Concerns over exposure to the highly transmittable novel coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19, have led to closures, cancellations and quarantines across Chicago, in addition to other measures being implemented to limit exposure to individuals and populations that may have come in contact with the virus.
We’ll be updating this page with any new reports of closures, cancellations, or other interruptions in Chicago in response to the outbreak.
Click here to see our full list of school closures in and around Chicago.
Confirmed closures, cancellations and quarantines:
- Lincoln Park Zoo has closed its doors and canceled all programming until April 10.
- The Shedd Aquarium will close at 3:30 p.m. March 13 and remain closed through March 29. All scheduled events and programs are canceled but may be rescheduled.
- The Field Museum will be closed beginning March 14 until March 29. All events at the Field are also canceled during this period.
- The Art Institute of Chicago will remain open, but it has canceled all events, including tours, lectures, workshops and performances between March 12 and April 10.
- Adler Planetarium will close to the public beginning March 14. All planetarium events will be rescheduled or canceled through May 1.
- The Museum of Science and Industry will close beginning March 14 through April 6. All public programs and events will be postponed or canceled.
- The Chicago Flower and Garden Show, scheduled for March 18-22 at Navy Pier, has been canceled.
- The Chicago Park District will suspend most programs until further notice starting Sunday. That includes postponing all events expected to draw 250 people or more.
- Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir and his band Wolf Bros have postponed their March 12 concert at the Chicago Theatre until Oct. 20.
- All undergraduate and graduate classes at the University of Chicago will shift off-campus to “remote learning” beginning March 30, as will the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.
- The University of Illinois, Illinois State University, DePaul and Northwestern have all announced plans to suspend in-person classes.
- The Chicago Housing Authority said it is canceling bingo, resident meetings and all other events in community spaces throughout its buildings until further notice.
- CME Group, owner of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade, said Wednesday that it will temporarily shut its trading floor at the close of business Friday.
- A Lake View synagogue and attached day school were closed Tuesday after the parent of a student tested positive for coronavirus.
- Loyola Academy in Wilmette canceled classes Monday after administrators learned a student had contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. Officials are expected to announce plans for the rest of the week later today.
- Students and staff of Vaughn Occupational High School — as well as any visitors since late February — have been advised to quarantine themselves at home for nearly two weeks after a case of coronavirus was reported in a staff member Friday.
- The World Congress of Cardiology, scheduled for March 28-30 at McCormick Place, has been canceled.
- The Ace Hardware Spring Convention, scheduled for March 11-14 at McCormick Place, has been canceled.
- Modern Business Experience, a show sponsored by Oracle scheduled for March 24-26 at McCormick Place, has been canceled.
- Four employees of ABC7 were kept away from work out of concern that they may have been exposed to the coronavirus while reporting.
- Study-abroad programs in Italy and South Korea, both countries facing growing outbreaks of the virus, have been suspended by the University of Illinois, Loyola University and Northwestern University. Illinois State University has issued a “strong recommendation” to its 15 students in Italy to leave the country.
- The International Housewares Association’s annual convention, scheduled for March 14-17 at McCormick Place, has been canceled.
Other accommodations implemented in Chicago to limit coronavirus exposure:
- The Illinois High School Association canceled the entire boys basketball state tournament.
- It’s official: March Madness is canceled. The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments have been canceled as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
- Two more events have withdrawn from McCormick Place: The National School Boards Association scrapped its 2020 convention, scheduled for April 4-6, and Salesforce is converting its Connections 2020 event, scheduled for May 4-6, to a virtual setting.
- The downtown and South Side St. Patrick’s Day parades and related activities have been postponed by the city of Chicago.
- Naval Station Great Lakes in north suburban Chicago will prohibit guests from attending graduation ceremonies starting March 13, instead moving to live-streamed the events online.
- The Archdiocese of Chicago has indefinitely suspending Mass at its churches in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Costco is suspending free samples over safety concerns with the spread of coronavirus.
- Cook County treasurer and assessor offices closed at noon on March 13 and will remain closed until further notice. Property owners can file exemptions and appeals on the assessor’s website. All public outreach events have been canceled through May 1.
- The Chicago Children’s Choir has canceled the World Music Festival slated for 3:30 p.m. March 14 out of “an abundance of caution.”
- The Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University has announced cancellations/postponements of public events through April 15. Their public galleries are currently still open to the public.
- In response to the University of Chicago’s announcement to postpone large group events, Hyde Park School of Dance’s production of “Amira: A Chicago Cinderella Story,” scheduled for March 28-29, has been postponed.
- The Marcus Roberts Trio’s concert, scheduled for March 14 at Nichols Concert Hall at the Music Institute of Chicago has been rescheduled to for August 1, 2020. The tribute to Art Blakey on March 28 and the Formosa Quartet on April 4, are also being postponed (new dates to be determined). Visit musicinst.org for more information.
- Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, an annual event in Champaign, is putting off its 22nd edition until 2021.
