Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announces 10 p.m. business curfew as cases spike
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday announced a significant escalation in the city’s COVID-19 restrictions, instituting a 10 p.m. curfew for nonessential businesses amid a spike in virus cases.
The city’s new slate of rules, which goes into force Friday, halts bar service at 9 p.m. and limits home social gatherings to six non-household members.
Chicago’s rolling seven-day average of recorded coronavirus cases climbed by more than 50% this week to about 645 per day.
“I urge you, I beg you to take this case surge seriously,” Lightfoot said in a news conference on Thursday. “The increase is startling.”
Chicago’s cumulative death toll from the pandemic has climbed above 3,000, according to city data.
The city had relaxed some coronavirus guidelines at the beginning of the month.
The new curfew is set to last daily from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time. Lightfoot said the city will take further steps if case counts continue to climb.
