(DePaul University/Jamie Moncrief)
COVID-19 remains a serious threat in Chicago.The Chicago Department of Public Health continues to update the city's Emergency Travel Order weekly, adding states that are experiencing a surge of new COVID-19 cases to its list. The order requires everyone entering or returning to the city of Chicago from those affected states to quarantine for 14 days from the time of last contact in the identified state.
The list of affected states is updated every Tuesday on the city's website. Additionally, the Cook County Department of Public Health recommends a 14-day quarantine for those entering suburban Cook County from high incidence states.
As of Oct. 12, Indiana and Wisconsin both appear on CDPH's list of affected states. With two nearby states covered by the order, please keep in mind that all students, faculty and staff must abide by local and state travel orders, and quarantine for 14 days upon returning from an affected state and before visiting campus. This mandate also applies to family and friends who visit DePaul.
There are two exceptions: if you are a student who lives in Wisconsin or Indiana and are commuting to Chicago for school-related activities, or if you are an essential worker who is commuting or traveling from an impacted state and need to be physically present in Chicago for university work.
These students and essential workers are not subject to the mandatory self-quarantine. However, they should follow the guidance below:
- Avoid any non-essential interactions, and limit activities to school or work-related activities and functions. Avoid public spaces as much as possible.
- Monitor temperature and signs of symptoms with the #CampusClear app, wear a face covering when in public and at all times on DePaul grounds, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces.
- Avoid extended periods of time in public, contact with strangers and large congregations of people.
To be considered an essential worker, a person must be one of the following:
- A Chicago resident returning from a state covered by the travel order, where the primary purpose of being in that state was for essential work. They must also have needed to be physically present in that state to work and must have identification issued by their employer.
- A Chicago non-resident who is traveling from a state covered by the order to Chicago for essential work. The essential worker must need to be physically present in Chicago to carry out their work and must have identification issued by their employer.
If you are a DePaul student or essential worker, you must carry your DePaul ID with you in case you are asked to show it while traveling to or from the city of Chicago.
Please remember it is critical that every member of the DePaul community be extra cautious and Take Care, DePaul. When you do leave your home, please continue to practice social distancing, wear a face covering and wash your hands or use sanitizer often. When coming to campus, use the #CampusClear app. Most importantly, if you feel sick or show signs of an illness, just stay home.
For more information, please visit DePaul's Fall 2020 website, and be sure to watch and commit to DePaul's Health & Safety Pledge.
Thank you for taking care of each other. We're all in this together.