Travel Ban for People Coming from COVID-19 Hot States

In April 2020, the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, was raging in the state of New York. We were the epicenter for cases of COVID-19, and we worked very hard to flatten our curve. The hard work of New Yorkers paid off, and we saw a reduction from 800 deaths in one day in April, down to 7 deaths on Sunday. Although even one death is tragic, this is an enormous improvement.

In an effort to combat the resurgence of COVID-19, Mayor Andrew Cuomo has issued a travel ban on states with a spike in COVID-19 cases. Passengers arriving into Albany International Airport from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas are required to complete a 14-day quarantine. Travelers who fail to quarantine themselves for 14 days, could be fined a minimum of $2000 and a maximum of $10,000 if the traveler causes harm to someone else.

In addition, Governor Cuomo is requiring passengers on flights arriving at Albany International Airport to complete a quarantine questionnaire. Passengers will be asked whether they traveled to one of the states with a spike in COVID-19 infections, their address, whether they have symptoms of COVID-19 such as trouble breathing, chills, or fever. They will also be asked if New York State is their final destination or if they are traveling as an essential employee.

Governor Cuomo emphasized his point by saying “This is not a polite recommendation, this is a strong advisory built on the back of the healthcare professionals.” He also said, “We are asking folks to take on a big amount of personal responsibility here, to do the right thing for themselves as well as their families, communities and the rest of us.“

Governor Cuomo has worked hard to open up our state safely. We all realize that Americans enjoy traveling during the summer months, but the summer of 2020 is very different from any other summer. We have to be smart, and each person must do their part to keep all of us healthy and safe.