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Chicago's COVID Travel Advisory remains unchanged for seventh consecutive week

By FOX 32 Digital Staff
Published  February 15, 2022 1:22pm CST
Coronavirus in Chicago
FOX 32 Chicago

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CHICAGO - For the seventh straight week, no states or territories have been removed from Chicago's COVID-19 Travel Advisory, city health officials announced Tuesday.

Next week could be could the first time in 2022 that the entire U.S. is not included on the advisory, according to Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.

Despite falling case rates nationwide, no state or territory met the advisory's requirements, city health officials said. In order to be removed from the list, a state or territory's daily COVID-19 case rate must remain under 15 per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks.

Maryland is the only state or territory with a case rate under 15 in the past week. The state will need another week of similar numbers to be removed from the city's travel advisory.

The current daily case rate in the country is at 48.6.

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Since the last two weeks, Illinois' daily case rate has dropped by 76 percent from 139.6 to 33.8, city health officials said.

Chicago's daily case rate is currently at 15.9, after recording 21.2 last week, health officials said.

"It’s great to see these daily case rates go down throughout the country, as I know we’re all anxious to put COVID-19 behind us," Arwady said in a statement. "But the fact remains that every state and territory is still on our Travel Advisory because their COVID case rates are still high. There is still at risk of getting COVID-19 while traveling, and unvaccinated travelers face the highest risk."

City health officials encouraged unvaccinated residents who plan to travel to following advisory guidance and get tested for COVID-19 before and after travel from any state on the list and quarantine upon arrival in Chicago.