Chicago travel update: 2 states added; advisory stands at 42 states and D.C.

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Illinois travel restrictions: Chicago advisory at 42 states and D.C., California, Mississippi added

Chicago's COVID-19 quarantine advisory was updated to include 42 states this week. California, Mississippi were added.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Department of Public Health added two states to its weekly COVID-19 Travel Advisory Tuesday.

The city's COVID-19 quarantine advisory now includes 42 states and Washington D.C. after California and Mississippi were added back to the list.

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.

As of Tuesday, every state or territory is on the list except Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the Virgin Islands.

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.

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 31.3, up points from last week's rate of 21.7. Illinois' daily case rate currently is 39.2 (23.7 last week, 19.7). Chicago's daily case rate is 23.2.

"This week's data is not surprising to anyone who has been tracking it day-to-day, as we have at CDPH," said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. "The highest COVID rates are currently in the Midwest and New England, but this week two warm weather states - California and Mississippi - are back on the advisory. Don't assume you'll be fine if you travel someplace warmer than the Midwest. The only way to ensure you're protected as well as you can be, is to be fully vaccinated and wear a mask when you're around other people in public."

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.

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.

Report a correction or typo