Twelve states had been dropped from Chicago’s journey advisory Tuesday, bringing the town’s warning listing right down to 34 states and one territory.
The town’s well being division introduced Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wisconsin had all dropped beneath the brink to be on the journey warning listing.
An extra 18 states might be dropped subsequent week if they continue to be beneath the brink.
States are added to the advisory’s “orange listing” when COVID metrics rise above the brink of 15 instances per day per 100,000 folks. Any beneath that mark are on the “yellow” listing, with public well being officers nonetheless warning in opposition to non-essential journey.
The newest change comes amid declining COVID metrics following the omicron surge this yr, and at some point after the town and Illinois lifted masks and vaccine mandates.
“It’s nice that as day by day COVID-19 case charges preserve falling all through the U.S., individuals are extra comfy and assured making spring and summer time journey plans,” Chicago Division of Public Well being Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady. “However greater than half of the nation continues to be on our Journey Advisory, and for unvaccinated vacationers meaning they need to proceed to stick to the quarantine and testing pointers.”
Simply earlier than the Labor Day vacation final yr, the town up to date its steerage for what unvaccinated vacationers visiting or coming back from places on the advisory ought to do, including new testing and quarantining suggestions earlier than and after journey.
The town famous that “given the delay for approval of vaccination for kids below 5,” youngsters 5 years outdated and youthful are exempt from the advisory, however provided that the adults they’re touring with are vaccinated.
Worldwide vacationers will likely be topic to pointers from the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management, which requires that every one vacationers, no matter vaccination standing or citizenship, get a adverse COVID-19 viral take a look at not more than at some point earlier than journey into the US.
Below Chicago’s pointers, unvaccinated people ought to do the next earlier than journey:
- Get examined 3-5 days previous to departure.
Whereas touring:
- ALL people no matter vaccination standing ought to put on a masks on planes, buses, trains, and different types of public transportation touring into, inside, or out of the US and whereas indoors at U.S. transportation hubs similar to airports and stations.
- In Chicago, put on a masks in all indoor public settings, no matter vaccination standing.
- Keep away from crowds, attempt to keep no less than 6 ft/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anybody who shouldn’t be touring with you, and wash your palms usually or use hand sanitizer (with no less than 60% alcohol).
After journey, unvaccinated people ought to:
- Get examined with a viral take a look at 3-5 days after journey AND keep house and self-quarantine for a full 7 days.
- Even in the event you take a look at adverse, keep house and self-quarantine for the complete 7 days.
- In case your take a look at is optimistic, isolate your self to guard others from getting contaminated.
- For those who don’t get examined, keep house and self-quarantine for 10 days after journey.
- Keep away from being round people who find themselves at elevated threat for extreme sickness for 14 days, whether or not you get examined or not.
The town suggested all vacationers to observe themselves for COVID-19 signs and isolate and get examined in the event that they develop any after journey.
This week’s replace to the journey advisory comes at a time when the common day by day variety of new instances in Chicago is right down to 191, a stark distinction from the 5,189 seen earlier this yr.
That determine continues to be greater than the low of 34 the town noticed in late June final yr, nonetheless.
Hospitalizations are averaging 16 per day and deaths dropped to three.14 per day, each marking vital decreases from the omicron peak earlier this yr.
The positivity price in testing dropped to 0.8%, a dramatic decline from the 21% seen throughout the surge.
The journey advisory is up to date each Tuesday, with any adjustments taking impact the next Friday.
