Updated 6/23/2020 3:20 PM
The number of Illinoisans dying from COVID-19 grew by 38 Tuesday while cases increased by 601, as state officials released guidelines for school districts to restart in-person learning this fall.
“Classroom learning provides necessary opportunities for our students to learn, socialize, and grow. The benefits of in-person instruction can’t be overstated,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a briefing.
How schools return to normal will be up to individual districts in consultation with state and county authorities. And it may mean that remote learning continues at some districts. The guidelines allow schools to blend in-class and remote learning.
The new rules include wearing masks, a cap on 50-person gatherings per room and social distancing when possible in schools. Intensive cleaning and health screenings with temperature checks will be instituted.
The welcome announcement affects kindergarten through grade 12, plus universities and colleges.
Schools were closed in mid-March and districts instituted remote learning.
“This fall will not be ‘business as usual’ in more ways than one,” State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala said. “Our students will return to us transformed and hungry for knowledge that contextualizes current events. I urge schools to use summer to readjust curricula to honor these historic times and to continue to be diligent in following safety protocols.”
The state will also provide 2.5 million free cloth masks for students and teachers.
The number of COVID-19 cases statewide are 137,823, while total deaths stand at 6,707.
The state’s average daily infection rate over the past week is at the lowest point since the outbreak began, Illinois Department of Public Health officials reported.
Health officials are reporting that just 2.4% of the tests taken over the past week resulted in a new case.
IDPH is also reporting an average of fewer than 600 new cases a day over the past week, also another low.
Meanwhile, testing is at an all-time high with the state averaging 24,453 tests each day over the last seven days.
On Monday, the Pritzker administration released guidelines for residents, business and industries to shift into Phase 4, or Revitalization, of a four-region, five-phase reopening plan.
In Phase 4: movie theaters, museums and zoos can reopen; youth sports can resume; people can gather in groups of 50 or less; and indoor dining is allowed but IDPH restrictions apply, including face masks and social distancing.
