Chicago Travel Advisory Adds Three More States to Its List

As the delta variant is now the dominant strain in the US, Chicago is now taking extra precautions. Chicago travel advisory just added more states to its list. There is now a total of five states plus one territory. Travelers from places listed in the Chicago travel advisory are recommended to test negative for COVID, or complete quarantine.

Chicago Department of Public Health added Florida, Louisiana, and Nevada plus US Virgin Islands as COVID cases increase again.  Last week, the Chicago Department of Public Health had Missouri and Arkansas in their travel advisory. According to CDPH, Chicago Travel Advisory will be updated weekly.

Orange List

The states included in the travel advisory hit a threshold of over 15 cases per day per 100,000 people. This makes the areas get into the “orange” list classification. Anything that is below the threshold falls under the “yellow list”.

According to the CDPH, “Unvaccinated individuals traveling from the states or territories on the Orange list are advised—not required—to obtain a negative COVID19 no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in Chicago or quarantine for a 10-day period upon arrival”. This advisory is not applicable to vaccinated individuals.

69% Increase In the Past Week

Chicago recorded an average of 90 new cases a day. That’s a 69% increase in the number of cases from the previous week.

Though hospitalizations are down by 11% and deaths are down by 13% since last week. However, the positivity rate jumped from 1% last week to 1.5%.

Dr. Allison Arwady of CDPH said that “We remain below our peak rates, but these recent increases are concerning”. She also added that “But what we have said all along hasn’t changed—if you want to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community, get vaccinated”.

Arwady said last week that 99% of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths happened to unvaccinated individuals.