Chicago travel update: Arkansas added back to list; advisory stands at 38 states, 1 territory
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Department of Public Health removed three states from its weekly COVID-19 Travel Advisory Tuesday.
The city's COVID-19 quarantine advisory now includes 38 states and one territory after Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee were removed and Arkansas was added back on.
States are removed from the Travel Advisory when they maintain a daily COVID case rate below 15 per 100,000 residents in two consecutive weeks.
As of Tuesday, every state or territory except for Alabama, Connecticut, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and the Virgin Islands are on the Travel Advisory.
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 24.3, up from 21.6 last week. Illinois' daily case rate currently is 25.5 (19.7 last week). Chicago's daily case rate is 16.1.
"Right now, for unvaccinated people, traveling over Thanksgiving is a risky move, especially if you plan to visit other Midwest or Upper Midwest states, where the daily case rates have not been going down," CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said. "Fully vaccinated people are at a much lower risk of serious COVID-related health problems, but all of us should be careful over the coming weeks - even more so if you plan to be among crowds or at large family gatherings."
