SPECIAL REPORT: Mayor Lightfoot’s Five-Phase Plan to ‘Protecting Chicago’

Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced Chicago’s very own plan to reopen the city amid COVID-19. The Chicago plan, known as “Protecting Chicago", is organized into five phases that is intended to align with and compliment the State of Illinois plan. Chicago is currently in phase two of Lightfoot’s Protecting Chicago plan. A summary of each phase and how Chicago will transition between phases is outlined below.

Phase One: Strict Stay-At-Home – Limit the amount of contact with others; goal is to limit interactions to rapidly slow the spread of COVID-19

·        Essential workers go to work; everyone else works from home

·        Stay at home and limit going out to essential activities only

·        Physically distance from anyone you do not live with, especially vulnerable friends and famil

Phase Two: Stay-At-Home – Guard against unsafe interactions with others; goal is to continue flattening the curve while safely being outside

·        Essential workers go to work; everyone else works from home

·        Stay at home as much as possible

·        Wear a face covering while outside your home

·        Physically distance from anyone you do not live with, especially vulnerable friends and family

Phase Three: Cautiously Reopen – Strict physical distancing with some businesses opening; goal is to thoughtfully begin to reopen Chicago safely

·        Non-essential workers begin to return to work in a phased way

·        Select businesses, non-profits, city entities open with demonstrated, appropriate protections for workers and customers

·        When meeting others, physically distance yourselves and wear a face covering

·        Non-business, social gatherings limited to less than 10 persons

·        Phased, limited public amenities begin to open

·        Stay at home if you feel ill or have come into contact with someone with COVID-19

·        Continue to physically distance from vulnerable populations

·        Get tested if you have symptoms

Phase Four: Gradually Resume – Continued staggered reopening into a “new normal;” goal is to further reopen Chicago while ensuring the safety of residents

·        Additional business and capacity restrictions are lifted with appropriate safeguards

·        Additional public amenities open

·        Continue to wear face covering and physically distance

·        Continue to distance and allow vulnerable residents to shelter

·        Get tested if you have symptoms or think you have had COVID-19

Phase Five: Protect – Continue to protect vulnerable populations; goal is to continue to maintain safety until COVID-19 is contained

·        All businesses open

·        Non-vulnerable individuals can resume working

·        Most activities resume with health safety in place

·        Some events can resume

·        Set up screenings and tests at work or with your family

·        Sign up for a vaccine on the COVID Coach web portal

How we Transition Between Phases:

Chicago is looking at these four factors in determining when and how to transition between phases:

1. Is the rate of disease spread across the city and surrounding counties decreasing?

2. Does the city have the testing and contact-tracing capacity to track the disease and limit spread?

3. Are there enough support systems in place for vulnerable residents?

4. Can the healthcare system handle a potential future surge, such as having enough beds, ventilators and PPE)?

Criteria for Transitioning to Phase Three:

Mayor Lightfoot has established the following thresholds for Chicago to transition from phase two to phase three:

• COVID-19 Case Rate (over 14 days, as a rolling average):

  • Declining rate of new cases, based on incidence and/or percent positivity

• Severe Outcome Rate (over 14 days, as a rolling average):

  • Stable or declining rates of cases resulting in hospitalization, ICU admission, and/or death

• COVID-19 Hospital Capacity Citywide (over 14 days, as a rolling average):

  • Hospital beds: <1800 COVID patients

  • ICU beds: <600 COVID patients

  • Ventilators: <450 COVID patients

• Testing Capacity:

  • Test at least 5% of Chicago residents per month

• Testing Percent Positivity Rates (over 14 days, as a rolling average):

  • Congregate: <30% positive tests

  • Community: <15% positive tests

• Syndromic Surveillance (over 14 days, as a rolling average):

  • Declining emergency department visits for influenza-like illness and/or COVID-like illness

• Case Investigation & Contact Tracing:

  • Expanded system in place for congregate and community investigations and contact tracing

Employee Safety Guidelines:

Chicago has formed industry and public service working groups to develop guidance for businesses to reopen safely. It is anticipated that additional guidelines for specific industries will be released within the next two weeks.

Please be aware that the information contained herein is current as of the date of the release of this Special Report and is subject to further changes and modifications by federal and local officials.  If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact us.

CONTACT:

Andrew J. Annes, Esquire
aannes@satclaw.com
Mobile: (312) 246-3110

John W. Campbell, Jr., Esquire
jcampbell@satclaw.com
Mobile: (312) 391-3126

Websites:
https://satclaw.com/
https://www.satcsolutions.com/