Traveling to Chicago is about to get more complicated for Wisconsin residents. Along with Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota, Wisconsin is one of four states that has been added to that city's quarantine list.
Under the new rules, which start Friday, visitors to Chicago from Wisconsin will have to quarantine for two weeks upon arriving or face potential fines, the Associated Press reports. Travelers are ordered to stay at a single home or dwelling for 14 days, with limited exceptions for seeking medical care or getting tested for COVID-19. The order will also apply to city residents returning from a visit to Wisconsin.
Chicago issued its initial quarantine order earlier this month, and has been gradually extending it beyond the 15 states it first included based on increasing numbers of confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
Wisconsin has experienced an alarming surge in new COVID-19 cases this month, averaging more than 900 new confirmed cases per day over the last week, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Chicago's Department of Public health commissioner has said that residents commuting out of state for their job may continue to do so, but are asked to otherwise limit their activities, according to the Associated Press.
Travelers who violate the order may be subject to fines, but city officials have acknowledged that the order will be difficult to enforce. Yesterday Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she did not know of anybody who has been fined for violating the order.