Chicago Requires Quarantine for Some Out-of-State Visitors

Chicago’s mayor issued an order requiring visitors arriving from high-risk states to quarantine for two weeks. Each of the included states has seen big surges in new Covid-19 cases. The order will not apply to transit passengers to Chicago’s airports, only to people whose final destination is the City of Chicago. But the order will apply to Chicago residents returning from those states.

Violators could be fined from $100 to $500 per day, up to a maximum of $7000, according to the city’s website.

States on Chicago’s Quarantine List

The order applies to people arriving from these states, current as of Friday, October 23rd:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Puerto Rico
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

States included on the quarantine list will have more than 15 new daily cases per 100,000 residents, on a 7-day rolling average. When a state drops below that threshold for two consecutive weeks, it would be removed from the list. Arrivals from that state would no longer need to quarantine. Should a state have new outbreaks, it could potentially be added.

The list is amended every Tuesday as needed. The amended lists take effect three days later, on Friday.

A Confusing Patchwork of Rules

Chicago is the first major city in the United States to mandate a quarantine. Until now, quarantine orders have been issued at the state level. It makes for an even more confusing patchwork of rules and regulations. Travelers can go to the Chicago suburbs without issue, but they must quarantine if they stay in the city proper. I know, right?

Final Thoughts

Chicago is among my favorite American cities, but now is not the time to plan a trip. As of July 6th, Chicago requires that all arrivals from some states quarantine for two weeks.

States and cities cannot prohibit your freedom to travel within the USA. But the two-week quarantine amounts to a de facto travel ban. If your home state has an outbreak, even if you’ve been self-isolating at home, that trip to Chicago may be off the table. Likewise, if you are a Chicago resident, you don’t want to find the state you visit has been added to the list.

This patchwork approach to coronavirus and travel leaves a lot to be desired. From state-to-state and city-to-city, it’s difficult to keep up with the various rules and restrictions. Of course, what we really need is a coordinated federal coronavirus policy — one which includes robust testing and contact tracing. Instead, we get states and now a city (!) making their own quarantine rules.

It’s disheartening, but it’s what we have at the moment. Until Covid-19 is under control at the national level, make sure your travel plans are flexible.

Oh, and wear a mask!