JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Chicago Department of Public Health is advising unvaccinated people from Florida to either obtain a negative COVID-19 test result 72 hours before arriving in the Windy City or go into self-quarantine for 10 days upon arrival.
The city’s travel advisory states travelers from Florida who are vaccinated do not need to quarantine or be tested for COVID-19.
As of Tuesday, the advisory included 19 states and two territories that the health department says have surpassed the mark of 15 cases per day, per 100,000 residents.
At Jacksonville International Airport, four flights a day depart to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. News4Jax on Tuesday spoke with travelers at JIA about the advisory before they boarded their 9 a.m. flight to Chicago.
“Be vaccinated or quarantine. I think it’s fair,” Patience Emudka said.
Timothy Grisby said: “The numbers are up. They’re very high. If there are people who are unvaccinated, there is a cause for concern about that.”
“I think it’s a safe way to go about it,” Candace Castillo said. “When you have thousands of people going in and out the airport, it’s the only way you can regulate something that’s going to spread like a fire.”
And if you are vaccinated but are traveling to New York City, better pack your vaccination card or keep a photo of it on your cellphone because the city will soon require proof of vaccination to get access into indoor businesses like restaurants, entertainment venues and gyms.
A Floridian who was about to board his flight at JIA to Philadelphia on Tuesday said he has no problem with that since proof of vaccination is also required now in the City of Brotherly Love.
“I think it’s just good to have it. You never know when someone will want it. You never know when rules might change,” traveler Bernard McDonell said. “We’re going to be gone for two weeks, so you know what, I have my cards.”