Modified Stay-At-Home Order In Effect; Lakefront Remains Closed, Masks Required, Small Religious Gatherings Allowed

CHICAGO (CBS)-- Governor JB Pritzker's modified stay-at-home order goes into effect Friday and city officials are reminding Chicagoans the lakefront remains closed.

For the month of May, lakefront areas including trails, green spaces and park facilities will be closed.

The governor's modified order allows golf courses to reopen Friday in Illinois, as well as fishing and boating in some state parks. However, according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, golf courses will remain closed in the city.

"Recognizing that Chicago still has further to go to bring down the curve, golfing is not yet permitted. Additionally, fishing and boating will not be permitted by individuals," the Mayor's office stated in a press release.

Starting Friday, all Chicago residents and visitors over the age of two are required to wear a face-covering or a mask when in a public place, where they can't maintain a six-foot social distance.

The modified stay-at-home order also expands the list of "essential activities" for which people are allowed to leave their homes, to allow them "to engage in the free exercise of religion." Religious gatherings would still have a limit of no more than 10 people, and they would have to wear face coverings or stay more than six feet away from each other. The religious gatherings exemption comes after a northwest Illinois church sued the governor, arguing the original stay-at-home mandate "flagrantly violated the fundamental religious liberties of Illinoisans."

Another modification to the extended stay-at-home-order allows some non-essential businesses to offer sales by phone or online with delivery or curbside pickup. Employees still need to take precautionary measures and follow safety guidelines.

Animal grooming services, greenhouses, garden centers and nurseries are now considered essential and may re-open under the modified order.

More information regarding to modified order is available on the City's website.