NY Travel Advisory starting 11/4. NJ & CT have separate lists now

[Imzadi]

I have started this thread for the NY/NJ/CT travel advisory, as there are nuances between the states, even though it is a "joint advisory" and they change all the time. I will keep these FIRST FOUR posts (one for each state) updated with the latest info, and the thread title will list the latest date of updates. (There have been three threads already, with varying bits of outdated info.)

NJ Gov. said that his state is doing things slightly different than NY in regards to the forms and fining travelers coming in. CT also is doing things slightly different than the other two states. The various info will be posted as we get the info, to make it easier to find. (Please help out if you get some info not already posted. ) Although, for ALL 3 states, these states listed below is consistent.

New York, New Jersey, & Connecticut's travel advisory is 39 states & 2 U.S. territories.

If you're traveling to NY/NJ/CT from the following states you must self-quarantine for 14 days.

The states are: (updated as of 10/27/20)

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California (re-added 10/27/20)
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts (added 10/27/20)
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wyoming
• Guam
• Puerto Rico

There was nothing personal in choosing the states. The goal of a travel restriction requiring one to quarantine is to try to control the SPREAD of the virus from coming IN from other states. Some states, even with high infection rates, have travel restrictions and quarantining to try to stop their rate going HIGHER, so as to not overwhelm their hospital systems which may already be at their limit.

NY, NJ & CT aren't the only ones requiring a 14 day quarantine. There are also about 17 other states. (We just happen to have the only thread here on the DIS.) The criteria is that these states have, unfortunately, a high infection rate of at least: 10 new COVID positive cases per 100,000 people on a 7 day chart, (called a 7-day rolling average.) OR: at least 10% of the total population is COVID-19 positive on a 7-Day rolling average.

This thread is to help fellow DISers as to what are the travel rules when traveling to or back from these states, and to avoid an unhappy surprise of needing to quarantine when one wasn't expecting it, or the need to suddenly change travel plans. Let's keep this thread from devolving into bashing different states as rates go up. None of us have been through a pandemic before. There is no guidebook on how to do this.

Here is a FULL LIST of all states with Coronavirus Travel Restrictions by State compiled by CNN as of 10/20.

However:
As a general rule: before making any trip anywhere, check the official state website (ends in .gov) of the location you plan to visit right before you leave home, as this is such a dynamically changing situation. The travel advisories for that state may change at any time due to local circumstances.


** NOTE: FLORIDA -Travelers from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut going Florida, no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival. The FL Gov. rescinded that part of his executive order. Enjoy your trip to WDW! Wear a mask!

HOWEVER: anyone traveling from Florida to New York, New Jersey or Connecticut will need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in those states as it's on the Quarantine List above. Yes, that means even if you live here and are traveling back from FL.


NOTE: When driving to the border of NY/NJ/CT, do not expect to be stopped at the border. There are no checkpoints physically blocking or checking people coming in.

No state can ban any travelers from specific states from coming into their state, as that is unconstitutional. The best any state can do is the travel advisory with the mandatory quarantine or rules once someone enters the state.


I look forward to being able to remove states too, and the day when this thread can be completely scrapped as we have kicked the Coronavirus in the butt.

 

[Imzadi]

NEW YORK Travel Advisory Rules: (starting Nov 4, 2020)
(NYC was the former COVID-19 epicenter of the world due to it's dense concentration of the population. To try to prevent a repeat of that situation, NY state naturally has the strictest guidelines.)

For the latest NY travel advisory info & questions:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory

Bullet Points directly from the NY.gov website:

"The new policy goes into effect Wednesday.

Travelers Must Get Tested Within Three Days Prior to Landing in New York, Quarantine for at Least Three Days Upon Arrival, and Get a Test on Day Four of Arrival.

If Travelers Receive a Second Negative Test On Day Four of Quarantine, They May End Quarantine.

States that are Contiguous [border] with New York, [Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania - and probably Massachusetts(?)] Continue to Be Exempted from the Quarantine Protocol
***Essential Workers Also Continue to be Exempted.***

NY Travelers Who Were Only Out of State for Less Than 24 Hours Do Not Need to Quarantine but Must Get a Test on Day Four of Arrival Back in NY.

New York residents traveling outside the state for more than 24 hours must follow the same procedure as out of state travelers. This does not apply to travel between New York and the neighboring states of Connecticut, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania. [And probably MA(?)]

All Travelers from out of state, covered in the Travel Advisory must continue to fill out the Traveler Health Form upon arrival into New York State.

State officials said the new requirement will be enforced in the same way as the previous 14-day quarantine policy. All travelers must continue to fill out the NY Traveler Health Form upon arrival into New York State to contribute to New York State’s robust contact tracing program. The policy leans on individual compliance.

For the long version with more specific info on the NY State COVID-19 Travel Advisory:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory


Enforcement teams will be at airport, bus and train gates statewide to collect the completed Traveler Health Forms. The form is mandatory.

Travelers who leave the airport without completing the form will be subject to a $2,000 fine and may be brought to a hearing and ordered to complete mandatory quarantine.

Link to the Traveler Health Form:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory#traveler-health-form

(Page 2 asks if people have COVID symptoms. There are extra questions for residents. Also for essential workers traveling to NYS, there are some exemptions from quarantining - depending on how short your stay is. Essential Workers Exemptions)

If a person who test positive violates the quarantine, they may be subject to a judicial order and mandatory quarantine.
They may have to pay the costs of quarantine.
$2000 for first violation.
$5000 for second violation.
Up to $10,000 if they cause harm.

NYS is encouraging people to report quarantine violators:
To file a report of an individual failing to adhere to the quarantine pursuant to the travel advisory click here or call 1-833-789-0470."


For general inquires contact the call the Hotline: 1-888-364-3065 or Ask a Question.


FREE COVID-19 TESTING: NY state residents go to:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you

Individuals who have questions regarding eligibility or access for testing should call the NYS COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065

Please note:

• If you go to a test site run by New York State, there is never any charge for your test.
• If you go to a test site operated by local governments, (as in local, city run tests,) or private companies including pharmacies and medical practices or not-for-profit organizations, you are advised to check with the testing site and your insurer in advance of being tested to confirm you will not be responsible for any fees associated with your test.

 

[Imzadi]

NEW JERSEY Travel Advisory Rules:

For the latest NJ travel advisory info & questions:
https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-Travel-Advisory -&information/

NJ is requiring a Travelers Health Form to fill out.
Travelers can access the survey by texting “NJ Travel” to 898211, OR visiting covid19.nj.gov/njtravel, OR scanning a QR code on posters at airports. Airlines will announce both the quarantine advisory and information about the survey before travelers depart for NJ and while they’re on their flight, said the NJ Health Commissioner.

NJ is not imposing fines like NY, but according to the NJ Gov. do NOT piss NJ off. They WILL go after you. See this post: Do NOT piss of NJ


TESTING: NJ is requiring the 14 day quarantine regardless of if a COVID-19 test comes back negative:

"If you are from an impacted state and get a diagnostic/virus test, you should still self-quarantine for 14 days. If you test negative, you are still advised to self-quarantine for 14 days because you remain in the incubation period."

FREE COVID-19 TESTING: is available to everyone in NJ and is strongly encouraged for those who traveled to areas heavily impacted by COVID-19. To find a testing site near you, visit covid19.nj.gov/testing

 

[Imzadi]

CONNECTICUT Travel Advisory Rules:

For the latest CT travel advisory info & questions:
https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Travel

CT is requiring a form to fill out -> Travel Health Form.
Failure to self-quarantine or to complete the Travel Health Form may result in a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation.

CT Gov. is encouraging CT hotels & residents to report if they see quarantine violators. They are to call 211.


CT allows a COVID-19 test as a substitution for the 14 day quarantine in very limited circumstances:

• Can travelers be tested for COVID-19 instead of self-quarantine? In general, no. The narrow exemption from the self-quarantine requirement applies only to travelers who satisfy the testing requirement and who travel to Connecticut to drop-off a child at school, to attend to a family member or a loved one whose physical or mental health or well-being is at risk, to attend to a family member or loved one’s medical procedure, or to assist with end of life care, to have an end of life visit, or to attend the funeral of a family member or loved one. These travelers are exempt from the self-quarantine requirement strictly for the limited purpose of attending to the event or circumstance that renders him or her unable to self-quarantine. Other than attending that event or circumstance, travelers from affected states are still required to self-quarantine for any portion of the fourteen (14) day period while in Connecticut. Any travelers unable to quarantine must still (1) get a negative test result for COVID-19 in the seventy-two (72) hours prior to arriving in Connecticut and (2) provide written proof of such test result to the Commissioner of Public Health via email to DPH.COVID-Travel@ct.gov or via facsimile to 860-326-0529. If a test was obtained in the seventy-two (72) hours prior to travel but the result is still pending at the time of arrival in Connecticut, such traveler shall remain in self-quarantine in Connecticut until the test result is received and, if such test result is negative, the result is submitted to the Commissioner of Public Health. If the test result is positive and the traveler is asymptomatic, he or she shall self-isolate for ten (10) days from the date of the test; if symptomatic, he or she should seek medical assistance. Travelers who test positive for COVID-19 prior to traveling to Connecticut should delay such travel and consult with a medical professional. The traveler is required to complete the Travel Health Form.
  
  
  
• What tests are acceptable for the testing option? Nucleic acid tests such as reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests are the only acceptable testing option. Neither rapid antigen tests nor antibody tests for COVID-19 satisfy the testing requirement for the testing exemption."

FREE COVID-19 TESTING: Call 211 in CT or
https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Covid-19-Knowledge-Base/COVID-19-Testing

 

[Imzadi]

Other States Which Have Travel Restrictions:

As a general rule: before making any trip anywhere, check the state's official website (ends with .gov) for the location you plan to visit, right before you leave home. As this is such a dynamically changing situation, the travel advisories for that state may change at any time due to local circumstances.

Here is a LIST of U.S. states with Coronavirus Travel Restrictions by State compiled by CNN as of 11/16. - so it may not be fully accurate. So, again, check the state's official website for last minute changes.

 

[luvsvacation]

I’m nervous about this...we arrive in NYC on Friday. We’re from Missouri which so far is not on the list. We’ve been traveling for over 2 weeks though. We were in Colorado for a week and then flew to Rhode Island and have been traveling in New England since then. On Friday we take a train from Boston to NYC. I’m wondering what happens if Missouri gets put on the list before we get there Friday?? I’ve been watching Missouri’s numbers and hoping they stay low enough to avoid the ban. Also what happens if it gets put on the list after we’re already there? Like we arrive in NY on Friday and then Saturday they put Missouri on their list...do we have to leave at that point? We fly home to Missouri on Sunday night, so I’m really hoping we can stay off the list through the weekend!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Wisconsin (added 7/14/20)

We're here in Wisconsin for a few days' vacation. It's like a different planet here. In Chicago, everybody looks like a bank robber, most people have masks. A few Darwinites don't wear masks, but most do. Here in Wisconsin, almost no one wears masks. I can't wait to get back home. I feel like I living in a nightmare now. I was watching the news at the resort and they were having a Wisconsin health department news conference, like Governor Cuomo has. They were saying how bad the surge is now.

 

[J'aime Paris]

@DanMurphy
Where are you vacationing?
Dane county has a mask mandate, and the city of Milwaukee passed a mask mandate yesterday I believe.
The rest of the state doesn't have one to my knowledge.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I’m nervous about this...we arrive in NYC on Friday. We’re from Missouri which so far is not on the list. We’ve been traveling for over 2 weeks though. We were in Colorado for a week and then flew to Rhode Island and have been traveling in New England since then. On Friday we take a train from Boston to NYC. I’m wondering what happens if Missouri gets put on the list before we get there Friday?? I’ve been watching Missouri’s numbers and hoping they stay low enough to avoid the ban. Also what happens if it gets put on the list after we’re already there? Like we arrive in NY on Friday and then Saturday they put Missouri on their list...do we have to leave at that point? We fly home to Missouri on Sunday night, so I’m really hoping we can stay off the list through the weekend!

I think the worst that happens is you will need to quarantine somewhere for 14 days, but I don't believe that will happen if your state is not on the list the day you get here.

 

[Imzadi]

We were in Colorado for a week and then flew to Rhode Island and have been traveling in New England since then. On Friday we take a train from Boston to NYC. I’m wondering what happens if Missouri gets put on the list before we get there Friday??

It's not the state you are from. It's where you have been in the last 14 days or are coming from. Sounds like you will be in New England the whole time before traveling in. And Colorado isn't on the list either. So, you'd be fine. The 7 northeast states aren't on the quarantine list. Just make sure you have travel receipts to prove where you've been traveling from if asked. These state only want to make sure you didn't pick up COVID before coming in. It's less likely if you've been in the northeastern states.

 

[Imzadi]

We're here in Wisconsin for a few days' vacation. It's like a different planet here. In Chicago, everybody looks like a bank robber, most people have masks. A few Darwinites don't wear masks, but most do. Here in Wisconsin, almost no one wears masks. I can't wait to get back home. I feel like I living in a nightmare now. I was watching the news at the resort and they were having a Wisconsin health department news conference, like Governor Cuomo has. They were saying how bad the surge is now.

Dan, stay safe!

 

[Imzadi]

I’m nervous about this...we arrive in NYC on Friday. We’re from Missouri which so far is not on the list. We’ve been traveling for over 2 weeks though. We were in Colorado for a week and then flew to Rhode Island and have been traveling in New England since then. On Friday we take a train from Boston to NYC. I’m wondering what happens if Missouri gets put on the list before we get there Friday?? I’ve been watching Missouri’s numbers and hoping they stay low enough to avoid the ban. Also what happens if it gets put on the list after we’re already there? Like we arrive in NY on Friday and then Saturday they put Missouri on their list...do we have to leave at that point? We fly home to Missouri on Sunday night, so I’m really hoping we can stay off the list through the weekend!

I have a copy of page 1 (of 2 pages) of the form people have to fill out coming into NY, it only asks if you've been in one of the highly impacted states. (Page 2 is for residents, asks if people have symptoms and asks if one is an essential worker in NYS - who are exempt from quarantining. I guess they figure they will be at work instead of partying around.)

 

[Dan Murphy]

Dan, stay safe!

Thanks for the good wishes, Imzadi.

And thanks for the the good info you have here.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I’m nervous about this...we arrive in NYC on Friday. We’re from Missouri which so far is not on the list. We’ve been traveling for over 2 weeks though. We were in Colorado for a week and then flew to Rhode Island and have been traveling in New England since then. On Friday we take a train from Boston to NYC. I’m wondering what happens if Missouri gets put on the list before we get there Friday?? I’ve been watching Missouri’s numbers and hoping they stay low enough to avoid the ban. Also what happens if it gets put on the list after we’re already there? Like we arrive in NY on Friday and then Saturday they put Missouri on their list...do we have to leave at that point? We fly home to Missouri on Sunday night, so I’m really hoping we can stay off the list through the weekend!

On the PIX11 news tonight: they are not checking or distributing travel forms on trains.... or buses. Go figure

So you won’t have any issues.

 

[Imzadi]

On the PIX11 news tonight: they are not checking or distributing travel forms on trains.... or buses. Go figure

So you won’t have any issues.

I finally filled in the posts above for each state. Buses & trains aren't collecting the forms. The NYS website says:

Travelers coming to New York from designated states through other means of transport, including trains and cars, must fill out the form online:

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory

 

[luvsvacation]

Thank you all for the replies...so it looks like I don’t have to fill out a form and quarantine since I’m coming on a train from Boston and I haven’t been in any of the affected states. Still hoping Missouri doesn’t get put on their list before Friday so I don’t have to worry about it at all

 

[AustinTink]

How do they track whether or not a person quarantines? Seems like a person could say, "yes sure I'll quarantine" and then not do it. If they leave it to the honor system we know what will happen.

 

[skyblue17]

I'm happy that the tri-state area is mostly on the same page about this, as travel between the three states themselves is common and it would be difficult if they were not. Also, I am in one of the states and going back to the other, so I'm relieved that it's mostly being managed in the same way (and that I'm not coming or going from any other state). I really can't imagine traveling too far from home right now, not worth the risk!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’m nervous about this...we arrive in NYC on Friday. We’re from Missouri which so far is not on the list. We’ve been traveling for over 2 weeks though. We were in Colorado for a week and then flew to Rhode Island and have been traveling in New England since then. On Friday we take a train from Boston to NYC. I’m wondering what happens if Missouri gets put on the list before we get there Friday?? I’ve been watching Missouri’s numbers and hoping they stay low enough to avoid the ban. Also what happens if it gets put on the list after we’re already there? Like we arrive in NY on Friday and then Saturday they put Missouri on their list...do we have to leave at that point? We fly home to Missouri on Sunday night, so I’m really hoping we can stay off the list through the weekend!

When you come home back to MO I would highly suggest quarantining (even though MO does not require you to) for 14 days especially if you reside in the KC or STL metro areas; not saying you weren't going to do that just highly suggesting it.

 

[Imzadi]

How do they track whether or not a person quarantines? Seems like a person could say, "yes sure I'll quarantine" and then not do it. If they leave it to the honor system we know what will happen.

The Governors hope people will report violators. That if someone attends a business meeting when they should be quarantining instead, the coworker can send off an email or call to report them. When people from one of the impacted states checks into a hotel and they are seen not quarantining, they get reported too, etc.

The NY Tracers are going to be randomly calling people who have to Face Time or immediately text a photo from their location. If they are at a hotel, they will get a call on the hotel phone and they'd better pick up.

In NY, if a person violates the quarantine, they may be subject to a judicial order and mandatory quarantine.
They may have to pay a fine and the costs of quarantine.
$2000 for first violation.
$5000 for second violation.
Up to $10,000 if they cause harm.

Those fines are on top of the $2000 if someone does not fill in and submit the form.


3 People recently returned back to NY after a trip to Atlanta, GA. This weekend they found they tested as COVID positive. They had to talk to the Contact Tracers.

We were really fortunate in that billionaire, (and former Mayor of NYC,) Michael Bloomberg, donated the funding and created the Contact Tracing software program NYS uses. (Every state has had to come up with their own Contact Tracing, if they have one. As there is no nationwide Pandemic Response Dept to create one for the U.S. ) Bloomberg's team then spent 2 weeks training all the contract tracers. Every region had to have a specific number of contact tracers in place, according to the size of the population of each region, before any region started Phase 1.

So the Contact Tracers were able to tamp down and make sure the 3 back from GA didn't infect anyone else. (We've had about 6 major stories where the Contact Tracers successfully tamped down fires around the state.)

The upside from the Atlanta infection is that the NY Gov. was on Skype/Zoom with Mayor Keisha Bottoms of Atlanta on Monday. He asked her if she needed any assistance as COVID is out of control in Atlanta, and offered her NY's testing and Contact Tracing program.

Mayor Bottoms eagerly accepted the offer to get the ability to do quicker COVID testing than they currently have, along with our Contact Tracing program. Our Gov. is sending a team to get that software program up & running with her people, to train the contact tracers, and get faster testing in place.

(NY Gov had also previously offered our Contact Tracing program and a team to install & train the tracers to all states. I don't know who else has accepted. )

Anyway, Monday the Gov. issued this new form to be filled out by incoming travelers. The Contact Tracers spent a lot of time having to trace back all the steps from the people returning from GA and who they had contact with from when they got off the airplane. He wants the tracers to have that info ahead of time, than tracking the people down after they test positive and finding then that they traveled from an impacted state.