We would not have been in a position even a few weeks ago to be making this kind of announcement today.. Vallas denied his comments were related to race and says his police union endorsement is from rank-and-file officers. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune). Let's not play games with the numbers, and let's let the economy roll," said Leonard DeFranco, co-owner of Hawkeye's Bar And Grill. We really dont know.. Plus, the Wieners Circle celebrates the Packers loss, and Peanut Park is a taste of Chicago history. The end of the. newsletter, Fulton Market Meets California Wine Country For Lettuce Entertain Yous Latest, Oakville Grill & Cellar will feature 750 different wines, Boka Goes Family-Friendly Inside Lakeviews Former Speakeasy and Brothel, GGs Chicken Shop and Itoko give the Southport Corridor casual options inside a storied 120-year-old building, This Historic Chicago Sausage Stand Made the Maxwell Street Polish a Local Icon, Jims Original has served the city for more than eight decades, Sign up for the It was at 4.1 percent Monday. Johnson received about $1 million from the Chicago Teachers Union for his campaign and had support from several other progressive organizations, including United Working Families. The move comes amid improving COVID-19 metrics. At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said the city is averaging 431 cases per-day, above the 400 cases-per day threshold signaling high transmission. Chicago 's mask and vaccination requirements will end on Monday, February 28, the same day the state mask mandate is lifted, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced yesterday. More than half of CPS students 12 and older are fully vaccinated, but for students ages 5 to 11, less than one-third have received at least one vaccine dose. Chicago will act in concert with the state, which is also scheduled to lift its mask mandate on Monday. There have been at least 7,136 deaths from COVID-19 in Chicago. Mayors Press Office press@cityofchicago.org. Gov. If we are not able to move on the 28th, I think it would probably be not very long after that.. Associated Press writers Claire Savage and Teresa Crawford in Chicago contributed to this report. A few months ago they said they didnt know who I was. City officials later said, however, that they would consider going forward with dropping the mandate even if they hadnt hit those totals to avoid confusion for residents. Lea este artculo en espaol en La Voz Chicago. The Chicago Transit Authority reminded travelers Saturday that masks are still required on public buses and trains, as well as within the station. But opponents blamed Lightfoot for an increase in crime that occured in cities across the U.S. during the pandemic and criticized her as being a divisive, overly contentious leader. The vaccine requirement for restaurants, bars, gyms and other indoor public settings where food and beverages are served went into effect on January 3 in response to the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases both locally and nationally, driven in part by the Omicron variant. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Additionally, proof of vaccination is requiredat indoor restaurants, entertainment venues, gyms and other indoor facilities throughout the city. The city of Chicago plans to end both its indoor mask mandate and its proof-of-vaccination mandate by the end of the month, in line with Illinois' timeline to drop the statewide indoor mask . Dr. Arwady said they are using case numbers, test positivity, hospital bed availability and ICU bed availability to make determinations on COVID mitigations, with three of four metrics needing to be in blue or green level for low transmission. Rudina Alihajdaraj, a hostess with Pequods Pizza, inspects a COVID-19 vaccination card on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, the first day that proof of vaccination mandate is required to eat inside at Chicago restaurants. What to Know About the Cook County Commissioner After Advancing to the Runoff Election. Its important for us to recognize this moment for what it is: a huge step forward in our effort to overcome COVID-19, Lightfoot said. By submitting your email, you agree to our, The freshest news from the local food world, Chicago Restaurant Vaccine Mandate Could Be Lifted By Spring Whatever That Means, Sign up for the newsletter, The Return of Haymarkets Sausage Fest and 10 More Chicago Pop-Ups to Know, Logan Square Pasta Haven Daisies to Close This Weekend Ahead of Its Move, Ramen-san Brings Late-Night Fried Rice to Lincoln Park and Three More Openings, The Owners of Kalish Will Unveil a New Vegan Restaurant Next Week in Uptown, Chez Moi Bids Adieu After 11 Years and Six More Restaurant Closings. Regardless of tonights outcome, we fought the right fights and we put this city on a better path, Lightfoot said. It makes me angry," he said. Lightfoot also urged understanding of individual decisions, something that has been in short supply in recent weeks during the raging controversy over masks that has divided the nation. newsletter, predicting an end to the statewide mask mandate, new neighborhood restaurant in Little Italy, The Return of Haymarkets Sausage Fest and 10 More Chicago Pop-Ups to Know, Logan Square Pasta Haven Daisies to Close This Weekend Ahead of Its Move, Alineas Top Bartenders Departure and Four More Shuffles, Ramen-san Brings Late-Night Fried Rice to Lincoln Park and Three More Openings, The Owners of Kalish Will Unveil a New Vegan Restaurant Next Week in Uptown, Chez Moi Bids Adieu After 11 Years and Six More Restaurant Closings. In a gathering of 50 people, she said during the mayors announcement, there is a one-in-five chance someone has COVID-19, as opposed to one-in-two, as it was a week ago. Mayor Lori Lightfoot announces Feb. 22, 2022, that the city will be ending its indoor mask requirement in most locations on Feb. 28. But if we're talking about a week difference, for example, we might extend it. JB Pritzker . 1 ranking for business relocations, expansion, AMC movie theater popcorn coming to Walmart in new at-home snack line, Wild Things 2023 Conference: Glorious gamut from poaching in forest preserves to queer ecology. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the city will end its mask mandate at the end of February, in line with the statewide date. The other candidates were businessman Willie Wilson, Chicago City Council members Sophia King and Roderick Sawyer, activist JaMal Green and state Rep. Kambium Kam Buckner. I want to thank Chicagoans and in particular, our business community for adhering to these measures and helping us pass through this difficult time while keeping restaurants and other businesses open.. coronavirus chicago Chicago's mask mandate may not end when statewide restrictions are lifted, Lightfoot says Gov. At times, it has led to some mixed messaging and conflict with the state. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. Bowling Green, OH 43402 And we must respect it, Lightfoot said. As of February 21, the 7-day-rolling-average test positivity (now 1.5% in Chicago), hospital COVID-19 census, and ICU COVID-19 census have all reached the pre-defined lower risk category, meaning they have been in an acceptable lower risk range for the last week. In addition, the new guidelines do not change the federal requirement to wear masks on public transportation and indoors in airports, train stations and bus stations. The head of the Chicago Department of Public Health, Dr. Allison Arwady, said that in a gathering of 50 people, there is now a 1-in-5 chance that someone in that group has COVID-19, versus a 1-in-2 chance a week ago. It's unclear when face mask and COVID vaccine requirements will be lifted in the city. Currently the test positivity is in the lower transmission range, with ICU availability and hospital availability possibly moving into the lower transmission category soon, Dr. Arwady said. Lightfoot, the first Black woman and first openly gay person to lead the city, won her first term in 2019 after promising to end decades of corruption and backroom dealing at City Hall. But it's only hit one so far and the state's masking end date is creeping up. Were gonna see where we are next week and make a decision sort of either way there, Arwady said. The former teacher and union organizer has argued that the answer to addressing crime is not more money for police but more investment in mental health care, education, jobs and affordable housing, and he was accused by rivals such as Lightfoot of wanting to defund the police. Sources Cited. Chicago's top doctor 'hopeful' COVID-19 vaccine mandate for restaurants and public venues will end by spring By Alice Yin and Dan Petrella Chicago Tribune Jan 20, 2022 at 2:14 pm Expand. She also said she will continue to wear a mask in public. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune). As a news piece, this article cites verifiable, third-party sources which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and deemed credible by the Newsroom. J.B. Pritzker's previously announced plans to end the Illinois mask mandate on the same date. Oops. Lightfoot announced the latest move as the national trend turns against masking and other restrictions due to broader social desires to return to normal, though some doctors and activists caution against people dropping their guard. Also, some venues may continue to impose their own mitigation efforts to keep their clients and customers safe. Chicago is currently at high, the top of the scale. See How All 50 Wards Voted in the 2023 Chicago Mayoral Election, All Eyes On a Strong' System That Could Hit Chicago Area Friday, But Much Uncertainty Remains, Who is Brandon Johnson? We look forward to the day when we can be mask-optional at CPS, but we still need to get more students vaccinated across our district, and we still need to work with our public health and labor partners on the best way to preserve a safe in-person learning environment for all.. Johnson has avoided the word defund during the race, and his campaign says he does not want to cut the number of police officers. Asked if she was treated unfairly because of her race and gender, Lightfoot said: Im a black woman in America. The Wild Things 2023 Conference drew thousands of outdoor sorts. We've got to hit the data points," Arwady said. As of Monday, Chicagoans will no longer be required to show proof of. SAG-AFTRA president and actress, Fran Drescher, called on Hollywood to put an end to its COVID-19 vaccination mandate. SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, speaking during Sunday's SAG Awards, called on Hollywood to flex its economic muscles to democratize states where civil and human rights are under attack. The key metrics of the City has been used to track COVID-19 cases and hospital capacity since early in the pandemic including COVID-19 cases diagnosed per day, test positivity, and hospital and ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. 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