On December 2, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new options for public health authorities to consider for establishing quarantine time frames for contacts of persons with SARS-CoV-2. Click here to review the full details on these new options.

The CDC currently recommends a quarantine period of 14 days. Further, local public health authorities determine and establish quarantine options for their jurisdictions and may decide to continue using a 14-day period and/or shortened options for certain lower risk close contacts. However, the following options to shorten quarantine are acceptable alternatives:

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Mental health and crisis support

Illinois Call4Calm Text Line (24/7)

If you or a loved one are struggling with stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic and need emotional support, text TALK to 552020 for English or HABLAR for Spanish (Message and Data Rates May Apply. See Terms and Conditions of Use). People seeking assistance remain anonymous and provide only their first name and ZIP code, which enables the service to link them to a counselor in the area who is knowledgeable about available local resources.

Interim COVID-19 Music Guidance

The available evidence for COVID-19 transmission from singing or playing instruments is limited.1 The extent to which group singing or playing of wind instruments increases the risk for COVID-19 transmission remains unclear. However, measures to reduce the potential risk of transmission include organizing sessions to minimize duration of interactions and contact with contaminated objects and surfaces, maintaining physical distancing of at least 6 feet, utilizing source control measures (e.g., face coverings and masks) and optimizing ventilation. The following recommendations are based on the latest results and science around current aerosol studies and represent best practices for preventing COVID-19 transmission among faculty, students, and staff engaged in music.

Guidance for Staffing Agencies and Temporary Workers

Are staffing agencies required to provide information regarding COVID-19 workplace safety?

Yes. The Day and Temporary Labor Services Act (“the Act”), 820 ILCS 175, requires staffing agencies to provide each temporary worker with a notice that contains, among other things, information on the nature of the work to be performed and the types of equipment, protective clothing, and training that are required for the task.1 This notice should reflect any required equipment or training to protect against COVID-19 and, consistent with the Act, should be provided at the time of a new assignment or at any time that the terms of an existing assignment change.

In addition, Executive Order 2020-43 requires staffing agencies to prominently post guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General regarding workplace safety during the COVID-19 emergency.

Federal and Illinois law require employers to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. As Illinois continues through the Restore Illinois plan and regional mitigation measures, employers and employees1 are navigating difficult questions about how to maintain a safe and healthy workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 also has raised other employment-related questions involving issues such as pay and benefits, leave, and eligibility for unemployment insurance.

This guidance is intended to help both employers and employees educate themselves about minimum required workplace safety requirements, as well as best practices to promote a safe and well-functioning workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide guidance on some frequently asked questions about COVID-19 and the workplace.

On March 9, Governor Pritzker declared all counties in Illinois a disaster area in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Order 2020-10 called for the suspension of all licensed day care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes in order to protect the health and safety of children and staff. On March 20, 2020, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) began issuing Emergency Day Care (EDC) Licenses to ensure licensed child care was available to children and families of essential workers, with an emphasis on those in health care, public health, human services, law enforcement, public safety, and first responder fields. On May 29, 2020, the Governor announced Restore Illinois, a comprehensive phased plan to safely reopen the State’s economy, get people back to work, and ease social restrictions. Child care is a critical component of getting Illinois back to work.

Contact tracing is critical to keeping Illinois healthy and slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Contact tracing provides support that helps protect people and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Trained public health workers are there to answer questions, alleviate concerns, and provide resources to ensure Illinoisans who test positive are safe and taken care of. They also serve as a lifeline to those who may have been exposed by providing helpful information that can protect them and those they care about. By working together, we can make a difference. If you receive a call from IL COVID HELP, answering could save lives.

What is contact tracing?

Contact tracing is a long-established, proven health practice that has helped save countless lives. Public health workers reach out to people who tested positive and their close contacts to provide health guidance, answer questions, and offer support. It helps protect you and those closest to you.

How can I protect myself, my crew, friends, and family from COVID-19?

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before to eating, during breaks, after using the restroom, and when you return home from work. Wash hands throughout the day when convenient.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue or use the inside of your elbow.  Wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Use a cloth face covering at work and in public when social distancing of 6 feet or more cannot be maintained. When at home, use a mask if you share housing and cannot maintain 6 feet  distance from others. Do not touch the front of the mask. Wash the cloth mask each day after using it.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Maintain social distance (6 feet). Avoid close contact with people at work, in public, and at home if you live in shared housing.

Restore Illinois – Phase 4

This document is intended to provide guidance to businesses operating swimming facilities licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) during Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan. This includes swimming pools, water parks, splashpads,  and beaches.

During Phase 4, swimming facilities licensed by IDPH can open to a maximum 50 percent capacity.  Wave pools may open, but without the use of wave generation equipment. Operators, employees, and customers should wear face coverings when not engaged in swimming activities. Exceptions can be made for children younger than 2 years of age or people with medical conditions or disabilities that prevent them from safely wearing a face covering. Operators, employees, and customers should frequently wash their hands or use hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol. Operators, employees, and customers should adhere to social distancing where applicable.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recommends that agricultural employers and migrant labor camp operators implement the following guidance to reduce exposure to and the spread of COVID-19 among migrant and seasonal farmworkers. To lessen the impact of COVID-19 outbreak conditions on these essential workers, their employers, and the public, agricultural employers and migrant labor camp operators should immediately implement preventative measures and create a COVID-19 response plan.

This guidance and the accompanying checklist provide recommendations on how to implement the following measures and prevent the spread of COVID-19 at agricultural housing, transportation, and worksites: