Indoor dining could return to Chicago soon according to Governor Pritzker:
As the nation on Wednesday afternoon watched rioters storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C., in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker made an announcement that should grab the attentions of the restaurant industry and its customers: Indoor dining is closer to returning. During his Wednesday news briefing, the governor said he’s “cautiously optimistic” that the state could lift some COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, January 15.
The entire state has been in “Tier 3” of its novel coronavirus mitigation plan since November 20. Indoor service at Chicago restaurants and bars was halted earlier; Pritzker suspended service on October 30. Tier 3 allowed for takeout and delivery and outdoor dining and outdoor dining. Moving on from Tier 3 to Tier 2 still would not restore indoor dining. There are three tiers in the state’s mitigation plan.
NPR’s Hannah Meisel reports that it would take three-straight days of a region to test under a 6.5 percent positivity rate — which measures the number of COVID-19 tests that come back positive — until indoor dining is restored. A spokesperson for Gov. Pritzker’s office stressed that January 15 would be the earliest Tier 2 — which does not allow for indoor dining — could start.
Let's hope we make it there soon!!