New Yorkers Could Be Fined After Travel to Nearly Half of Country
New Yorkers coming back from nearly half of the country and others traveling into New York could face large fines or jail for violating the travel advisory.
On Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced four more states meet the metrics to qualify for the travel advisory, requiring individuals who have traveled to New York from those states, all of which have significant community spread, to quarantine for 14 days. 22 states are now on the travel advisory.
The newly-added states are Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Wisconsin. Delaware has been removed. The quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average
"New Yorkers showed incredible courage and resiliency throughout this pandemic, and nowhere is their work more evident than in the numbers we release every day, including in New York City, once a global hotspot," Cuomo said. "However, the success of our efforts depends on citizens' willingness to comply with state guidance, socially distance, wear masks and wash their hands, and rising cases around the country continue to threaten our progress, which is why four new states have been added to New York's travel advisory.
The full, updated list of states on the travel advisory is:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Wisconsin
The travel advisory also requires any New Yorker to quarantine for 14 days after returning from a state on the quarantine list.
Anyone found violating the quarantine will be subject to a judicial order, placed in a mandatory quarantine and fined, Cuomo added.
“You violate the quarantine, you will have to do mandatory quarantine, and you will be fined," Cuomo said.
According to Cuomo, a person found violating the order could be fined $2,000 for the first violation, $5,000 for a second violation and $10,000 if the person causes "harm."
On Monday, Cuomo announced a travel enforcement operation started at airports across the state to help ensure travelers are following the state's quarantine restrictions and to help contain the rates of COVID-19 transmission in New York State.
Cuomo confirmed travelers will be fined $2,000 if they leave an airport without submitting a contact information form. Information on the form includes contact information and travel plans while in New York. The forms will be handed out online, but can also be filled out online.