Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is shutting her city back down. Beginning Friday, October 23rd at 6:00 am, “all non-essential businesses will be closed to the public from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.” Additionally, “all liquor sales will stop after 9:00 pm” reports Chicago’s local CBS. Lightfoot alludes to a second “surge” of COVID-19 for her actions and claims she is prepared to put the city back into Phase 3.
“We are taking these measures to avoid potential catastrophic impacts. The rapid rise in cases that we’re experiencing here in Chicago is consistent with what we’re seeing, not only across the state, but across the nation, and in many other countries around the world” said Lightfoot.
Chicago Department of Public health, Doctor Allison Arwady, agrees with Lightfoot and supports a total closing of restaurants if the city’s positivity rate reaches 8% from its current 6.4%. “New cases in Chicago stands at 645 new cases per day. But that’s a seven-day rolling average and we’ve already had multiple days with 800 or even 900 cases coming in, and the numbers are still going up” says Arwady.
Lightfoot said, “we have been preaching about limiting the size of gatherings, about wearing a mask everywhere, you can, and particularly outside.” Why? Because “COVID-19 thrives in places and in circumstances where people let their guard down. And as the weather cools and people move in indoors, the risk of the spread rises exponentially” added the Mayor.
As Lightfoot alarmingly says cases are already rising, she says “these new restrictions and guidelines represent our ongoing effort to stay ahead of this pandemic through the data and science of this disease.” Yes, her statement is awfully confusing, but nonetheless, here are the rules she is implementing:
Non-essential businesses beginning at 10:00 p.m. It’s in effect nightly from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.; last call for serving liquor is 9:00 p.m.; take-out and curb-side pick-up at restaurants still permitted. Bars, breweries, and taverns without a food license cannot operate any indoor service; a maximum of six people in your personal bubble. That means no household gathering of more than six non-household members. And finally, face coverings are mandatory in all indoor and outdoor public settings.
