![COVID-19 positivity rate, hospitalizations push new lows ahead of Friday reopening COVID-19 positivity rate, hospitalizations push new lows ahead of Friday reopening](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/img-7-Day-Rolling-Positivity-Rate-Since-June-131-e8JZfv-1024x507.png)
COVID-19 positivity rate, hospitalizations push new lows ahead of Friday reopening
By JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – The state’s COVID-19 metrics continued to improve Monday ahead of Friday’s planned statewide reopening.
Gov. JB Pritzker’s office confirmed last week that Phase 5 will begin Friday, essentially lifting all of the COVID-19 capacity restrictions that have been in place for over one year. That means businesses, large-scale events, conventions, amusement parks and seated-spectator venues can all return to full capacity beginning Friday.
That announcement came as the state’s COVID-19 case positivity rate – a disease spread indicator that has been widely used to determine what level of restrictions would be in place throughout the pandemic – continued to plummet, hitting a new low of 1.1 percent Monday.
That’s far from the recent 4.4 percent peak from April 12 and well below its 13.2 percent height since June 2020, when testing became more widespread.
“After a tremendously challenging year, Illinois has now reached a defining moment in our efforts to defeat COVID-19,” Pritzker said in a news release Friday. “Thanks to the hard work of residents across the state, Illinois will soon resume life as we knew it before – returning to events, gatherings, and a fully reopened economy, with some of the safety guidelines we’ve adopted still in place.”
While businesses will still be allowed to have stricter masking and social distancing policies than the state, the new guidance follows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that face coverings are not needed indoors for vaccinated individuals.
Masks are still “recommended” for unvaccinated individuals, according to the governor’s office.
Masks will still be required for people traveling on public transportation, in congregate settings, in health care settings, as well as in schools, day cares and educational institutions, according to the governor’s office.
“This pandemic has robbed us of many of our freedoms such as going to ball games and concerts, celebrating graduations, weddings, and birthdays, going to dinner with friends, and even sharing a hug with loved ones we don’t live with,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a news release. “The vaccine is giving us our freedoms back and allowing us to move to Phase 5. Let’s keep the vaccination momentum going so we can put this pandemic in the rearview mirror and not look back.”
According to IDPH, more than 11.6 million vaccine doses have been administered in the state, with 50.3 percent of the state’s aged-12-and-older population having been fully vaccinated. About 60 percent of those 12 and older have received at least one dose, while that number increases to 62.5 percent for those 18 and older and 82 percent for those 65 and over.
On a seven-day average, however, about 38,975 vaccines were administered as of Monday, meaning the pace of those being vaccinated has slowed substantially. That number was over 130,000 in mid-April and over 86,000 in early May.
But as the vaccination pace has slowed, so have the number of new COVID-19 cases recorded each day and the number of people hospitalized for the disease. For 12 straight days, there have been fewer than 1,000 new cases reported each day.
The death toll of the virus had reached 22,963 in Illinois as of Monday, with 14 deaths reported over the previous 24 hours. Thus far in June, the number of daily COVID-19-related deaths have hovered between six and 42 each day. At the pandemic’s height in December, 238 died in one day.
Hospitalizations continue to push past their lowest points in the pandemic as well, with 788 hospital beds in use by COVID-19 patients as of Sunday night, a decrease of more than 300 from a week ago. That number peaked at more than 6,000 in November.
On a weekly average, the period from Monday to Sunday was the lowest it has been throughout the pandemic with 915 beds in use on average daily over the seven-day period.
There were 217 intensive care unit beds and 116 ventilators in use as of Sunday night, with both numbers hovering near their pandemic lows as well. Those number peaked above 1,200 and 800, respectively, during the height of the pandemic.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
![CRRNH_NiegoStory_062624 Thanks to Niego Real Estate, block after block in Clearing and Garfield Ridge are decked out each year in red, white and blue. Residents are asked to volunteer to pick up flags and decorate their whole block—or even additional blocks. --Supplied photo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/CRRNH_NiegoStory_062624-768x1024.jpg)
Niego Real Estate salutes America again
Spread the love. Popular flag program underway . By Tim Hadac Clearing and Garfield Ridge residents who want to decorate their blocks in red, white and blue this Independence Day are encouraged to contact Niego Real Estate and reserve a supply of U.S. flags at no charge. The popular program to promote patriotism and community…
![dvn 6-24-24 Alan_Morales Alan Morales](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/dvn-6-24-24-Alan_Morales.jpg)
Lyons Mental Health Commission pulls LeaderShop funding
Spread the loveExecutive director accused of harassment From staff reports The local nonprofit service community was jolted when nearly $300,000 in mental health funds was withdrawn by a Lyons Township agency from the Western Springs LeaderShop, a social service agency that has provided youth programs for nearly 40 years. The Lyons Township Mental Health Commission…
![SRP-IMAGE-Logo SRP-IMAGE-Logo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SRP-IMAGE-Logo-1024x560.png)
Mount Carmel, Marist and Oak Lawn among 84 teams at Riverside-Brookfield shootout
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent High school boys basketball does not stop in March and pick back up in late autumn. For many players, playing hoops is a year-round commitment. AAU ball is a big reason for, that there are summer camps, shootouts or other events at most schools during the summer. The…
![PeggyZabicki Peggy Zabicki](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PeggyZabicki-1024x768.jpg)
Dog lovers to celebrate ‘Fur of July’
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . I’m starting out with some fun news. The West Lawn Dog Park Advisory Council will be hosting a Fur of July Pet Parade on Saturday, June 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at West Lawn…
![MaryStanek Mary Stanek](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MaryStanek-768x1024.jpg)
Fourth of July not happy for everyone
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Happy Fourth of July. Cannot believe I am already saying that, time sure goes. Hope it is safe and quiet for everyone and especially all of our house pets. For us its shutting…
![kathyheadley2021 Kathy Headley](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/kathyheadley2021-869x1024.jpg)
St. Rita’s transformation is worth a look
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . St. Rita of Cascia Church, 63rd and Fairfield, continues to undergo its transformation from the sunflowery/harvest golds and browns of the 1960s and 1970s to the calming pastels of the 2000s. Since the basilica-style church…
![NAEHER Alyssa Naeher clears a ball at North Carolina on June 23 in a 3-1 Red Stars loss. IMAGN photo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NAEHER-1024x712.jpg)
Loss to Courage brings Red Stars’ winless streak to five games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars historic start to the season is all but forgotten. In the last five matches, the Red Stars have failed to win, with the latest setback being a 3-1 loss on the road to North Carolina on June 23 in an NWSL battle. The Red Stars…
![SRP-IMAGE-Logo SRP-IMAGE-Logo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SRP-IMAGE-Logo-1024x560.png)
Summer League Basketball | Illinois powers compete at Riverside-Brookfield Shootout
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent School’s out for the summer, but high school athletes across Illinois are remaining active during the summer sports season. This includes basketball players, who can be found at camps, open gyms, camps and even weekend tournaments. Among the more high profile hoops action in the area was the Riverside-Brookfield…
![Dana RETTKE Dana Rettke, a graduate of Riverside-Brookfield High School, will play on the U.S. women's volleyball team at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Paris.](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/RETTKE.jpg)
Dana Rettke and Ryan Murphy heading to Paris Summer Games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area fans of the Summer Olympics will have extra reasons to cheer athletes from the United States in the upcoming Paris Games. Dana Rettke of Riverside is a member of the U.S. women’s volleyball team and Palos Heights native Ryan Murphy will represent the country in swimming. Rettke, a…
![kathyheadley2021 Kathy Headley](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/kathyheadley2021-869x1024.jpg)
Hope Church feeds the hungry at Marquette Park
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . Last week on the way to our CAPS meeting at the Marquette Park Fieldhouse, I stopped in at the Tuesday Community Dinner hosted by Hope Church every week in the auditorium. Pastors Ben and Jordyn…
Neighbors
![GSWNH_OLSLincolnTomb_052424 GSWNH_OLSLincolnTomb_052424](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GSWNH_OLSLincolnTomb_052424-1024x537.jpeg)
Learning history is fun, honest
Spread the love Seventh and eighth graders from Our Lady of the Snows School clamor to rub the nose of a bust of President Abraham Lincoln during a field trip to Springfield earlier this month. Rubbing the nose of the famous bust of Honest Abe–a part of the tomb of the nation’s 16th President–is said…
![CRRNH_QuinnShiftingSandsStory_113022 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CRRNH_QuinnShiftingSandsStory_113022.png)
Fight to save ShotSpotter is still alive
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . As you have read several times in the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound, the people of Clearing and Garfield Ridge are clear in their support of keeping ShotSpotter technology deployed in Chicago, to help police fight crime. So I won’t go over old…
![GSWNH_ColdPlanerSpitsAsphalt_052424 GSWNH_ColdPlanerSpitsAsphalt_052424](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GSWNH_ColdPlanerSpitsAsphalt_052424-1024x680.png)
63rd Street getting a facelift
Spread the love. Quinn hails federally funded resurfacing project . By Tim Hadac The old joke about there being not four seasons, but just two in Chicago each year—winter and construction—was apparent late last week as heavy equipment arrived in Clearing. As 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn and other city officials gathered for an outdoor…
![CRRNH_SilvanaTabaresOfficial_081121 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CRRNH_SilvanaTabaresOfficial_081121-1024x1024.jpg)
Tabares blasts Foxx over ‘no seizure’ idea
Spread the love. Brands State’s Attorney as ‘pro-criminal’ . By Tim Hadac Twenty-third Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares this week blasted outgoing Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx over a possible change in how crimes are—or are not–prosecuted.Foxx recently said she is considering a plan to decline to prosecute weapons and drug crimes detected by routine…
![GSWNH_OLSPrincipal_052424 GSWNH_OLSPrincipal_052424](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GSWNH_OLSPrincipal_052424-1024x683.jpeg)
School can get messy
Spread the love Second grader Weronika Kozielec squirts ketchup on the head of Our Lady of the Snows School Principal Christina Avis at a recent gathering in the parking lot of the school, 4810 S. Leamington. But the condiment was not all that was dumped on the principal. Students, faculty and staff laughed and cheered…
![PeggyZabicki Peggy Zabicki](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PeggyZabicki-1024x768.jpg)
Brother, what a day today is
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . May 24 is National Brothers Day. The word “brother” comes from the Latin root for “frater” and the Proto-Germanic word “brothar” which itself comes from the Proto-Indo-European root “bhrater.” I’m sure everyone already knows that, but…
![MaryStanek Mary Stanek](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MaryStanek-768x1024.jpg)
May your Memorial Day be meaningful
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . I hope we all will have a meaningful Memorial Day. Let us remember that this day is set to honor military personnel who died in service of their country. Memorial Day also marks…
![volleyball volleyball](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/GettyImages-171252499-1024x681.jpg)
Boys Volleyball | Sandburg seeks 26th regional title
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Coming off the worst season in program history in 2023, Sandburg was not going to settle for anything less than better results this year. Past the midway point of this season, however, the Eagles had a record of 11-8. But they closed the regular season strong, winning 11 of…