Illinois Region 7 returns to Phase 4 of Restore Illinois Plan

JOLIET, Ill. (WREX) — Indoor dining and bars will reopen Friday night in Region 7 as it returns to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced.

"We can’t outrun this virus, but with the tools we know to work – masks, distancing, handwashing, and respect for public health and each other – we can beat it back enough to keep our businesses open and our neighborhoods safer all at once," Gov. Pritzker said. "Don’t let up now, Region 7 – let’s keep this success going.”

Additional mitigation efforts went into effect on August 26 after the region saw three consecutive days of a positivity rate above 8 percent.

Region 4 is the only region in Illinois under additional mitigations as its seven-day positivity rate is still above 8 percent.

IDPH monitors each region's positivity rate, hospital admissions and hospital capacity to determine if additional mitigation measures need to be put into place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.