Chicago on easing COVID-19 restrictions
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Restaurants and bars will be able to serve more customers indoors after the state of Chicago announced on Monday that it is easing its COVID-19 restrictions.

Indoor seating at Chicago restaurants had been limited to 25 percent capacity. This will increase to 40 percent after the rules take effect at 5:00 a.m. on Thursday.

However, the limits of six people per table and 50 people per room will remain.

Bars that serve alcohol but no food will again serve customers indoors at 25 percent capacity or a maximum of 40 people.

Customers are to stay for two hours maximum and must stay seated.

No ordering at the bar is allowed, as well.

"The restrictions we're lifting today, we're excited about because they mark progress. If we start to see things heading in the wrong direction, we may have to move backward," Chicago's health commissioner, Dr. Allison Arwady, was quoted in a report.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot also acknowledged that businesses in Chicago were devastated by COVID-19.

She also lauded the citywide operation from businesses that kept Chicago from seeing a huge uptick in cases as it slowly reopened.

However, a spike among you people after indoor drinking restrictions was eased in June, which led to those rules being tightened again in July.

The new 40 percent capacity rule will also apply to health and fitness centers, personal services, non-essential retail, and other establishments.

Bars will also be allowed to sell alcohol until 1:00 a.m. and stay open until 1:30 a.m.

Liquor stores and grocery stores selling alcohol to-go, however, must stop at 9:00 p.m.

Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, said that restaurants had been hugely affected by the pandemic.

Toia added that the industry has taken "every precaution" to protect diners and employees.

He said that easing restrictions give struggling restaurants and bars a chance to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Toia urged the federal government to help out the restaurant industry as it has helped the airlines.

Arwady added that despite eased restrictions, residents of Chicago should still follow a public health guideline.

This includes wearing masks, social distancing, frequent hand washing, and staying home when sick.

Otherwise, according to the mayor's office, the state might risk falling back and experiencing another rise in cases.

"As you know we're not below 200 cases per day. We are making decisions in a way that is careful, and that will let us continue to move ahead," Arwady was quoted.

Salons and barbershops, facials, shaves, and other personal services for which customer should remove their masks will be allowed.

However, employees must remain masked and complete the service in 15 minutes.

Lightfoot said they continue to see new cases and hospitalization every day.

She added that people are still dying from COVID-19.

"So we have to remain diligent and make sure we do everything that we can to respond to this horrible, horrible virus," Lightfoot was quoted in a report.

Check these out!