CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- With numbers of COVID-19 cases dropping across the country, Chicago is, for the most part, dropping its emergency travel order.
In her regular online appearance, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said for the third consecutive week there are no states or territories reporting high numbers of COVID-19 cases. That lead to Chicago’s emergency travel order to be reduced to an advisory.
"In that setting the travel order is actually moving to an advisory. If we get more trouble down the line, you know there's always a possibility that an order would need to be put back in, but the advisory continues," Dr. Arwady said.
The Chicago Department of Public Health said the last time states were in the orange tier, requiring a quarantine or negative coronavirus test, was May 18. Since then, all states have kept case rates below 15 cases per 100,000 residents.
There currently are just four states whose daily case rate per 100,000 residents is above 10: Missouri (12.4), New York (11.6), Wyoming (10.3) and Nevada (10.1).
No Midwest states have been at 4.8 cases or above per 100,000 residents since June 15, according to the health department.
Dr. Arwady pointed out that people are still required to wear masks on airplanes and public transportation, but she said there are no restrictions on travel anywhere and requirements to quarantine on return were already lifted.
"Certainly, if you are going to travel, get vaccinated. It worries me when people are not fully vaccinated and they are traveling where we are seeing some surging, but there is no requirement around that," Dr. Arwady said.
If you aren't vaccinated, she said, you should wear a mask, especially when you return.
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(WBBM Newsradio and Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this copy.)