Despite Uptick, NJ, CT, PA Not Added To Quarantine List: Cuomo

LONG ISLAND, NY — Despite evidence of community spread in areas of New York bordering Pennsylvania, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that New Jersey, Connecticut and PA would not be added to the travel advisory list — and added that New York's numbers of new coronavirus cases, along with the nation's, would likely rise during the fall.

A joint statement was issued by Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont: "Our states have worked together successfully in combating this pandemic since the beginning and we'll continue to do so. The travel advisory was designed to keep our respective states safe, with the understanding that we are a connected region, dependent on each other when it comes to commerce, education, and health care," the statement read. "We're urging all of our residents to avoid unnecessary or non-essential travel between states at this time, but will not subject residents of our states to a quarantine if coming from a neighboring state. New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have among the lowest infection rates in the country because we have based our approaches to controlling the spread on science and data, and we will continue to do so."

Cuomo said the "interconnections" between those states would effectively make border control practically impossible and "disruptive" to the economy.

With the number of coronavirus cases spiking nationwide, and Nevada, for example, up to a 58 percent infection rate, New York remains third from the bottom, Cuomo said. He added that even the red zones or micro-clusters have rates of infection lower than other states where numbers are rising.

Cuomo said the scale has changed come fall, as scientists predicted for months, and numbers are up across the board. "I think that scale is going to go up in the fall. I think all numbers will go up in states. And I think we are going to go up," he said.

A total of 43 states in the nation now qualify for New York's travel advisory list, based on the metric of 10 cases per 100,000 on a seven day rolling average. Connecticut, Cuomo said, still has an infection rate of less than two percent, and New Jersey, below three percent, but both meet the metric of 10 cases per 100,000 over a seven day rolling average with Connecticut at 11 and New Jersey a little over 10.

"There is no practical way to quarantine," Cuomo said. While visitors fly in from other states, they drive from NJ, CT and PA. "The enforcement of that is highly problematic," he said.

Officials are working with global experts to see if there is a different methodology to quarantine, using technology and testing, Cuomo said.

New York, he said, has had good results and less disruption with the micro cluster approach, using the detection and elimination system in specific areas of neighborhoods rather than shutting down entire regions. "We find a small cluster and we jump on it to contain it and eliminate it," Cuomo said. "That's the best you can do. You see a dry ember in the grass and ring the alarm, and everyone runs to stamp out the embers. Those embers are micro clusters."

Currently, there has been an "uptick in areas on the Pennsylvania border," which could be due to residents traveling back and forth to work. "We are looking to find events that triggered this but it looks like community spread at this point," Cuomo said.

Steuben County has been at 4 percent for three weeks, "and that is not good," Cuomo said. Chemung County is at 5 percent, possibly due to its proximity to PA.

Cuomo was asked at his press briefing Wednesday, why, if there is community spread in PA, "that isn't a greater concern," and why a micro-cluster approach isn't being taken in those areas.

Cuomo said the state is still looking to see if any specific events triggered the uptick and added that with the Pennsylvania's infection rate at almost 10 percent, those cases could be caused by people traveling back and forth for a family gathering or to see a loved one.

The governor was also asked, with New York's rate of infection Wednesday standing at 1.6 percent, the highest it's been since June, if he would consider reducing the number of commuter trains from NJ, CT and PA.

Cuomo said if train frequency was limited, people would likely just drive.

He was also asked how people from states other than those three can be fined for not quarantining and asked to face a penalty when the same standards were not applied to all states equally.

"We are at a place we have never been before," Cuomo said. "We are not set up to do border control." He added, "In this unique and absurd situation," quarantine requirements have been enforced at airports, something that would not be possible with all the roadways traversing the three nearby states.

"What about teachers who work in New York and live in New Jersey?" Cuomo asked. "Journalists who live in New Jersey and come to New York? It would be enormously disruptive to the economy and, I believe, impossible to enforce. I do not have the personnel to enforce border control on our roads. Period."

State police are already tremendously overburdened with enforcement of compliance in bars and restaurants, Cuomo added.

As for the 1.6 percent infection rate, Cuomo said numbers are increasing all over the country and world. That number was reflective of one day and not a weekly or 10-day rolling average and therefore "deceptive," he said; New York's average for the week stands at 1.2 percent, he said.

He added that the rate of transmission and rate of positive cases are different; New York's rate of transmission is between .95 and .99, and below 1 percent, he said.

The next chapter come winter, Cuomo said, will be the implementation of a vaccination administration program.

COVID fatigue

The governor also talked about coronavirus fatigue and said it's more than just frustration with wearing a mask.

"There are different facets to fatigue that are more problematic," he said. "COVID caused tremendous stress to society as well as individual stress. It's frightening and it has caused significant anxiety among many people."

In the beginning, individuals dealing with the pandemic were running on adrenaline, but that adrenaline fades, and many people are feeling overwhelmed emotionally, Cuomo said.

Along with social issues including substance abuse, domestic violence, and increased calls for mental health concerns, Cuomo said he, just as a member of society, is worried about his friends.

"I speak to friends and family and I hear it in their voices," he said. "There's been an emotional toll. One day we'll be talking about PTSD from COVID, the effects on children and seniors and all the individuals suffering from anxiety and stress...It's just percolating."

Cuomo asked New Yorkers to move "loving" up on the priority list, to really listen on the phone when asking how someone is, and not just settle for the perfunctory, "How are you feeling? Good?" and the standard response of "I'm fine."

It's important to ask one another, "How are you dealing with this?" Cuomo said. "Nobody can befine. This is a terrible period. Just take that moment to show some love."

This article originally appeared on the North Fork Patch