Effective February 28, 2022, the Village of Skokie has lifted the COVID-19 Public Health Indoor Mask Requirement and Public Health Proof of Vaccination Orders. See the order that rescinded these mandates.

The Village of Skokie acted in alignment with the State of Illinois, City of Chicago and the Cook County Department of Public Health as improvements are continuing throughout the region in key COVID-19 metrics. As of February 20, 2022, the COVID-19 positivity rate in Skokie was 1.03% and the seven-day rolling average for confirmed cases was 13.43 cases per day. For the first time since early November, 2021, Skokie Community Transmission level for COVID-19 is at the Substantial level, with less than 100 new cases over the last 7 days per 100,000 population. The Cook County region’s ICU and non-ICU hospital admissions numbers, and the positivity rate are both in the ‘lower transmission’ risk category. Confirmed cases also continue to decrease and are approaching the lower transmission category.  

As of February 28, 2022:  

• Masks are no longer required in all indoor public places for the general public.   
  • Masks continue to be required in those settings as required by federal or state order or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines (healthcare settings, public transportation and transportation hubs and congregate care settings). See more information from the CDC.
• In the settings covered by the Proof of Vaccination Order (those where food or drink are served for on-premises consumption and health and fitness centers): 
  • Proof of vaccination for patrons in businesses are no longer be required.  
  • Proof of vaccination or weekly testing for employees are no longer be required.  

Although masks are not required in most settings, many residents will choose to continue to wear a mask – especially those who are immunocompromised and children under the age of five who are not eligible to be vaccinated. The Village of Skokie asks for continued understanding and kindness to those who choose to wear a mask, or for those who chose not to wear a mask as will be permitted in most settings. 

The Skokie Health and Human Services Department strongly recommends wearing a face mask in schools, and further recommends masking in any crowded indoor public setting where physical distancing cannot be maintained such as at large indoor events. Skokie Health and Human Services staff will continue to monitor COVID-19 metrics in Skokie and in the Cook County region. Additional mitigation measures might be recommended in the future if the healthcare system is overwhelmed or if transmission rate increases warrant such action.   

Skokie Health and Human Services Indoor Mask and Vaccine Mandates to be Lifted as Soon as February 28

In concert with the State of Illinois, Cook County Department of Public Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Skokie Health and Human Services Department (HHS) anticipates that if key metrics continue to improve through February, the Skokie HHS proof-of- vaccination and indoor masking orders for Skokie can be lifted effective February 28 consistent with the Governor’s time frame in lifting the current State of Illinois public indoor mask order. The current HHS indoor mask order was to be in effect through March 7, 2022.

The metrics Skokie HHS is monitoring include leading to rescinding the orders as soon as February 28, 2022, include:

• Sustained improvement in hospital and ICU bed availability with decreased admissions for COVID 
• Decreased case rates to a moderate level per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria (10-49.99 cases/100,000 population) for a sustained period
• Decreased case positivity rate to a moderate level per CDC criteria (5-7.99%) for a sustained period

Skokie HHS will continue daily monitoring of all measures that will be considered in the department’s decision-making process. Not all metrics need to be at target to modify the current mitigations, but substantial progress must be observed. Until that time, we continue to call for universal masking in indoor public places as part of a layered strategy required to control the spread of the virus.

After February 28, 2022, even with a change in local requirements, mask requirements will continue where federally mandated, such as on public transit and in high-risk settings including healthcare facilities and congregate care. To account for the risk of community spread among more vulnerable populations, and in accordance with CDC guidance, Illinois will continue to require masks in the following settings:

• Healthcare Settings: Continue mask requirement 
• Long Term Care Facilities: Continue mask requirement 
• Congregate Settings (prisons, shelters, etc.): Continue mask requirement 
• Transportation: Follow federal guidelines
• Daycare: Follow Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) guidelines

The State of Illinois has also reported that given that schools need more time for community infection rates to drop, for young children to become vaccine eligible, and for more parents to have their kids vaccinated, masks will continue to be required in P-12 school settings unless pending litigation impacts a school.

Information About the Current Skokie HHS Indoor Mask Requirement and Proof-of-Vaccination Orders

See the Village of Skokie Health and Human Services Department Indoor Mask Requirement Order

See information about the Skokie Health and Human Services Proof-of-Vaccination Order

The Skokie Health and Human Services Department recently extended the Village’s indoor mask requirement through March 7, 2022. This was done in an effort to further protect the community’s health during the COVID-19 pandemic and in light of the current surge in cases and hospitalizations.

The order requires that:

• Any individual aged two and older and able to medically tolerate a mask shall be required to wear a mask when indoors in a public place, regardless of vaccination status.
• For the purposes of the Order, indoor public spaces include any common or shared space in: (1) a residential multi-unit building or (2) any non- residential building, including but not limited to retail stores, restaurants, bars/taverns, health and fitness clubs, museums, hotels, personal services, performance venues, movie theaters, commercial buildings, event venues, health care settings, congregate facilities, on public transportation and in transportation hubs.

The order is consistent with orders and mandates of the County of Cook and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s Executive Order 2021-22, as amended by Executive order 2021-23 and Executive Order 2021-27, most recently re-issued by Executive Order 2022-01.