CHICAGO — Indiana will be added to Chicago's emergency travel order, which requires people entering the city from COVID-19 hot spots to quarantine for 14 days, if the state's infection rates do not improve in the next week.
Chicago's public health commissioner Allison Arwady announced Tuesday that Indiana is now on a warning list and city residents are "strongly advised to not travel to Indiana," according to a news release. Chicago adds a state to its emergency travel order if it averages more than 15 cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period.
Indiana has exceeded that threshold, but Chicago officials gave the state a week for its COVID-19 rates to improve in order to allow Chicagoans time to rearrange travel plans. A person who has spent at least 24 hours in a restricted state is required to quarantine for 14 days.
People are exempt from the order if they are traveling to the city for medical care and parental shared custody. Essential workers are not subject to the mandatory quarantine order, but they should only travel to work and avoid public places.
“I am very concerned that Indiana is a state that is wishing that COVID were over, and it’s not,” Arwady said at a news conference, according to the Chicago Tribune. “I would encourage Chicago residents if they are going to be traveling to Indiana, do the things that you know work. Wear your mask. Keep your distance, wash your hands. Be especially careful.”
States and territories on Chicago's emergency travel order list include: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
On Sept. 23, Indiana moved to Stage 5 of its "Back on Track" reopening plan, which allowed restaurants, night clubs and bars to operate at full capacity. Some counties, including Marion County, continue to enforce stronger restrictions.
Indiana reported a single-day record 1,495 new COVID-19 cases on Oct. 2. On Tuesday, the state announced 30 people died with the coronavirus, the highest number since June 6.
