Ban On Indoor Service At Bars, Taverns, Breweries To Start Friday

CHICAGO — Bars, taverns and breweries that don't serve food will be banned from serving booze indoors starting Friday as part of the city's effort to slow the spread of coronavirus by reinstating restrictions on businesses, officials said.

"We have made so much progress here in Chicago in containing the spread of the virus, protecting our health system and saving lives, and in general, the virus remains under control locally. But we are again seeing a steady increase in new cases," Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. "While we aren’t near the peak of the pandemic from earlier this year, none of us wants to go back there, and we feel these restrictions will help limit further community spread."

The reinstatement of public health restrictions on certain businesses will include:

• Reducing the maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants, bars, taverns and breweries from 10 to six people.
• Reducing the maximum size of indoor fitness classes to 10 people.
• Ban on personal services that require the removal of face coverings including shaves and facials.
• Requirements for residential property managers to limit guest entry to five people per unit to avoid indoor gatherings and parties.

Bars that don't serve food will continue to be allowed to serve outdoors. And restaurants that serve alcohol can continue to operate under existing public health regulations, officials said.

• Restaurants that serve alcohol will be allowed to continue to operate as long as they abide by ongoing COVID-19 guidance and existing regulations.
• Establishments without food may still provide outdoor service as they did under phase three.
• Maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants, bars, taverns and breweries will be reduced to six people.
• Indoor fitness class size will be reduced to a maximum of 10 people.
• Personal services requiring the removal of face coverings will no longer be permitted (shaves, facials, etc.).
• Residential property managers will be asked to limit guest entry to five per unit to avoid indoor gatherings and parties.

City officials announced the new restrictions after daily average number of coronavirus cases reached 233, pushing Chicago into a "high-incidence" status under guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"That increase has been driven in part by rising cases among young people 18-29 years old as the city has seen more social activity and interactions in bars, restaurants, parks and the lakefront," officials said in a statement. "Chicago has also seen an increase in its percent positivity rate — the percentage of people tested who are positive for COVID-19 — after weeks of decline."

The business affairs and consumer protection department is set to host two online seminars Tuesday to explain the new restrictions to affected business and restaurants and bar owners. A similar online session will be scheduled later in the week for fitness centers and businesses that offer personal services. More information is available at chicago.gov/businessworkshops.