Chicago recently updated its travel advisory list to include all of the US states except Vermont before an increase in travel is expected over Labor Day weekend.
The update released on Tuesday covers 48 states plus Washington DC, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. According to the update, the 48 states added to the city’s travel advisory list all report more than 15 new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.
The travel advice states that any unvaccinated person arriving in Chicago from any of the 48 states should receive a negative COVID-19 test at least three days before arriving in Chicago.
The opinion also noted that unvaccinated Chicago residents returning to the city after traveling to any of the 48 states are advised to get tested for COVID-19 three to five days after their return, and at least seven days quarantine. If unvaccinated travelers returning to Chicago do not want to get tested, they must self-quarantine for 10 days.
“Even if you test negative, stay at home and put yourself in self-quarantine for the whole 7 days,” the recommendation says.
Travelers fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus are exempt from the requirements of counseling, but are encouraged to follow basic containment measures such as wearing masks and social distancing.
According to the Chicago Department of Health, Mississippi is currently the state with the highest rate of new cases, with an average of about 106.1 new cases per 100,000 people per day. At least 14 other states, according to the data, have an average of more than 50 new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.
“Unfortunately, COVID is rising across the United States,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner for the Chicago Department of Health, during a press conference earlier this week. “We’re much better off than that here in Chicago, but still the news is not staying good from a COVID perspective on a national level.”
The updated travel advisory list comes just days before Labor Day weekend, when more Americans are likely to be traveling to other parts of the country.
During a press conference by the White House COVID-19 Task Force, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that those who are not vaccinated should not travel as the COVID-19 delta variant spreads more widely.
“People who are fully vaccinated and wearing masks can travel,” Walensky said during the briefing. “Although, given the current disease transmission situation, we say that people need to consider these risks for themselves when considering travel.”
Hierneuigkeit.com asked the Chicago Department of Public Health for comment but did not receive a timely response for publication.
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