Topline
Due to an uptick in coronavirus cases which technically qualify New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania to be on New York’s quarantine list, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday advised against non-essential travel in the tri-state area and said he’s open to further restrictions.
Cuomo acknowledged that it would be impractical to force residents to quarantine for two weeks upon ... [+]
Key Facts
Cuomo said that New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania have surpassed the positivity threshold required to make New York’s travel advisory list, which now includes 43 states and territories.
However, as he has long insisted, Cuomo acknowledged that it would be impractical to force residents to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival in New York.
“There are just too many interchanges, there are too many interconnections, there are too many people who live in one place and work in another,” said the governor, adding: “It would have a disastrous effect on the economy.”
While Cuomo said he wouldn’t enforce a quarantine, he is open to the idea of limiting non-essential travel between the three states.
Cuomo said he will speak to the governors of these states on Wednesday about potential travel limitations.
Crucial Quote
“We’re going to be working with Connecticut and New Jersey to see how we can help them with their spikes and also … about making it clear to the extent travel between the states is non-essential, it should be avoided,” said Cuomo.
Key Background
To qualify for the travel advisory list, states must report a 10% positivity rate on a seven-day rolling average or more than 10 new cases per 100,000 people in the same period. New Jersey reported 80 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past week, amounting to 7,109 cases, Connecticut counted 74, totaling 2,644 new cases in the state and Pennsylvania had 83 per 100,000, reporting 10,598 total cases. New York has managed to keep the virus mostly at bay after a deadly few months in the state ending in early June, though it has recently reported a slight increase in cases (up 10% over the past two weeks from the 14 days prior).
Further Reading
“Virus Cases Spike In New Jersey, Threatening ‘Lurch Backward’” (The New York Times)
“As CT cases climb, Lamont revises travel advisory” (ctpost)
