all known to be vaccinated. Businesses should also indicate their current masking policy via signage or other communication to customers prior to entry.
Please see here for an FAQ on the new Mask Guidance and how it relates to businesses. Additionally, please visit chicago.gov/vaccinefinder or call 312-746-4835 to get the life-saving COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. While we have made tremendous progress, at this point, 48% of all Chicagoans (and 60% of Chicago adults) have gotten a first dose of vaccine, but only 38% of all Chicagoans (and 47% of Chicago adults) are fully vaccinated. Many of our communities that have been the hardest-hit by COVID have even lower vaccination rates. Children aged 12-15 just became eligible for vaccination last week and none of them are fully vaccinated.
Please be advised that businesses are still required to verify that customers are fully vaccinated if they would like to increase their COVID-19 capacity through the Vaccine Exemption. Read this FAQ for more information, and also note two changes to the COVID-19 regulations that are effective immediately:
Dance Floors
Dance floors can reopen at private social events such as weddings, with fully vaccinated individuals allowed to dance without face coverings and without physical distancing.
Unvaccinated individuals should continue to wear masks and maintain physical distancing while dancing.
Venues are required to verify that guests that are dancing without face coverings and without physical distancing are fully vaccinated, and guests should be prepared to show proof of vaccination that matches the information tracked by the venue.
Fully Vaccinated Establishments
Businesses can operate without any COVID-19 restrictions within their entire establishment or a designated room/floor if they only allow customers and employees that are fully vaccinated within that area. This means that six feet of social distancing would not be required between parties, provided that all customers or employees within the establishment or within that specific room or floor are fully vaccinated.
In order to take advantage of this exemption and operate without COVID-19 restrictions, a business must verify that all customers within the establishment or within any room or floor is fully vaccinated, and customers should be prepared to show proof of vaccination that matches the information tracked by the establishment.
If any of the customers within an establishment or a room or floor are not fully vaccinated, then six feet of distancing must be maintained between all parties within that area.
The latest overview of COVID-19 regulations in Chicago will be posted at chicago.gov/reopening. Additionally, BACP will be holding webinars later this week on the new mask guidance and the Vaccine Exemption. Webinars will be held on Thursday, May 20, at 3:00pm and Friday, May 21 at 1:00pm. Register and learn more at chicago.gov/businesseducation.