City of Chicago officials announced new regulations for non-essential businesses as COVID-19 cases are on the rise on Oct. 22, 2020. The “business curfew” requires the aforementioned companies to close at 10:00 p.m. CT.
The curfew will be enforced between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. It begins on Friday, October 23, and is expected to last a minimum of two weeks.
Based on the rules established in March when the stay-at-home orders were first issued by Chicago city officials, essential businesses include:
- Animal Grooming Services
- Emergency City services and other essential government services
- Hospitals, healthcare, and public health operations
- Grocery stores, pharmacies, corner stores, and all other stores that sell groceries and medicine
- Laundry services
- Restaurants for consumption off-premises
- Gas stations and businesses needed for transportation, including bike shops
- Greenhouses, Garden Centers and Nurseries
- Transportation, for purposes of Essential Travel
- Financial institutions
- Daycare centers
- Hardware and supply stores
- Essential Infrastructure: Working in food production, distribution and sale; construction; building management and maintenance; airport operations; operation and maintenance of utilities, including water, sewer, and gas; electrical; distribution centers; oil and biofuel refining; roads, highways, railroads, and public transportation; ports; cybersecurity operations; flood control; solid waste and recycling collection and removal; and the internet, video, and telecommunications systems
- Food, beverage, and cannabis production and agriculture
- Organizations that provide charitable and social services
- Media
- Critical trades, including plumbers, electricians, exterminators, cleaning and janitorial staff for commercial and governmental properties, security staff, operating engineers, HVAC, painting, moving and relocation services, and other service providers that maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences, Essential Activities, and Essential Businesses and Operations
- Mail, post, shipping, logistics, and delivery and pick-up services
- Educational institutions, for purposes of facilitating distance learning, performing critical research, or performing essential functions
- Supplies to work from home
- Supplies for Essential Businesses and Operations
- Home-based care and services
- Residential facilities and shelters
- Religious gatherings are permitted if they are limited to 10 people and adhere to social distancing guidelines
- Professional services
- Manufacture, distribution, and supply chain for critical products and industries
- Critical labor union functions
- Hotels and motels, to the extent used for lodging and delivery or carry-out food services
- Funeral services
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
NBC Chicago: Chicago Issues Business Curfew Under New Coronavirus Rules
Featured Image Courtesy of Pedro Szekely’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of UIC Library Digital Collections’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
