Chicago raises capacity limits to 50% for bars, restaurants

CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Tuesday that bars and restaurants will be allowed to open at 50% capacity, loosening restrictions put into place due to the coronavirus pandemic as vaccinations ramp up.

Lightfoot's decision comes as the city's public health officials said Illinois residents 65 or older can start making appointments Thursday for the United Center vaccination site. The site on the city's West Side will open March 9.

Leaders of Chicago's restaurant industry remain unhappy about Lightfoot's capacity decision. Illinois Restaurant Association President Toia says he wants Lightfoot to increase the capacity for each restaurant room or designated area separated by a plexiglass divider from 50 people to 100 or 150.

'œYou cannot do catering parties with more than 50 people. We're moving into the springtime here. You've got a lot of communions, graduations, Bar Mitzvahs, weddings,'ť Toia said. 'œWe would really like to see it get bumped up to 150 per room."

Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady says starting Tuesday there will be more than 110,000 slots for those 65 and older at the United Center.

Through a city partnership with Uber, 20,000 free rides also will be available to those residents who need help getting to the appointment and back after they sign up, Arwady said.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 1,577 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 47 additional deaths. About 1.2 million Illinoisans have been infected over the past year, and 20,583 have died.