1/3/2022 | New Cook County Mitigation Orders

In response to the current COVID-19 surge of cases and hospitalizations in suburban Cook County, Cook County Department of Public Health today issued a new mitigation order for its suburban Cook County jurisdiction. Specifically, the order calls for proof of vaccination for customers of indoor settings where food or drink are served for on-premises consumption, like restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues, and in fitness facilities. The order will go into effect January 3, 2022.

Suburban Cook County is seeing over 500 new cases per 100,000 population daily and the test positivity rate is 7.8 percent as of last week. The ICU capacity is at 10.8 percent bed availability.

Under the order, businesses must display signage about the mitigations at every entrance and prominently within the facility. Businesses must develop a written protocol with details for how they will check vaccine status and how they will enforce this order.

Businesses violating these orders will be subject to inspection and possible fines for violations. Many restaurants have already introduced these protective measures; this order will provide clarity to businesses and patrons throughout CCDPH’s jurisdiction in most of suburban Cook County.

Fitness centers include settings like health clubs, yoga studios, group fitness classes, recreation centers, and dance studios. Entertainment venues include movie theaters, concert venues, live theater and music spaces, sports arenas, bowling alleys and arcades. Patrons in these facilities must remain masked and physically distant when possible.