Tri-State Area Expands List Of States Covered By Travel Advisory; Travelers From 16 States Must Now Quarantine
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The Tri-State Area is doubling the number of states on the quarantine order list.
The governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced Tuesday that people traveling to the Tri-State Area from eight additional states will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
The list now includes:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California (new)
- Florida
- Georgia (new)
- Iowa (new)
- Idaho (new)
- Louisiana (new)
- Mississippi (new)
- North Carolina
- Nevada (new)
- South Carolina
- Tennessee (new)
- Texas
- Utah
"As an increasing number of states around the country fight significant community spread, New York is taking action to maintain the precarious safety of its phased, data-driven reopening," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "We've set metrics for community spread just as we've set metrics for everything the state does to fight COVID-19, and eight more states have reached the level of spread required to qualify for New York's travel advisory, meaning we will now require individuals traveling to New York from those states to quarantine for 14 days."
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
- Resources, Hotlines, Unemployment & Covering Bills
- Remote Learning Tools For Parents Teaching At Home
- Ask Dr. Max Your Health Questions
- How Make Your Own DIY Face Mask
- How To Safely Remove Disposable Gloves
- Tips For Parents To Help Kids Cope
- Chopper 2 Over Empty NYC Streets, Landmarks
- Complete Coronavirus Coverage
When Chase Levy and Danielle McCoy took off from LAX, they were not expecting the news waiting for them at JFK.
"I don't know if I would have come if there was a 14-day quarantine," Levy told CBS2's Cory James.
"I'm just like, what am I supposed to do?" McCoy said.
The governors' decision to expand the list was made while a number of passengers were in the air.
"I definitely checked that list before I left," McCoy said.
Traveler Jordan Bramer says once on the ground, it was very clear the state was taking the travel advisory seriously.
"As I'm walking somebody stops me and says, 'Where did you fly from?' And I said, 'North Carolina.' And she said, I'm from the New York State Department of Health, you have to sign this form, it's mandatory," Bramer said.
That asks asking people for personal information, like name, state of residence and if they have been in one of the states being considered high risk for COVID-19.
It also asks for the address of where they are staying and if they have had coronavirus symptoms in the past 24 hours.
CORONAVIRUS: NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text COVID to 692692 | NJ Health Dept. | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 or 211, Text NJCOVID to 898211 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211
This all happening after a 226% increase in cases in Florida, an 83% rise in Arizona and a 74% jump in California.
"Clearly we are not in total control right now," Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday. "I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 [new cases] a day if this does not turn around."
That's one reason New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are ordering mandatory 14-day quarantines for travelers coming from most of the south and parts of the west.
While it is not what some flying in were expecting, it's a modification many say they understand and will try to honor.
"I'll do my best. I think that's the most anybody can do," Emeke Anene, of Brooklyn, said.
"I want to stay safe, I want my family to stay safe, I want New York to stay safe, so I'm going to quarantine," Bramer said.
New York State Department of Health says the travel advisory does not apply to anyone passing through a designated state for a limited duration --- less than 24 hours -- through the course of travel, or essential workers.
