37014537 – new york city usa interstate highway sign
Starting July 14, travelers flying in from certain states to New York airports could face a $2,000 fine for failing to fill out a form that officials will use to track travelers, as the state tries to ensure they’re following quarantine restrictions.
New York was hit particularly hard by the pandemic in March and April but has gotten things under control, and officials are now trying to make sure travelers comply with a June advisory aimed at reducing the spread of Covid-19 from states where it is currently surging.
New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, in June, issued a joint travel advisory that requires a 14-day quarantine period for travelers from a list that now includes almost two dozen states, including Texas and Florida, where Covid-19 appears to be spreading. The advisory includes states where their seven-day rolling average of positive tests exceeds 10%, or if the number of positive cases exceeds 10 per 100,000 residents.
In New York, airport travelers from those states will now face a $2,000 fine if they leave the airport without filling out the form. Impacted travelers could face a hearing and an order requiring mandatory quarantine, under a new state emergency health order in July.
New York’s contact form asks for the traveler’s birth date, phone number, email address, gender, date of arrival, and method of travel into New York. Travelers are also asked whether their final destination is in New York, if their primary residence is in the state, how long they’re staying, and where they’re staying.
Gov. Cuomo, who is deploying teams of peace officers and health officials to greet certain travelers at airports, said that airlines have agreed to help make passengers aware of the requirement using pre-flight emails and announcements. Cuomo said travelers coming into New York on trains and cars from impacted states must also fill out the state’s new online form.
Cuomo said New York’s success in fighting Covid-19 is being jeopardized by a lack of compliance and the threat of the virus coming to New York from other states with increasing infection rates.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has said previously that he did not have the authority to block people from traveling to the state.
Connecticut is not yet looking at fines, but Gov. Ned Lamont said his administration is looking at boosting enforcement and tracing travelers landing at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks.
Source: Crain’s New York Business
