Metro East's Region 4 Moves To Tier 2

CBS St. Louis

January 22, 2021

The Metro East's COVID-19 restrictions were eased Friday morning. However, indoor dining is still banned. Region 4, which includes St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, Clinton, Bond and Washington counties, moved into Tier 2 on Jan. 22. For Region 4 to move into Tier 2, it needed to have three consecutive days of the 7-day positivity rate below 12%, three consecutive days of at least 20% of ICU beds available and a decline in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.“With all regions of Illinois now out of Tier 3, we can now see that the entire state is headed down the right path,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “During the summer, we were on this same path. We know that we must continue to take precautions and be smart about how we relax some of the mitigation measures, which are in place to protect our health and safety.” Tier 2 allows for indoor fitness classes and meetings up to 10 people and for some organized group recreational activities.

Just like Tier 3, Tier 2 mitigations don't allow indoor dining and some restaurant owners are frustrated they don't get to open their dining rooms in the near future. "It was tough. We tried to get by with curbside and dinners, curbside wine sales, it was just impossible to do that," Steve Gorazd said. He and Angela Gorazd own Hidden Lake Winery in Aviston in Clinton County. They said when they closed their dining room from March to June of last year, they lost about $150,000 a month. After that financial hit, they said they had no other choice but to reopen indoor service despite the restrictions. "We've got a business to maintain. Just like anyone who's at home. They've got bills for rent or mortgage, they need food, pay the water and electricity, we've got all that, plus the employees," Steve Gorazd said. Fairview Heights business owner Brandon McGraw told News 4 he understands the struggle. However, he's choosing to follow the state's guidelines which he says, presents even more of a challenge. "The frustration level is beyond words. We just keep trucking along again for our families and our employees in hopes we get back to normal soon," McGraw said. He said he wants to see an equal playing field. He said he's going to continue following the restrictions because it's simply not worth the risk. "You lose your liquor license, you're not going to be in businesses. That's one thing I felt has been held over our head. We just can't attempt that," McGraw said.

For indoor dining to be allowed in the region once again, it must be under Tier 1. To achieve that goal, the region must have a positivity rate under 8% for three consecutive days, staffed ICU bed availability ≥ 20% for three consecutive days and non sustained increase in COVID patients in the hospital.