Emergency Travel Guidance Issued In Oak Park: Who This Applies To

OAK PARK, IL — Under an emergency travel guidance, travelers entering or residents returning to Oak Park from states with high numbers of coronavirus cases (rates) are being told to quarantine for 14 days since their last visit to the recently identified high-risk states, according to a village news release. Oak Park Public Health Director Mike Charley issued the emergency guidance Friday along with Cook County Health Department guidance, consistent with Chicago’s July 2 order, the village said, in the news release. Officials added that while public health guidelines are recommendations "not enforced by legal action," they are strongly encouraged by officials working to stop the current increase in cases of the coronavirus.

The local emergency guideline applies to those who've visited states (listed below) that have "greater than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents per day, over a 7-day rolling average."

However, exceptions are in place for essential workers traveling for work and other specific circumstances, officials added.

The guidance comes as parts of the country see an increase in the number of new cases, despite Oak Park and surrounding communities in the county and across the state have recently seen "steep declines" in new case numbers, hospitalizes and deaths.

“We have come a long way in Oak Park, and the same can be said of other communities in Cook County,” Charley said, in the news release. “We understand people may want to travel this summer, but we are asking residents to remain vigilant so we can avoid having to close places in our community that only recently reopened.”

Travelers from the following states, including Oak Park residents returning from these states, will be directed to quarantine upon arrival:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• Nevada
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Iowa
• Oklahoma

An updated list will be posted on the CCDPH website every Tuesday afternoon. The site also includes links answers to frequently asked questions, all of which also apply to Oak Park's guidance.

Illinois Coronavirus Update July 20: 161,575 Cases, 7,295 Deaths; Don't miss updates about precautions in the Oak Park-River Forest area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters

As of July 17, there were 384 confirmed cases among Oak Park residents since March 18, with the 14-day rolling average for new cases in Oak Park reported as two cases per day, "which is down from a high of more than five cases per day in mid-April," the news release said.

“The overall decline in our 14-day rolling average has been an encouraging sign, but that can change, as we have seen in neighboring states,” Charley said, in the news release. “Prevention is the best medicine. We ask everyone to avoid travel to the most affected areas. If you must travel, quarantine for 14 days to protect others and help us stop the spread of COVID-19.”

>> Read more about the village’s emergency travel guidance.

For more information related to Oak Park’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, visit oak-park.us/covid19, email health@oak-park.us or call 708-358-5480.