Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike says Governor JB Pritzker will introduce a new “phase” of the state’s re-opening this week.

Testifying before a Senate committee Monday, Ezike said the new rules will fall somewhere between the current “Phase 4” limitations and “Phase 5,” which essentially re-opens the state completely.

“I think we’re getting close,” Ezike told the Senate Health Committee. “As more and more people are vaccinated, especially our seniors, we’ve been thinking about what the different benchmarks would be to start moving [into Phase 5]. I think from where we are now to Phase 5, maybe not just an on-off switch, but maybe a dial so [there is] one more phase before we get to Phase 5.”

The Pritzker administration has been under pressure for weeks to re-open more businesses, restaurants, convention centers, and churches to full capacity as COVID-19 cases fall and vaccinations increase.

His office didn’t respond to requests about the specifics of the plan Monday night, but Pritzker said last week the changes will be marginal.

“We’re making adjustments all the time as things are getting better,” Pritzker said. “As we see things getting better, we’re making those adjustments. But, there is some danger. Epidemiologists across the country are very concerned about one or two of those variants and the speed with which they can take over a community. We only have about 20% of the population of the United States and of Illinois that have received their first shot. That means 80% are unvaccinated. We’re not past this pandemic yet. And we need to worry about whether there’s a variant that might move faster than the others while we’re still trying to get everybody vaccinated. Let’s have some patience.”

Ezike says protecting seniors will be a key part of re-opening.

“Once we see a great majority of our seniors vaccinated, that should get us to another level,” she said. “Then we can start having at least larger sized gatherings, at least, like everything open up with some kind of capacity. We’re not getting rid of masks. We think masks have to continue to be a mainstay. Then, finally, for that Phase 5, seeing how much of the general population has been vaccinated.”

The Governor’s mask mandate is set to expire in early June, but could be extended by a legislative panel.

Sources indicate that business, labor, and the convention industry, like those held at Chicago’s McCormick Place, have been pressuring the Governor to loosen restrictions on issues ranging from allowing offices to return to work in-person to holding conventions and restarting theater shows in the city of Chicago.

The Illinoize has learned the Governor’s office has told business it is unlikely to move past the current 50% occupancy rules for offices, but may be more amenable to opening up large spaces, like convention halls.

Democratic Governors in 17 states have loosened restrictions in their states since Illinois went to Phase 4 in early February.

Ezike says re-opening would be faster with a more ample supply of vaccine.

“We know that there’s no one that’s getting enough vaccine,” she said. “That’s kind of the ongoing rub, that there are definitely more people who are ready for this vaccine and more health departments that have plans, and the ability, to give many more vaccines than they’re actually getting. We have been trying to do this based on population, but, even then, it’s still gonna fall far short of the numbers of people who are requesting it.”

Ezike says the state is currently making seniors and teachers their priority groups. The White House has mandated all teachers to have at least first dose by the end of March to help in re-opening schools. Ezike says seniors are the most vulnerable population. She says those 65 and older made up around 85% of COVID-19 deaths.

Patrick Pfingsten

@pfingsten1 patrick@theillinoize.com