Today, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the
Protecting Chicago
framework that the City will be using to guide Chicago’s reopening process amid COVID-19. The plan, which is organized into five phases to align with Governor Pritzker's
Restore Illinois
plan, will advise Chicagoans on how to safely exit from shelter-in-place while continuing to prioritize the health of our most vulnerable residents.
The Chicago plan will track the rate of disease spread, testing, contract tracing, support systems for vulnerable residents, and capacity to handle a future surge. The Mayor will be utilizing industry-led teams to create best practice guidelines for operating safely.
Mark Denzler, president & CEO of the IMA, has been named by the Mayor to lead Chicago’s B2B group focused on manufacturing, construction, utilities, and transportation and warehousing. These groups will develop operating guidelines for the respective sectors.
The "Protecting Chicago" framework comprises five phases, and Chicago has already transitioned from phase one (Strict Stay-at-Home) to phase two (Stay-at-Home):
Phase One: Stay-at-Home
-
Limit the amount of contact with others; goal is to limit interactions to rapidly slow the spread of COVID-19.
- Essential workers go to work; everyone else works from home
- Stay at home and limit going out to essential activities only
- Physically distance from anyone you do not live with, especially vulnerable friends and family
Phase Two: Stay-at-Home
- Guard against unsafe interactions with others; goal is to continue flattening the curve while safely being outside.
- Essential workers go to work; everyone else works from home
- Stay at home as much as possible
- Wear a face covering while outside your home
- Physically distance from anyone you do not live with, especially vulnerable friends and family
Phase Three: Cautiously Reopen
-
Strict physical distancing with some businesses opening; goal is to thoughtfully begin to reopen Chicago safely.
- Non-essential workers begin to return to work in a phased way
- Select businesses, non-profits, city entities open with demonstrated, appropriate protections for workers and customers
- When meeting others, physically distance and wear a face covering
- Non-business, social gatherings limited to <10 persons
- Phased, limited public amenities begin to open
- Stay at home if you feel ill or have come into contact with someone with COVID-19
- Continue to physically distance from vulnerable populations
- Get tested if you have symptoms
Phase Four: Gradually Resume
-
Continued staggered reopening into a new normal; goal is to further reopen Chicago while ensuring the safety of residents.
- Additional business and capacity restrictions are lifted with appropriate safeguards
- Additional public amenities open
- Continue to wear face covering and physically distance
- Continue to distance and allow vulnerable residents to shelter
- Get tested if you have symptoms or think you have had COVID-19
Phase Five: Protect -
Continue to protect vulnerable populations; goal is to continue to maintain safety until COVID-19 is contained.
- All businesses open
- Non-vulnerable individuals can resume working
- Most activities resume with health safety in place
- Some events can resume
- Set up screenings and tests at work or with your family
- Sign up for a vaccine on the COVID Coach web portal
City officials have not provided specifics about when Chicago would transition to phase three, saying the criteria are rooted in public health guidance and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
The following set of epidemiological factors have been established to guide the next transition from phase two (Stay-at-Home) to phase three (Cautiously Reopen):
- COVID-19 Case Rate (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
- Declining rate of new cases, based on incidence and/or percent positivity
- Severe Outcome Rate (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
- Stable or declining rates of cases resulting in hospitalization, ICU admission, and/or death
- Hospital Capacity Citywide (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
- Hospital beds: <1800 COVID patients
- ICU beds: <600 COVID patients
- Ventilators: <450 COVID patients
- Testing Capacity:
- Test at least 5% of Chicago residents per month
- Testing Percent Positivity Rates (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
- Congregate: <30% positive tests
- Community: <15% positive tests
- Syndromic Surveillance (over 14 days, as a rolling average):
- Declining emergency department visits for influenza-like illness and/or COVID-like illness
- Case Investigation & Contact Tracing:
- Expanded system in place for congregate and community investigations and contact tracing
It is important to note, than unlike State's Restore Illinois plan that requires metrics to be met for 28 days before a region can move to the next phase of reopening, the Mayor's Protecting Chicago plan only requirements metrics to be met for 14 days as a rolling average.
While the Protecting Chicago plan may be updated as time progresses, at this time the plan not include specific guidance for manufacturers which will be developed by the industry teams.
The Governor announced that he will no longer be providing in-person COVID-19 updates on the weekends beginning this weekend. Updated data will still be provided on a daily basis at
coronavirus.illinois.gov
Daily COVID-19 Results
Governor JB Pritzker held his daily press conference and announced:
- There are 2,887 new cases of coronavirus in Illinois.
- There are a total of 3,241 deaths related to coronavirus in Illinois, including 130 additional deaths announced today.
- A total of 73,760 cases have been confirmed in at least 98 of the 102 counties. These numbers include many individuals who have already recovered.
- There have been 399,714 individuals tested for coronavirus in Illinois.
Press Conference Key Updates
- The Governor commended PAL Heath Technologies and Reditus in Pekin, Illinois, for not only transitioning their production to PPE, but also for transitioning their laboratory to run COVID-19 test samples from around the Midwest.
- Today, for the first time, Illinois surpassed 20,000 COVID-19 tests administered in a 24-hour period. As of May 6, Illinois ranked second out of the ten most populated states for the number of tests completed per capita. Additionally, Illinois ranks fifth out of all the states in the total tests completed since the beginning of the epidemic.
- The total number of testing locations in the state is up to 244 testing sites. The state will be adding 3 new additional drive-thru testing sites next week with more details on the way.
Employer Resources & Programs
- Reducing risk in the workplace
- When to return and reopen - who comes back?
- What to do if someone tests positive
- Communications – How to share with employees everything the company is doing to keep them safe
- The 2nd Wave
On Friday, May 15, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm CST, the IMA
will be hosting a webinar on
"
Top 7 Ways to Increase Cash Flow Through Digital Marketing Strategies During Covid-19."
Discussion includes strategies to help generate leads and new business during this uncertain time:
- Effect on B2B Businesses
- How should you be communicating with customers?
- What opportunities does this present
- Where to find the marketing budget
- Putting it all together: Website, Social, Webinar, Email, Organic Tactics
