CT's Quarantine Order For Travelers Updated, Amended By Lamont
CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont announced some changes and updates to the state's quarantine travel advisory.
On June 24, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced a mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers coming into the region from states with high rates of coronavirus infections.
But late this week, Lamont amended the advisory for entrance into Connecticut.
"As the situation around the country continues to develop, the Lamont administration today updated guidance regarding the travel advisory that was recently implemented for travelers entering Connecticut from states with high rates of COVID-19," according to a news release from the governor's office.
"If someone arrives to Connecticut from an impacted state, self-quarantining for 14 days remains the best option, however the updated guidance permits travelers to enter the state if they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours prior to arriving," the news release states.
And in a further clarification on the state's website it states: "Can travelers be tested for COVID-19 instead of self-quarantine? Quarantine is the best option to prevent spread of disease. However, if a 14-day self-quarantine is not possible, travelers from the impacted states may enter Connecticut if they have had a negative viral test (not an antibody test) for COVID-19 in the 72 hours prior to travel."
Many people have asked about how the travel advisory is being enforced. Here is how state officials explain the enforcement part of this order. "In order to protect health and safety and limit the spread of COVID-19, travelers from impacted states are strongly urged to carefully follow the Travel Advisory. It will be up to individuals to abide by the advisory."
The list of states subject to the rules will be updated depending on infection rates. Currently, they include:
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona
California
Florida
Georgia
Iowa
Idaho
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Carolina
Nevada
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Any state with a positive coronavirus test rate of 10 percent or greater over a seven-day period will fall into that list; another measure used will be the rate of daily new cases per 100,000 people in a state. The list of states subject to the rules will be updated weekly, said Acting Connecticut Department of Health Commission Deidre Gifford.
The rules will also apply to Connecticut residents who travel to hard-hit states like Florida and Texas.
The number of coronavirus cases has been skyrocketing across the country.
"I'm also looking over my shoulder and I'm seeing what's happening in other state in this country right now and Connecticut is not an island and our region is not an island," Lamont said at the time the advisory was first enacted. "We can't put up a wall, we can be careful."
>>>You can read more about the updated qurantine travel policy here.
See also: CT Coronavirus Updates: Hospitalizations Drop To 4 Month Low
Police K-9 dies unexpectedly/ AG urges feds to rescind order impacting CT sports/ Police chief apologizes for Facebook post: CT News.>>>Read More.
This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch
