Chicago New Guideline Announcements
Hello and Happy Friday to you all!
We are so excited about Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s announcement Thursday. We spoke with Isaac from the BACP earlier today (the City of Chicago) and we wanted to share some notes below.
For reference, the City of Chicago full press release here from Thursday is here and here.
Under the new Phase Four Regulations, most Chicago industries will have the ability to increase capacity effective immediately, including the following changes:
Restaurants and bars: Indoor capacity can increase to the lesser of 50% or 100 people.
Places of worship: Large indoor venues can now operate at 25% capacity.
Social Events (e.g. weddings, potlucks, and community events): Indoor 50% capacity or 50 people *Fully vaccinated individuals can be excluded from the capacity of private events. See Venue Guidelines below for additional information.
The City is hosting some really great seminars where they will share important information about the new changes in the city. These are very informative and we strongly encourage you to attend.
If you miss the webinars, they are posted following the seminars on their You Tube Page.
Register here for Seminars on “Navigating the New Phase Four Regulations and Chicago Bridge Phase”. Two opportunities below.
TODAY, Friday, August 30th at 2pm
Monday, May 3rd at 2pm
Some notes from our call we had this morning at 11:00 with Isaac from the BACP:
50 people is the current capacity limit. But now, vaccinated individuals do not count towards that number. (See above for more info)
Please bear in mind ALL current guidelines still apply - such as:
6 feet social distancing between tables
Mask wearing unless eating or drinking
Dance floors should still remain closed
Currently only 6 people per table is allowed in the City of Chicago
The business who holds the license is ultimately the entity who holds the responsibility of enforcement of guidelines. This would be Venue, Caterer or Event Organizer (if is there is one).
FAQ’s on vaccination records for State of Illinois. The City of Chicago has referred us to this document. Some details shared below.
How are capacity limits outlined in the guidelines impacted for guests or patrons that are able to demonstrate immunity with proof of a vaccination or negative COVID-19 test?
Individuals with proof of full vaccination plus 14 days or a negativeCOVID-19test(PCR) 1 to 3 days prior to an event or outing do not count against capacity limits. Patrons and attendees must show proof of completed vaccination series or recent negative COVID-19 test prior to entry and are subject to additional state face covering rules and social distancing guidelines of at least 6’ between individuals that are not in the same household or group even if they meet the criteria for demonstrated immunity.
Is this effective immediately, or not until the Bridge Phase?
This is effective immediately.
Is there a standard way to verify vaccination and/or having received a negative COVID-19
test?
Following full vaccination, individuals receive a vaccination card from the administrator of the vaccine. At this point, there is no uniform proof of vaccine or negative COVID-19 tests. Businesses should develop methods to evaluate authenticity of the documentation provided.
Does this apply to all sectors which have guidelines?
Yes.
How are businesses supposed to track individuals who received vaccinations or a negative COVID-19 test?
Businesses are responsible for managing their capacity and admission procedures within the venue to establish a protocol and system to verify proof of a vaccination plus 14 days or a negative COVID-19 test. Businesses should evaluate privacy concerns to implement a reliable method to manage proof of vaccinations or negative COVID-19 test. If a venue is being utilized by a company for an event, the event host is responsible for compliance.
If businesses opt to establish a system of checking proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to permit greater capacity, businesses should evaluate all applicable data privacylawsforretentionoftheinformation. Businessesarenotrequiredtoaskallpatrons of proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test if they wish to remain within Restore Illinois Phase 4 and Bridge Phase limits.
What, if any, records should a business or organization retain to comply with the stated option that persons with proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test do not count towards capacity?
Similar to displaying a driver’s license to show proof of age, individuals would show proof of vaccination with their card or online confirmation of a negative COVID test prior to entry. Retaining a copy of the record is not a requirement of compliance with this option. Businesses that have registration options for an event, could have a self-reporting function on the registration that the individual would check a box during the registration and then at the time of the event, provide the proof prior to entering the event. Clear communication to attendees on this requirement and expectation to bring the documentation with them for the event is recommended. Please consult an attorney with any data privacy or HIPAA compliance questions.
Is there a cap on the number of vaccinated individuals an establishment can allow on the premises?
Venues with fixed seating such as a theater, restaurant, and sporting venue are limited by the requirement to maintain at least 6’ social distancing between groups. Venues without fixed seating need to implement a method to ensure that groups maintain 6’ social distancing within the space
For both fixed seating and non-fixed seating venues, capacities may also not exceed the maximum allowable capacity otherwise indicated by applicable codes (e.g. fire code) if other social distancing measures are feasible.
If an individual has a proven immunity through proof vaccinations or a recent negative COVID-19 test, can those individuals intermingle with people outside their group without social distancing?
No. The concept of permitting individuals to not count towards the capacity limits does not permit the individuals to also mix within the venue, event, or other industry space and not follow the other restrictions.
We look forward to hosting a Zoom on Monday at 11am! Click here to join the Zoom!
Thank you!!
Ali, Collin and Michelle