ORDER NO. 2021-04 OF THE EAST CHICAGO HEALTH OFFICER, RELATING TO
CAPACITY LIMITS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS
WITHIN THE CITY OF EAST CHICAGO
/DocumentCenter/View/1480
This ORDER NO. 2021-04 of the EAST CHICAGO HEALTH OFFICER is made effective as of 12:01 A.M.
on April 8, 2021, and shall remain in effect indefinitely, until revoked, rescinded, or modified by a subsequent
Order of the East Chicago Health Officer.
WHEREAS, the Governor of Indiana has recently issued Executive Order 21-09, effective from March 31,
2021 through 11:59 P.M. on April 30, 2021 unless extended, rescinded, or modified by a subsequent order;
and
WHEREAS, the Governor’s Executive Order 21-09 continues the color-coded county-by-county assessment
system established in the Governor’s Executive Order 20-48 for implementation of COVID-19 restrictions
on individuals and businesses, and further states, in Paragraph 12, that “unless prohibited by an Executive
Order, local ordinances, directives, and orders may be more restrictive;” and
WHEREAS, the Governor’s Executive Order 21-09 also provides, in Paragraph 7, that “[l]ocal health
departments, based on the overall spread of COVID-19 within their community…may impose measures and
restrictions on gatherings and events, including limiting the size of a social gathering or event by overall
attendance…or at a percentage of a facility’s capacity;” and
WHEREAS, the East Chicago Department of Public & Environmental Health is a City Health Department
pursuant to Ind. Code 16-20-4-4 and 16-20-4-5, vested with statutory authorities including, but not limited to,
the following:
1. The authority to take actions authorized by statute or rule of the state to control communicable
diseases, pursuant to Ind. Code §§ 16-20-4-18 and 16-20-4-19;
2. The authority to forbid public gatherings when necessary to prevent and stop epidemics, pursuant to
Ind. Code §§ 16-20-4-13 and 16-20-1-24;
3. The authority to issue orders for abatement of conditions which transmit, generate, or promote disease,
pursuant to Ind. Code §§ 16-20-4-13 and 16-20-1-25; and
4. The authority to enforce health laws, ordinances, orders, rules, and regulations, pursuant to Ind. Code
§§ 16-20-4-13 and 16-20-1-19; and
WHEREAS, after observing a consistent decrease in its positivity rate and weekly new case total during the
months of February and March, the East Chicago Department of Public & Environmental Health is now
beginning to observe signs of a coming uptick or “spike” in new COVID-19 infection rates within the City of
East Chicago; and
WHEREAS, the East Chicago Health Department now recommends the continued enactment of restrictions
and guidance similar to the “Stage 4.5” guidance previously issued and enacted by the State of Indiana in July
2020, to the extent that said restrictions and guidance are equally restrictive to or more restrictive than the
restrictions and guidance under which Lake County currently operates pursuant to the color-coding system
set forth in the Governor’s Executive Order 20-48 and continued by the Governor’s Executive Order 21-09;
The East Chicago Health Officer now ORDERS and ESTABLISHES the following requirements for
operation of retail stores, attractions, venues, places of worship, gyms, banquet halls, restaurants, bars, clubs,
and any other types of businesses or venues operating within the City, which shall remain in effect throughout
the duration of this Order:
1. Social gatherings, including those taking place in private clubs or banquet halls, must be limited in
attendance to 250 or fewer participants, unless the current Lake County color level dictates a more restrictive
limit. A “social gathering” is defined as an event that brings together multiple people, individually or from
separate households, in a single space (indoors or outdoors) at the same time and in a coordinated fashion
where a significant purpose is to interact with others, including private parties, club meetings, and
banquets.
2. Bars and nightclubs, including hookah bars, cigar bars, and gentlemen’s and ladies’ clubs, may
operate at 50% capacity indoors, as long as the social distancing guidelines below may be observed.
Restaurants and retail food establishments may remain open at 75% capacity indoors, as long as the social
distancing guidelines below may be observed.
ALL BARS, RESTAURANTS, AND NIGHTCLUBS operating while this Order is in effect must
adhere to the following restrictions:
a. All establishments must be closed and cleared of all customers between the hours of 3:00 AM
and 5:00 AM nightly.
b. All patrons or parties must be at least six feet away from people at other tables and people from other
households, with no more than six people at any table.
c. Table service is required for indoor dining or drink service; customers must remain seated at tables
and may not be allowed to congregate in open areas.
d. Bar patrons must be seated at tables, and may not be seated at the bar.
e. No self-service is permitted at buffets or salad bars.
3. Cultural, entertainment, and tourism sites, including movie theaters, bowling alleys, and similar
facilities may operate at 50% capacity as long as proper social distancing between patrons can be maintained.
“Proper social distancing” means that all patrons not residing within the same household must be able to
maintain a six-foot distance at all times from all other patrons within the facility.
4. Venues, casinos, and amusements or amusement parks may operate at 50% capacity as long as
proper social distancing between patrons can be maintained. “Proper social distancing” means that all patrons
not residing within the same household must be able to maintain a six-foot distance at all times from all other
patrons within the facility.
5 Gyms, fitness centers, workout facilities, and personal services such as barbershops or salons
may continue operations with restrictions in place to ensure that as long as proper social distancing between
2
patrons can be maintained. “Proper social distancing” means that all patrons not residing within the same
household must be able to maintain a six-foot distance from all other patrons at all times within the facility.
6. Religious or worship services are not subject to a specific limitation on the number of attendees who
may be present; however, proper social distancing between attendees must be maintained. “Proper social
distancing” means that all patrons not residing within the same household must be able to maintain a six-foot
distance from all other patrons at all times within the facility. Additionally, events other than religious or
worship services held at a church or worship center, such as funeral dinners or wedding receptions, are subject
to the same limitation on number of attendees as any other social gathering.
7. All face covering requirements imposed by City of East Chicago Executive Order 20-06, City of
East Chicago Ordinance No. 20-0007, and City of East Chicago Health Officer Order 2021-03, shall remain
in effect throughout the duration of this Order, and further until this Order and all other noted Ordinances and
Executive Orders are rescinded or superseded.
8. Visitors to beaches and/or shorelines must adhere to social distancing and social gathering
guidelines.
Section 10(b) of the Governor’s Executive Order 21-09, effective through at least 11:59 P.M. on April 30,
2021 unless extended, rescinded, or modified by a subsequent Executive Order, authorizes a City Health
Department such as the East Chicago Department of Public & Environmental Health to take all available
administrative and enforcement actions available by statute or regulation against businesses or entities failing
to comply with the restrictions and other public health requirements for businesses set forth herein.
The East Chicago Department of Public & Environmental Health is actively taking steps to enforce these
restrictions within the City of East Chicago. Business owners should govern themselves accordingly.
SO ORDERED THIS __8_ DAY OF APRIL, 2021.
_____________________________________
DR. PAULA BENCHIK-ABRINKO
HEALTH OFFICER,
CITY OF EAST CHICAGO