Chicago Puts Wisconsin On Its Quarantine List And Violators Face Fines
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Four more states added to Chicago's emergency travel order.
Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota, and Nebraska join 18 other states. You must quarantine for 14 days when you return to Chicago. And now word is that the city is beginning the process of ticketing those in violation of the travel restrictions.
How will that work? CBS 2's Chris Tye explored that question Tuesday.
Thousands of Chicagoans travel to Wisconsin and back every day for work by rail and by road. And after Friday when the travel restriction to the Badger State begins, Wisconsin workers, and workers alone, will still be allowed to go without a quarantine in Chicago.
"They can continue to commute in for work, but limited to work," said Dr. Allison Arwady, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.
It is the only state on the list of 22 where the city is allowing this and they realize it comes with a risk.
"Wisconsin still doesn't have a mask order in place, for goodness sake," she added.
And because of that, the city will begin ticketing to get Chicagoan to comply. Tickets will range from between $100 and $500 with a $7,000 maximum. This will apply to any of the 22 states that comprise the travel ban as of Friday.
One other exception to the rule: sports. The city's top doc saying "MLB is exempt from the quarantine order" as are other essential industries, or those with controlled policies that have city approval.
For those without approval? The city will use your own social media posts against you.
"Social media examples, where people are flagrantly posting social activities" will be used to help investigators.
"We don't make these decisions lightly. We know it impacts business and travel plans," Arwady said.
No tickets have been issued yet. And as Chicago restricts travel from more and more places, Illinois is now on the state of New York's list, which also applies to the rest of the Tri-State Area. Traveling to New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut from Illinois comes with a 14-day quarantine requirement.
