CT Considering Fines For Quarantine Noncompliance

Rich Scinto
Updated ·2 min read

CONNECTICUT — Connecticut and New York are working together to beef up their quarantine enforcement policies for travelers from states hit hard by the coronavirus.

Gov. Ned Lamont said more details will be revealed within a week, but it could involve state police troopers being stationed at Bradley International Airport to remind travelers about the seriousness of the quarantine. The quarantine order applies to all travelers and not only those who arrive by plane; it also applies to Connecticut residents returning from states listed in the quarantine order.

Connecticut is also considering fines for noncompliance with the quarantine order, Lamont said. That decision will be made in the next week.

New York is fining people $2,000 if they don’t comply with an order to fill out contact information upon arrival.

Right now, travelers from the states on the quarantine list must self-certify with Connecticut about where they plan to quarantine and give contact information.

There are currently 19 states that are subject to the quarantine order; states on the list have a new daily positive coronavirus test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a 10 percent or higher positive test rate over a seven-day rolling average.

Air traffic from quarantined states dropped around 70 percent prior to the quarantine order; it dropped another 50 percent once the quarantine order went into effect, Lamont said.

Visitors must quarantine and self-monitor for 14-days or the duration of their visit if it's fewer than 14 days. Travelers aren’t required to quarantine if they have had a negative viral coronavirus test within 72 hours prior to travel.

The states subject to the quarantine include:

  • Alabama

  • Arkansas

  • Arizona

  • California

  • Delaware

  • Florida

  • Georgia

  • Iowa

  • Idaho

  • Kansas

  • Louisiana

  • Mississippi

  • North Carolina

  • Nevada

  • Oklahoma

  • South Carolina

  • Tennessee

  • Texas

  • Utah

State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) said he is backing Lamont’s decision he made today that will implement a certification process for air travelers entering Connecticut. Now, travelers who come from states with high infection rates will be required to complete a form telling officials where they are coming from and where they plan to quarantine.

“Governor Lamont is making the right call here,” said Lesser. “Our progress in Connecticut has been hard-won, but domestic travel poses a major threat. At a time when other states are posting record infection totals, I hope Connecticut is able to roll this policy out swiftly.”

Since June 29, Lesser has urged Bradley Airport to work with Lamont to screen passengers arriving from hotspots for COVID-19 following the travel advisory in the state. The process will be formally announced by the end of this week.

This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch