CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago is expected to update its COVID-19 travel quarantine order and release new details on how a vaccine would be rolled out locally on Tuesday.
Chicago’s top doctor has suggested a vaccine would be available before the end of the year.
“We’ve been ready and we are ready to start COVID-19 vaccine administration when the trials are done,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner.
Under Chicago’s vaccine plan, thousands of the first doses would go to frontline healthcare workers immediately. First responders and long-term care facility residents would also have priority.
“We are working with our hospitals. We are enrolling them to vaccine providers. We are getting additional information from them on their healthcare worker numbers and who may fit in those higher risk categories,” said Dr. Candice Robinson, CDPH medical director.
Chicago’s vaccine shortage and distribution plan has already been well crafted with expanded capacity for different temperatures, a plan to receive multiple vaccines and expanded hours and services at city clinics to distribute doses.
“We actually used our flu clinics as an opportunity to practice for our COVID-19 vaccine administration,” Robinson said.
Three states were last added to the orange category in Chicago’s updated travel quarantine order on November 17.
It was the frist update since the order was revamped with a new color-coded system.
As part of the new system, states are placed in three categories: red, orange and yellow.
On November 17, California, New Hampshire and New York moved from the yellow category to the orange category.
States in the yellow category have a rolling seven-day average of under 15 cases per-day per-100,000 residents. No quarantine or pre-arrival test is required.
States in the orange category have a rolling seven-day average of between 15 cases per-day per-100,000 residents and the Chicago rolling seven-day average, currently 60 cases per-day per-100,000. A 14-day quarantine or a pre-arrival test of no more than 72 hours before arrival is required.
States in the red category have a rolling seven-day average of cases per-day per-100,000 residents above Chicago’s rate. A 14-day quarantine is mandatory.
Only three states are in the yellow category (no requirements): Maine, Hawaii, Vermont
However, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said non-essential travel is still not recommended to yellow states.
-34 orange states and Puerto Rico (must quarantine or receive a pre-arrival negative test result): Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
-12 red states (must quarantine): Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, Iowa, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
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Source by abc7chicago.com
