Region 1 Hits Metric to Relax Covid Mitigations As Soon as Friday

This news might just be the best thing I've heard all week. Region 1 has met the state's requirements to head back to Tier 2 mitigation.

On Friday, regions across Illinois that meet the state's requirements and get state approval, can move out of tier 3 mitigations. I'm already thinking about all the places I want to go to eat this weekend. I've done enough takeout for awhile, I want to go inside, sit down, relax and it my food the second it arrives from the kitchen.

The Rockford area is part of Region 1, which includes the following counties:

•  Boone
• Carrol
• Crawford
• Dekalb
• Jo Davies
• Lee
• Ogle
• Stephenson
• Whiteside
• Winnebago

To relax the region's COVID-19 mitigations we needed have less than 12 percent test positivity rate for three consecutive days AND greater than 20 percent available intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital bed availability AND declining COVID hospitalizations in 7 out of the last 10 days. As of today (1/13), now that hospitalizations have dropped, we have met all of those requirements.

In case you've forgotten what our lives are like with Tier 2 mitigation:

Gatherings expanded beyond household to 10 people or less

Indoor sports and recreation activities resume with limits

Casinos, entertainment venues and cultural institutions including museums can reopen with capacity limits

Let's keep it up people. Wear your mask, wash your hands, get the vaccine.

[H/T WREX]

Steve Shannon is host of The Steve Shannon Show on 97ZOK. On the air weekday mornings from 6 to 10 a.m. and a special 'Rewind' show, featuring favorite moments from previous shows, on Saturday mornings from 5 to 7 a.m.. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and like his page on Facebook.