These states require travelers to self-quarantine or present negative COVID-19 test28.07.2020 USA TODAY: These states require travelers to self-quarantine or present negative COVID-19 testAs state have opened back up, some are now tightening restrictions, and travelers may not be free to come and go as they please amid the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY has an update on the states that are discouraging interstate travel by requiring or recommending that visitors and residents returning from other states quarantine. And some states are requiring a recent, negative COVID-19 test in lieu of a blanket quarantine policy. Some counties or municipalities have issued similar advice to travelers, so anyone looking to go on a road trip or take a summer vacation should check government websites for their destination and anywhere they plan to stop overnight. Here are the states that require or recommend traveler quarantines: AlaskaAlaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the state's Department of Health and Social Services lifted state's mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers. Both interstate and international travelers can come to Alaska as long as they meet the following requirements:
If none of the above applies (the traveler doesn't have a test result, rejects testing, or is not a critical worker), that person must quarantine for 14 days. Travelers who already had COVID-19, tested positive at least three weeks prior to their arrival, are currently asymptomatic and can show a doctor's note attesting to their recovery do not need to be retested. ArkansasWhile the state no longer mandates a 14-day quarantine for visitors, it still asks that Arkansans consider doing so when returning from travel to affected areas. ConnecticutEffective June 25, the state will require a 14-day quarantine for any visitor or resident returning from a region with a transmission rate of 10 positive tests for every 100,000 residents on a seven-day rolling average. As of July 21, the quarantine rule would affect anyone coming from Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The rule is the result of a joint travel advisory issued with New Jersey and New York. Click here for the full list. Staying Apart, Together: A newsletter about how to cope with the coronavirus pandemic District of ColumbiaWashington, D.C. will require travelers coming to the city to self-quarantine for 14 days if they are arriving from a high-risk area on nonessential travel. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said July 24 that the self-quarantine requirement would take effect the following week. Maryland and Virginia, which border D.C., are exempt from the order, but other states that see a seven-day moving average of new COVID-19 cases at 10 or more per 100,000 people will be affected. FloridaEffective June 5, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis extended its 14-day quarantine rule for visitors from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The order does not apply to anyone participating in commercial or academic activities, including athletes returning to college campuses. HawaiiOn July 13, Gov. David Ige announced he was delaying the start of a program that would allow out-of-state visitors with a negative COVID-19 test to bypass quarantine by at least one month to Sept. 1. Ige cited "uncontrolled outbreaks and surges" on the mainland as a factor in the state's decision, singling out several states with spikes, including California and Arizona, which are big sources of visitors to Hawaii. Scratch that August trip to Hawaii: The state just extended its quarantine until Sept. 1 IllinoisAs of July 23, the city of Chicago required visitors from the following states to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Kansas joins the list on July 24. KansasThe state requires a 14-day quarantine for those heading to Kansas from these states:
KentuckyUnder a new advisory announced Monday, Kentuckians who travel to nine hot spot states reporting positive testing rates equal or greater than 15% are now recommended to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine. The states included in Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s travel advisory are Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Mississippi. Beshear said case clusters have been traced to residents who have recently returned from vacations or attended large gatherings such as block parties or barbecues. MaineMaine's Department of Health and Human Services requires travelers to the state to self-quarantine for 14 days unless they can present a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours. Residents of New Hampshire and Vermont are exempt, as well as the tri-state contingent of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. MarylandUnder Maryland's current "Safer at Home" advisory, the state recommends – but does not require – residents returning from out of state who display symptoms to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival home. MassachusettsAs of Aug. 1, everyone coming into Massachusetts must quarantine for 14 days or show a negative COVID-19 test result administered up to 72 hours in advance of their arrival. If the test results haven't come in before travelers get to Massachusetts, you they quarantine until the results are in. Anyone entering the state has to fill out a travel form before entering, also as of Aug. 1. However, those traveling from lower-risk states or who meet other exemptions won't have to do so. Details here. People who don't follow the rules could be subject to a $500 fine per day. Before Aug.1: Anyone traveling to the state must self-quarantine for 14 days except for those traveling from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Jersey, as of July 1. Massachusetts exempts essential workers, as well, if they are visiting the state in a work capacity. NebraskaNebraskans returning from international travel and visitors coming to the state for less than 14 days should self-quarantine for the duration of their visit. The recommendation excludes health care workers, commuters and certain other groups.The recommendation excludes health care workers, commuters and certain other groups. New HampshireUnder the state's "Safer at Home" guidelines, it requests – but does not require – out-of-state visitors who will be staying in New Hampshire for an extended period of time to self-quarantine for 14 days. New JerseyTravelers flying into New Jersey from so-called hot spot states where coronavirus is spiking will be asked to fill out a survey starting July 20. The announcement came from state health Commissioner Judith Persichilli more than three weeks after Gov. Phil Murphy joined his counterparts in New York and Connecticut to announce a mandatory 14-day quarantine for visitors arriving from states with high numbers of positive cases. There are 31 states on the hot spot list: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Here's the list. It includes those where COVID-19 test rates are higher than 10 positive cases per 100,000 residents or a state with a higher than 10% positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average. Those who test negative can end their quarantine early, and there are exemptions for certain workers. New MexicoOn June 1, the state allowed more exemptions to the state's 14-day quarantine requirement for anyone entering through an airport or anywhere from out of state. In addition to airline, military and essential workers, business travelers and those appearing pursuant to a court order do not have to quarantine. New JerseyAlong with his counterparts in Connecticut and New York, Gov. Phil Murphy announced a joint travel advisory which says that visitors or residents returning from a high-transmission state must quarantine for 14 days. This affects those coming from Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. New YorkGov. Andrew Cuomo's state, which was the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic early on, is also requiring visitors and residents returning from from out of state to quarantine for 14 days. This will affect anyone coming Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. OhioPeople traveling to Ohio from states with positive COVID-19 testing rates of 15% or higher are subject to the state's new travel advisory. Travelers should plan to self-quarantine for two weeks at home or in a hotel if traveling from Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina or Texas. OklahomaGov. Kevin Stitt has not rescinded his executive order requiring people arriving on flights from the New York tri-state area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut), Washington state, California or Louisiana to quarantine for 14 days. Airline personnel, military, health care and emergency workers are exempt. PennsylvaniaPennsylvanians should quarantine for 14 days when returning from the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. The state's health department encourages those who traveled or plan to travel to an area with high coronavirus case counts to stay home for 14 days after their trips. Rhode IslandYou must self-quarantine for 14 days or provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arriving in Rhode Island if coming from certain states with a COVID-19 positivity rate higher than 5% (check here for the up-to-date list). You can leave quarantine if you receive a negative test result once in the state. South CarolinaThe state recommends that travelers returning from an area with widespread or ongoing community spread stay home for a period of 14 days from the date of departure. UtahThe state asks visitors or returning residents to quarantine if they've been in high-risk areas. VermontEffective June 15, "Visitors and travelers coming to Vermont by plane, bus or train ─ or those who make stops in a personal vehicle ─ must quarantine for 14 days when they arrive," the state health department said. Visitors may either:
VirginiaThe state Department of Health recommends a 14-day self-quarantine for those who have traveled internationally, on a cruise ship or river boat, or to a U.S. area where COVID-19 circulated widely in the community. West VirginiaThe Bureau of Public Health's most recent COVID-19 bulletin"recommends state residents with plans to vacation in a crowded area be extremely cautious, practice social distancing and wear a face mask, and those who have traveled or are traveling to a large or crowded vacation area to self-monitor/quarantine for 14 days upon return." WisconsinThe Department of Health Services says that certain cities and counties in the state may subject travelers to stay at home or self-quarantine for 14 days |
