June 10, 2020

States Are Reopening, But Many Still Require Travelers to Self-Quarantine. Here's Where

States are slowly beginning to open back up, but that doesn't mean travelers are free to come and go as they please in most places amid the coronavirus pandemic.

USA TODAY has an update on the states that discouraged interstate travel by requiring or recommending that visitors and residents returning from other states quarantine. Recently, at least one has state has updated their rules to require 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.

See which states have lifted quarantine orders and which still require or recommend them.

Alaska

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the state's Department of Health and Social Services are lifting the 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 tested within 72 hours to five days before they leave their destination, they can come into Alaska with proof of a negative PCR (antigen) coronavirus test. They can't enter if the test is positive.
  • Alternately, if they had a negative PCR test within five days of departure, they can retest upon arrival in Alaska. They should minimize contact until the results of the second test come in.
  • If travelers choose to test on arrival, they should register with the testing site and need to quarantine until results are in. The traveler will have to quarantine if positive.
  • If the traveler is a member of the critical infrastructure workforce, as determined by the state, they have to adhere to their company's community protective plan the state has on file.

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 will be asked to minimize in-person interactions for an additional 7-14 days after arrival and will be offered a follow-up test," according to a June 3 statement from the governor. "Travelers must complete and sign the Alaska Travel Declaration form and present a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival."

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.

Arkansas

A state Department of Healthdirective that took effect May 14 requires 14 days of self-quarantine for travelers from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Orleans and all international locations.

Connecticut

The state urges any person coming in by any mode of transportation to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Florida

Everyone traveling from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or Louisiana must self-isolate or self-quarantine for 14 days, or for however long they will remain in the state if it's shorter, per executive orders from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Neither order applies to airline employees nor people "performing military, emergency or health responses."

Hawaii

Gov. David Ige's emergency proclamation mandates all visitors and residents arriving at airports in the state to self-quarantine for 14 days. A supplementary proclamation requires all residents and visitors traveling between any of the islands to do the same (though the ban will be lifted for inter-island travelers on June 16).

Everyone traveling inter-island will be subject to thermal screening at the airport, per the state's Department of Transportation. They must also fill out health questionnaires to aid the state in tracking COVID-19 cases.

Idaho

As of May 30, people entering the state from areas with substantial community spread or case rates higher than Idaho's are urged to self-quarantine for 14 days, according to a new "Stay Healthy" order. Nonessential travel is now allowed, according to the order.

Kansas

The state requires a 14-day quarantine for Kansans returning from these states, as of May 12:

  • New York (on or after March 15)
  • Illinois, New Jersey (on or after March 23)
  • Connecticut (on or after April 6)
  • Massachusetts, Rhode Island (on or after April 30)
  • Maryland (on or after May 12)
Kansas is encouraging (though not mandating) those who traveled to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri over Memorial Day weekend to self-quarantine for 14 days if they didn't take precautions like social distancing or wearing face masks.

Maine

An executive order requires travelers to the state to self-quarantine for 14 days, regardless of their state of residency.

Massachusetts

All travelers are instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days, and visitors are urged not to come if they have coronavirus symptoms. Health care, public safety, transportation and designated essential workers are exempt.

Nebraska

Nebraskans traveling from international destinations should self-quarantine and monitor themselves for 14 days or for the duration of their visit if it's shorter than that. The recommendation excludes health care workers, commuters and certain other groups.

New Mexico

Travelers who fly into New Mexico airports must self-quarantine for 14 days (or fewer if their stay is shorter), according to a June 1 executive order from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Certain groups are excluded from the order: Military personnel, airline employees, health care workers and others.

Oklahoma

Gov. 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.

Rhode Island

Gov. Gina M. Raimondo lifted the state's stay-at-home-order as of May 9. A 14-day self-quarantine is required for anyone coming into the state for a non-work-related purpose if the U.S. locality they are coming from has instituted a COVID-19 related stay-at-home restriction, shelter-in-place restriction or made a comparable announcement. The restriction will not apply to anyone traveling for medical treatment nor public health, public safety or health care workers.

South Carolina

The 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.

Utah

Gov. Gary Herbert said most of the state moved to "yellow," or low-risk, May 16 (and further updated this May 29), but a recommendation to limit out-of-state travel and quarantine 14 days upon return from high-risk areas remains in place.

Vermont

On May 15, Gov. Phil Scott extended Vermont's coronavirus state of emergency until June 15. Travelers to the state must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

Virginia

The 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 circulates widely in the community.

Wisconsin

The Department of Health Services says that certain ciites and counties in the state may subject travelers to stay at home or self-quarantine for 14 days.

Contributing: Curtis Tate, Bill Keveney, Hannah Yasharoff, Nicquel Terry Ellis, Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY; Jon Campbell, New York State Team – USA TODAY Network; Reno Gazette Journal; The Associated Press

Copyright 2020 Gannett. All rights reserved. From https://usatoday.com.
By Julia Thompson, Jayme Deerwester and David Oliver, USA TODAY.

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