CHICAGO, July 5 (NNN-XINHUA) – Chicago is a little quiet during this year’s Independence Day holiday, as the local government has cancelled the fireworks displays at Navy Pier and most of the surrounding suburbs, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
With some 40 states in the United States reporting resurgence of COVID-19 cases, Illinois Governor, J.B. Pritzker, and Chicago Mayor, Lori Lightfoot, have no plans to reverse the reopening course, after lifting some restrictions statewide last week. But they are determined to implement the reopening with restrictions more strictly.
Lightfoot sent a message on Thursday, ahead of the long Independence Day weekend, warning that if bars and restaurants let crowds of maskless patrons pack in violation of occupancy and face covering rules, “I will shut you down and if you’re shut down, you’re not coming back anytime soon.”
Under the rules in Chicago, patrons must be seated, and indoor capacity is limited to 25 percent, or 50 people, whichever is fewer.
Lightfoot also ordered people coming to Chicago from 15 states experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, to practice self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering the city beginning next week.
The order was announced on Thursday and will go into effect on Monday (tomorrow). The 15 high-risk U.S. states are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.
