July 21, 2020
 
TO:                   All Argonne Contractors
 
FROM:             Tim Knewitz, Chief Financial Officer, Argonne
 
SUBJECT:        Cook County Dept. of Public Health Issues New Travel Guidance
 
On Friday, July 17, the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) issued new Travel Guidance that is in effect for residents living in Cook County, including Chicago and suburbs. The guidance directs travelers arriving in Cook County (including Chicago and suburbs) from states experiencing a surge in new COVID-19 cases to quarantine for 14 days. The county guidance now mirrors the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) Emergency Travel Order of July 2.
 
For a list of designated states, criteria for states to be designated as high incidence under the new guidance, and more information, please visit CCDPH���s website. They will update the list each Tuesday. The CCDPH travel quarantine FAQ includes information on exceptions for essential workers, people who only passed through high-incidence states briefly, and more.
 
While the Laboratory is in DuPage County, we will support Argonne employees and contractors who are Cook County residents and expected to follow the new travel guidance. If you are returning from travel to identified states, please work with your employer on accommodations that may be needed to complete a 14-day self-quarantine before returning to Argonne���s campus. We also recommend that you inform your Argonne Technical Representative if you need to complete a 14-day quarantine as a result of recent travel and proactively coordinate with them when planning travel to one of the designated states.
 
It is unclear at this time how long the travel guidance will remain in effect or which states might be affected as the pandemic evolves. The Laboratory continues to advise caution in planning mission-essential work or personal travel, as restrictions imposed by other cities, states, and countries are likely to evolve.
 
The Laboratory will keep monitoring and adapting to changing conditions on-site, in our surrounding communities and state, and nationwide. We will also continue to provide new information and updates as necessary.

As a reminder, anyone accessing the Laboratory should continue to adhere to COVID-19 transmission prevention measures including, conducting a daily health self-check, wearing face coverings and following social distancing guidance. We thank you for your attention and encourage you to visit to www.anl.gov/coronavirus for more information on how Argonne is managing COVID-19 impacts.