© Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune An Amtrak conductor guides an out-of-state traveler who arrived at Chicago’s Union Station in November.
Arkansas was the only state removed this week from Chicago’s travel advisory that lists places in the U.S. where unvaccinated people should take extra COVID-19 precautions when visiting, officials said Tuesday.
The other states and territories not subject to the advisory are Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands.
Forty states and one territory are on the list of states from which travelers who are not fully vaccinated are asked to quarantine upon return to Chicago and to take COVID-19 tests before and after the trip, the Chicago Department of Public Health said in a news release.
Alabama, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia could potentially get off the list next week.
“For many of us, our thoughts are turning to Thanksgiving, in the hope that we can celebrate among family and friends, like we did before COVID,” CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said. “If you want some peace of mind, not only for yourself but for those you’ll be joining for Thanksgiving, make sure you are fully vaccinated by Nov. 11.”
The most updated guidance from the city advised that unvaccinated people get tested one to three days before leaving for their trip. Upon return, they should get a COVID-19 test within three to five days as well as quarantine for seven days. If they choose not to get tested, they should quarantine for 10 days.
States get on the travel advisory, which is no longer mandatory, if they average at least 15 daily cases per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks.
Illinois — which is not subject to the list because authorities don’t want to restrict intrastate travel — is at 19.7 daily cases per 100,000 residents, an increase from the week before. Chicago is at 14.1 daily cases per 100,000 residents.
Other city stats on COVID-19 include an average of 382 new cases per day and a 2% positivity rate, both an increase from the prior week.
As of Monday, the U.S. reopened to international travelers who are vaccinated and have tested negative for COVID-19.
