Chicago's travel advisory expands ahead of Labor Day weekend travel
CHICAGO - Chicago health officials want you to pay attention to the travel advisory as COVID cases rise all over the country.
However, that doesn’t seem to be stopping many people from wanting to get away for the last holiday weekend of summer.
The Labor Day weekend starts Wednesday apparently for some people traveling out of Midway Airport.
People are comfortable with travel, even though COVID is spreading.
Chicago’s Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady does not advise travel but people are doing it anyway.
Dr. Arwady announced a new travel advisory for every state except Vermont, plus the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Travelers are advised to be vaccinated, wear a mask, wash frequently and social distance in the airport and at the destination.
Quarantine kept a lot of people at home and many say traveling by plane is now a new experience. Others say they are prepared for the risk.
"I think it’s just as safe as going to the grocery store," Chicagoan Brandon Harrington said. "I mean, lots of people go there, right? So long as you mask up, wash your hands and social distance, that’s all we can really do. I got the COVID test before. I’m going to get it when I come back. I got two masks on. I’m going to put a face shield on in a minute and probably going to wipe things down when I get on the plane. I keep hand sanitizer on me."
Dr. Arwady also advises travelers should quarantine for seven days when they return home.