Illinois's strict rules to try and stop the spread of the coronavirus have been relaxed for some parts of the state, including the Quad Cities. Friday Governor J.B. Pritzker announced three regions have met his goal to move out of the strictest level of his mitigation plan, Tier 3, to Tier 2.
That means some businesses, organizations, and activities can re-open, including youth and recreational sports. One example is Jumers Hotel and Casino that's announced plans to re-open Saturday morning - at 25 per cent capacity. But indoor dining is still not allowed in Tier 2.
The Illinois Quad Cities is in Region 2 which includes Rock Island, Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, and Mercer counties. Also included in the less strict Tier 2 guidelines are Region 1 which includes eight north and northwest counties, and Region 5 at the southern end of the state.
These regions moved to a lower tier of mitigations thanks to lower positivity rates, hospitalization rates, and hospital bed usage.
