Illinois Redraws Coronavirus Regions, Going From 4 to 11 Regions

ILLINOIS — Illinois officials have redrawn the state’s emergency management regions to better handle potential coronavirus outbreaks, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday.

The state added seven new regions and put Chicago and suburban Cook County into their own regions, a move that will likely be welcomed by many suburban mayors. Mayors in Joliet, Lockport and Lemont all called for the state to remove them from Chicago’s emergency management region, arguing they should not be lumped in with the state’s biggest city.

Will Bars, Restaurants Close Again? Pritzker 'Will Not Hesitate'

The 11 emergency management regions are part of the state’s new coronavirus mitigation plan, which Illinois officials established as states around the nation experience large spikes in cases. The plan includes three tiers of mitigation strategies for each region if new cases begin to surge.

The new mitigation plan will allow public health officials “to move carefully but deliberately, depending upon the severity of the situation, to control the spread of the while continuing to allow a region to be open to the greatest extent possible,” Pritzker said. “These mitigation options allow us to move decisively without reacting more broadly than circumstances require.”

Masks Required At IL Walmart, Best Buy Locations, Nationwide

The mitigation plan includes three tiers of strategies, both general and industry-specific, to slow the spread of a coronavirus outbreak, Pritzker said.

All regions of the state entered phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan at the end of June. While there has yet to be a sustained surge in new coronavirus cases after bars and restaurants reopened for indoor dining and drinking, Pritzker said Tuesday he “will not hesitate” to shut them down if cases climb.

Illinois Coronavirus Update July 15 — Don't miss updates in Illinois as they are announced — Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

Pritzker said he was “deeply troubled” by coronavirus outbreaks linked to youth sports and social gatherings, noting three dozen Lake Zurich High School students tested positive last week after meeting up before attending athletic camps. All participants of the Lake Zurich High School athletic camps were told to self-quarantine for 14 days.

36 Lake Zurich High Students Test Positive For COVID-19

Public health officials are “continually evaluating what works and what doesn’t work, and we’re taking a good hard look at how youth sports fits into that conversation,” He and the Illinois Department of Public Health “are ready to take immediate action there and elsewhere if trends in the data require it,” he said.

Lawyer Sues IHSA On Behalf Of His Kids, Other Student-Athletes

The governor acknowledged parents’ concerns about plans for students to return to school in the fall. With restrictions set to limit in-person learning until the state reaches phase 5 of its reopening plan — and concerns about a resurgence in new coronavirus cases — Pritzker warned parents “hybrid schedules and remote learning are likely to be a part of (the) solution.”

PATCH POLL: How Reliable Is Your U.S. Mail Delivery?

Pritzker also fired a warning at school officials who are considering flouting coronavirus-related guidelines from the IDPH and the Illinois State Board of Education.

“Any district that intends to disregard this guidance is gambling with the lives of our children, teachers and families,” Pritzker said. “Districts that don’t live up to public health guidelines and standards, and don’t make a genuine attempt to protect their communities from this virus, could be held liable in the courts by community members who are ill-affected.”

Crowdsourced Amid Coronavirus, Cannabis Cup Comes To Illinois

“I wouldn't let my own children return to a school where masks are not required mandatory and serious effort hasn’t been made to keep students distanced during the day,” Pritzker continued. “This should not be controversial.”

New Illinois Emergency Management Regions By County

• NORTH: Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, Winnebago
• NORTH-CENTRAL: Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Woodford
• WEST-CENTRAL: Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian, Greene, Hancock, Jersey, Logan, Macoupin, Mason, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott
• METRO EAST: Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, Washington
• SOUTHERN: Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White, Williamson
• EAST-CENTRAL: Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Iroquois, Jasper, Lawrence, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Richland, Shelby, Vermillion
• SOUTH SUBURBAN: Kankakee, Will
• WEST SUBURBAN: DuPage, Kane
• NORTH SUBURBAN: Lake, McHenry
• SUBURBAN COOK: Suburban Cook
• CHICAGO: City of Chicago