After dropping off of the list for a few weeks, Wisconsin will rejoin the Chicago Department of Public Health's emergency travel order On Friday, September 25. Under the order, which was initially implemented in July, travelers coming to Chicago from states with case rates greater than 15 new cases per 100,000 residents are being instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days.
"Wisconsin is currently in very poor control when it comes to COVID," Chicago's Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said during a press conference today, noting that over the past 14 days the state has seen a more than 130 percent increase in their cases. Wisconsin is currently averaging 31 new daily cases per 100,000 residents, which is more than twice the number that lands states on Chicago's emergency travel order list.
As Chicago's closest neighbor to the north, Wisconsin is traditionally a popular destination for city residents—especially during a time when more travelers are opting to drive rather than fly when booking vacations or weekend getaways. Anyone who regularly commutes to and from Wisconsin for essential work, medical care or parental shared custody is exempted from the self-quarantine requirement. Additionally, those traveling through Wisconsin on their way to Chicago do not need to quarantine if they were in the state for less than 24 hours.
Wisconsin is joined by Montana, Idaho, Minnesota and Puerto Rico, all of which have also been added to the travel order this week.
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