What Are The Changes As Illinois Moves To Phase-3 Reopening?

Starting today, more businesses will be allowed to reopen and people can start gathering in small groups while social distancing. But many things will look and feel differently.

Most of the state is expected to enter a third phase of reopening under the Restore Illinois plan, but Chicago will not be joining Illinois in entering phase three today, according to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. June 3 has been set as the date the city can begin to cautiously reopen.

Anyway, here's a rundown on what Phase-3 reopening means in Illinois. It's pretty lengthy, but should answer most questions you might have about what's what:

NBC-5 Chicago:

Gatherings:
All gatherings of 10 people or fewer are allowed

Travel:
Travel should follow IDPH and CDC approved guidance

Healthcare:
All health care providers are open with DPH approved safety guidance

Education and child care:
Remote learning in P-12 schools and higher education
Limited child care and summer programs open with IDPH approved safety guidance

Summer Camps:
Day camps not licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services operating over the summer months, such as recreational day camps, educational day camps and religious day camps can take place during the day only. No overnight camps permitted.

Outdoor recreation:
State parks open
Activities permitted in groups of 10 or fewer with social distancing.
Campgrounds will be allowed to open, with proper social distancing procedures in place
Groups of 10 or fewer people will also be allowed to travel together on boats, but must continue to wear masks when social distancing is not possible
Golfers will be allowed to play in groups of up to four. Carts will also be allowed, but will still only be allowed to transport one golfer, unless the two golfers have been living together during the stay-at-home order
Driving ranges will be allowed to reopen, and the Illinois Department of Public Health will provide guidance on how to safely reopen those practice facilities.
Outdoor shooting ranges and paintball courses will also be allowed to reopen, with guidelines in place
For outdoor recreation businesses like driving ranges, outdoor shooting ranges, paintball courses, outdoor adventure parks and more, groups will need to be limited to 10 people.

Multiple groups will be permitted at once as long as facilities allow for social distancing of participants and employees, 30 feet of distancing is maintained between groups and areas for each group are clearly marked to discourage interaction between groups.

Customers will still need to wear face coverings and businesses will need to develop a system to inform guests of capacity limitations.

Youth Sports:
In phase three, organizations operating recreational sport activities for youth can hold drills, practices, and lessons that do not involve contact between individuals and allow for 6 feet of social distancing to be maintained. No competitive games will be allowed in this phase.

Manufacturing:
Non-essential manufacturing that can safely operate with social distancing can reopen with IDPH approved safety guidance.

“Non-essential” businesses:
Employees of “non-essential” businesses are allowed to return to work with IDPH approved safety guidance depending upon risk level, tele-work strongly encouraged wherever possible; Employers are encouraged to provide accommodations for COVID-19-vulnerable employees.

Bars and restaurants:
Open for delivery, pickup, drive through. Restaurants will also be allowed to open outdoor seating in this phase for parties of six or fewer. Social distancing requirements still in place, meaning tables should be six feet apart from one another and from sidewalks, masks and distancing measures will be required for staff and other precautions.

Outdoor seating includes areas located on the rooftop of a building or within establishment with retractable roof. The roof should remain open during
hours of operation of outdoor dining and/or drinking). It can also include outdoor space connected to or located on the site of a restaurant, grocery store, health or fitness center, hotel, golf club, or other social club with a food establishment license. Indoor space where 50% or more of a wall can be removed via the opening of windows, doors, or panels provided that dining tables are within 8 feet from such opening will also be allowed along with any other outdoor dining and drinking areas authorized by local governments provided that food and drinks are prepared by licensed food or liquor establishments and that proper social distancing of 6 feet between designated customer tables and other seating areas.

Personal care services:
Barbershops and salons open with IDPH approved safety guidance.

In phase three, services for personal care should be limited to:

Services which can be performed while customer and employee are wearing a face covering over their nose and mouth
Massages and body treatments such as body wraps and scrubs should be limited to 30 minutes or less
Services should be limited to reservations only with no walk-ins. Customers will need to wear face coverings over their nose and mouth if medically possible. If a customer has COVID-19 symptoms, they should wait to enter premises until
they have had no fever for at least 72 hours, other symptoms have improved, and
at least 10 days have passed since their symptoms first appeared.

Health and Fitness:
Gyms, fitness centers and yoga, dance, cycling, pilates and barre studios can begin to reopen with safety guidance.

Health and fitness services are limited to one-on-one training or outdoor fitness classes with up to 10 participants. Contact activities are prohibited.

Services are limited to reservations only. No walk-ins will be permitted.

Before allowing entrance, fitness centers should ask whether a member is currently exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. If a member does have symptoms, they should wait to enter premises until they have had no fever for at least 72 hours, other symptoms have improved, and at least 10 days have passed since their symptoms first appeared.

Members should clean and sanitize equipment both before and after use, maintain 10 feet of distance during exercise and wear face coverings when not exercising, if medically possible.

Contact exercises such as boxing, sparring, wrestling, etc. are not permitted. Drills related to activities that use punching bags are allowed but equipment should be sanitized before and after each use.

Equipment should not be shared between members at the same time unless from the same household.

Retail:
Open with capacity limits and IDPH approved safety guidance, including face coverings. Businesses will be allowed to reopen at a maximum of 50% of store capacity or five customers allowed per 1,000 square feet of retail space. Customers will still need to wear face coverings if medically possible and cannot bring reusable bags into stores.

Service counters:
Dry cleaners, electronics repair shops, shoe repair shops, car washes and other such service providers are allowed with a maximum of 50% of capacity or five customers allowed per 1,000 square feet of usable space.

Offices:
Offices will be allowed to conduct operations from within non-customer-facing office spaces. Businesses operating within offices include those such as legal services, accounting services, architectural/engineering design and more. Office capacity must remain at at least 50% and employees who can work from home should continue to do so. There must also be a social distancing plan in place.