A joint travel advisory for the tri-state region has taken effect, meaning travelers arriving from eight states will need to self-quarantine.
The order by the governors of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey targets the risky states of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah and Texas.
These states were identified as they have a ‘high infection’ threshold.
Their infection rates are currently more than 10 infections per 100,000 residents.
It will be monitored on a seven-day rolling average, so these states could be removed from the list and others added.
It exempts essential workers and first responders who stay in the region less than 24 hours.
The three governors accept they cannot set up road blocks on state lines or regulate who comes in to the airports and from where.
However it will have the name of travelers who arrive by air and warn that ‘inspectors who are randomly looking at the names on the list and calling to follow up to make sure you’re quarantining,’ said NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Each of the three states will enforce it differently and New York will dish out fines of between $2,000 and $10,000 for quarantine violators.
New Jersey said everyone arriving, which includes state residents, ‘has a personal responsibility to do the right thing’ but won’t hesitate to punish those who don’t.
