Tourism group inspired by Pritzker’s COVID actions

ALTON – Officials at the Great Rivers & Routes tourist office in Alton liked what they heard from Governor JB Pritzker in plans to reopen the state announced last week.

“We know everyone is ready to travel again,” said Cory Jobe, office president and CEO. “And we look forward to welcoming our visitors back to southwest Illinois.

On Thursday, Pritzker announced a “metric” phase-in-phase for a stronger reopening of the state. He said his “bridging phase” to reopening could begin when 70 percent of seniors 65 and over had at least their first dose of the vaccine, the governor said. As of Thursday, that number was 58 percent.

It also depends on at least 20 percent of the ICU beds being available. Other metrics such as COVID-like hospital admissions, mortality rate, and case positivity rate over a 28-day monitoring period need to “remain stable”.

Pritzker said that all regions of the state will move into the bridging phase and beyond as a unit, not individually.

The state also updated the current Phase 4 corrective measures on Thursday so people who have evidence of a full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test 1-3 days before an event or excursion will not count towards capacity limits .

The bridge phase will include higher capacity limits in places like museums, zoos and spectator events, as well as increased business activity, according to the governor’s office.

The largest increase is in social events that can accommodate 250 people indoors and 500 people outdoors. Previously, these were limited to 50 people.

Recreational activities are allowed with groups up to 100 or 50 percent of capacity indoors, while outdoor recreation is limited to groups of 100 people, with multiple groups allowed in the same location.

Leisure ticket events may take up 60 percent of the facility’s capacity.

In the bridge phase, restaurants and bars can increase capacity from 25 to 30 percent, and the outside capacity for standing room is allowed up to 50 percent. In seating areas, groups of up to 10 people can sit one meter apart.

For companies, offices, retail stores and fitness centers, the capacity will be increased from 50 percent to 60 percent. Amusement parks and museums can go from 25 percent to 60 percent. Theaters and zoos can also have a capacity of up to 60 percent.

However, the state may revert to an earlier stage if it sees an “increasing trend” in COVID-19 transmission rates and hospital stays over a 10-day period.

If the numbers in the bridge phase stay constant for 28 days, the state must reach a vaccination rate of 50 percent for residents aged 16 and over to enter phase 5. About 28 percent of this population is currently vaccinated.

Jobe said the state’s actions show, “We are on track to safely enjoy activities in our area.

“This is great news for our locally owned and operated small businesses and restaurants that are directly affected by COVID reduction efforts,” said Jobe. “We look forward to a great tourism season this summer and fall.”

The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is a certified destination marketing organization serving Madison, Jersey, Calhoun, Macoupin, Montgomery and Greene Counties.