Chicago travel update: 2 states removed; advisory stands at 38 states, 1 territory

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Department of Public Health removed two states and at territory to its weekly COVID-19 Travel Advisory Tuesday.
The city's COVID-19 quarantine advisory now includes 38 states after California, North Carolina and Guam were added back on this week.
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States are removed from the Travel Advisory when they maintain a daily COVID case rate below 15 per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks.

Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.

Connecticut's daily COVID case rate per 100,000 residents has rise to 20.7 from 11.1 over the past week. Maryland just passed the threshold at 15.1.

As of Tuesday, every state or territory except for Alabama, California, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the Virgin Islands are on the Travel Advisory.

Maryland, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington, all with daily case rates under 15, could be removed from the travel advisory next week, if their daily COVID case rates remain below 15 per 100,000 residents for a second consecutive week.



Officials recommend that unvaccinated travelers should get tested one to three days before leaving on the trip as well as getting tested three to five days after returning. Unvaccinated travelers are asked to self-quarantine for seven days after returning from travel even if they test negative. Those who do not get tested should self-quarantine for 10 days after travel and avoid those at high-risk for COVID for 14 days after travel.

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CDPH reminds unvaccinated travelers that under the Advisory, they should be tested for COVID before and after travel from any state on the advisory list and should quarantine upon arrival in Chicago.

The U.S. average daily case rate per 100,000 residents is 27.3, up 3 points from last week. Illinois' daily case rate currently is 31.9 (25.5 last week, 19.7 two weeks ago). Chicago's daily case rate is 19.5.
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The three states with the highest daily rates of COVID per 100,000 residents in the U.S. are Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin.



"The best protection you can have against COVID, no matter where you travel or what new variants emerge, is full vaccination, and booster shots for those who are fully vaccinated," said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. "The Midwest is the current COVID hot spot as temperatures drop and people spend more time inside, so please protect yourself and get vaccinated."

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CDPH's Travel Advisory guidance is aligned with the CDC's traveler recommendations.

Before travel, unvaccinated individuals should:

Get tested 1-3 days prior to departure.

While traveling:

ALL individuals regardless of vaccination status must wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

In Chicago, wear a mask in all indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status.

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Avoid crowds as much as you can and wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).

After travel, unvaccinated individuals should:

Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days.

Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.

-If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.

If you don't get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel. Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.

All travelers are advised to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms after travel and isolate and get tested if they develop symptoms.