As coronavirus cases in Chicago continue to spike, Mayor Lori Lightfoot will impose a 10-person limit on weddings, birthday parties, funerals and some social events starting Monday morning.

While stopping short of issuing a citywide shutdown order, Lightfoot also is urging residents to stay home during the coming weeks. As part of her stay-at-home advisory, Lightfoot is encouraging residents not to leave their homes except to work, attend school, seek medical care, shop for groceries or pick up takeout food.

Those who do go out are encouraged to wear a face mask at all times.

Lightfoot officials also warned that 1,000 more Chicagoans could die by the end of the year due to COVID-19 if cases continue at their current pace.

During a webcast, Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady also warned that the city’s cases could reach 4,000 per day by Thanksgiving if the current spike in cases continues.

Chicago is recording an average of 1,920 cases over the past seven days, up from 1,410 a week prior, and the city’s rate of people testing positive has risen to 14%, she said.

Lightfoot’s announcement follows a similar message from state officials earlier this week, who urged residents to stay home while also stopping short of a stay-at-home order. State officials reported 12,702 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, topping the record of 12,657 set a day earlier.

In a news release detailing Wednesday’s coronavirus statistics, the state health department urged residents to follow guidelines similar to those imposed during the stay-at-home order from late March to late May for the next three weeks: working from home if at all possible, limiting trips outside the home to essential activities like going to the grocery store or pharmacy or getting tested for the coronavirus, and avoiding unnecessary travel.

As cases have risen, city and state officials have struggled to balance their response to COVID-19 with political pushback from residents and business interests that have been hurt financially by shutdowns.
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