Coronavirus Travel Advisory Goes Into Effect In N.Y., N.J., Conn.; Massive Fines Possible For Quarantine Non-Compliance
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- As cases of coronavirus are rising daily across the country, Tri-State Area governors are not taking any chances.
New restrictions for travelers go into effect Thursday to prevent another spike in our area, CBS2's John Dias reported.
All over LaGuardia Airport there are signs reminding people to travel smart and follow new rules. The newest one of them all is arguably the toughest, a 14-day quarantine on travelers from coronavirus hotspot states.
"I think it's better safe than sorry, honestly," said traveler Corey Trainor of Norwalk, Conn.
"I'm pretty much self-quarantined as it is, not going to work, you're working from home. So, it's not that bad. It could be worse," added Matt Roe of Staten Island.
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On Wednesday, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut issued travel advisories requiring visitors from now eight states, including Florida, North Carolina and Texas, to self-isolate. Washington was dropped from the original list. The new quarantine rule may prove to be problematic for many, since it requires all individuals to self-isolate, including residents of the Tri-State Area returning back home from trips to those states.
"On the bright side, there's not much to do right now," Manhattan resident Andrew Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman and his friends were traveling to San Antonio, Texas for a drive-in music festival. The state has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases. Things are dire in Houston, as the city's Intensive Care Unit beds are at 97% capacity.
When asked if he's nervous about catching the virus, Zimmerman said, "I mean, a little bit at this point, just because New York handled it so well, and then you see these other states becoming more relaxed about it and now they're becoming epicenter of it."
But Anne Marie McCord, a registered nurse from Farmingville on Long Island, said she believes the new self-isolation rule is overkill.
"I think the cases are going to go up anyway and I don't think it's because of people in Florida and Texas coming to New York. I think because things are opening up and we should be expecting it to go up," McCord said.
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New York's numbers have steadily declined, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said if travelers get the virus somewhere else, they could bring it here.
And in New York, you risk a fine up to $10,000 if you don't quarantine. The governor admitted it will operate on an honor system.
"You could argue that every law is the honors system until you get caught, right? You can speed in a car until you get caught and then you get penalized," Cuomo said.
Tri-State Area governors say the list of states could grow or shrink in the future, depending on the COVID-19 infection rates.
AAA predicts Americans will take nearly 700 million trips this summer, down nearly 15% compared to last year, and the crisis has led to a major shift where. Formerly top destination Orlando, Fla., has slipped to No. 8, replaced by Denver.
