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East Central Illinois Region advances to Phase 4 COVID-19 recovery

By News Jan 21, 2021 | 10:34 AM

The East Central Illinois Region that includes Fayette, Clay, and Effingham Counties has moved into Phase 4 of the Governor’s Restore Illinois Plan.   They join the Southern Illinois Region in Phase 4, while the Metro-East Region remains the only region in the state still in Tier One Resurgence.

Moving to Phase Four allows bars and restaurants to be open with reservations required for each party, everyone is seated at tables and no seating of multiple parties at one table.  Hours must be no longer than six am to eleven pm, tables need to be six feet apart, and no more than 25-people are allowed per room.  Meetings and social events and gatherings are allowed for 25 or fewer guests.  All outdoor recreation is allowed.

IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike says we must continue to practice actions to protect ourselves from the virus – wear masks, avoid large gatherings, and get the vaccine when it is your turn.  She says that is particularly critical as new variants circulate, which early studies show spread much more rapidly.

Ezike says if data show regions trending in the wrong direction, based on the established mitigation metrics, regions could once again find themselves in a higher tier with increased measures.