Things to Know Before Traveling Across Government Lines
As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the country, travel restrictions are taking effect more and more. While flights and international travel are gaining attention thanks to enhanced security measures and border closures, it is also important that we focus on the changes in US interstate travel.
Check state restrictions
Before you hit the road, you need to make sure you are aware of any travel advice or restrictions you may encounter in the states you will be driving through. The CDC issued the first national travel restrictions for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut on March 30.
The CDC is urging New Yorkers, New Jersey and Connecticut residents to refrain from nonessential domestic travel for 14 days from an immediate start. This Domestic Travel Fact Sheet does not apply to employees in critical infrastructure industries, including but not limited to vehicles, public health professionals, financial services, and food supply.
Alaska, Florida, and Georgia were the first three states to impose interstate travel restrictions . Currently 17 states require a 14-day quarantine if you are there after traveling from another state, including Alaska, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rod- Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Here are the features of some of the state’s provisions:
Alaska
Travel is prohibited, except for people who must “meet vital personal needs or work critical infrastructure jobs” (see below). Those who can travel to the state will be subject to automatic quarantine or isolation, except as permitted by Alaska or public health laws . mandates.
Critical personal needs include buying, selling, or delivering groceries and home furnishings; obtaining fuel for vehicles or household needs; transportation of family members for assistance outside the home, for basic medical needs, or for transferring custody of children; receiving basic medical care; providing basic health care to a family member; receipt of other important goods; and participation in subsistence farming.
Delaware
Gov. John Carney has ordered travelers entering the state from other parts of the United States to be quarantined for 14 days while in the state. If you are driving to Delaware, you are likely to get stopped:
This order allows any Delaware law enforcement officer to stop a vehicle from moving within the state simply because it displays out-of-state tags. During the stop, the officer may ask limited questions related to the driver’s recent trip. The driver must then be informed of the Governor’s statements and be clearly informed that if they are arriving in Delaware from another state, they must by law go through a self-quarantine within 14 days while in Delaware, or return immediately to Delaware. their home state. This permit does not apply to vehicles traveling on I-95, I-295, or I-495.
Florida
Governor Ron DeSantis previously issued an order on the 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving at airports from the State of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Florida is now also stopping drivers who enter the state from Alabama and Georgia.
Hawaii
For the next 30 days, Governor David Ayge is asking travelers to postpone their visits to Hawaii. All residents and arriving visitors who do decide to travel will be quarantined for 14 days immediately upon entering the state.
Under Section 127A-29 of the HRS, anyone who breaks any quarantine rule must be guilty of misconduct and, if convicted, the person must be fined up to $ 5,000 or imprisoned for up to one year , or both.
Kansas
A Kansas Department of Health and Environment executive order states :
Residents who arrived in California, Florida, New York, Washington on or after March 15; Illinois or New Jersey March 23 or later; or Colorado and Louisiana on or after March 27 must be quarantined within 14 days of returning to Kansas.
The order also extends to non-residents traveling from states with “known widespread community transmission,” including California, New York, Florida, and Washington State.
Rhode Island
Governor Gina Raimondo issued an order that said:
Anyone who travels to Rhode Island from an out-of-state for a purpose other than work must be quarantined immediately for 14 days. This quarantine restriction does not apply to public health, public safety and health workers.
Texas
By order of Governor Greg Abbott , anyone entering Texas from Louisiana will be stopped by the Texas Department of Public Safety and forced to go into quarantine for 14 days.
Take the necessary precautions
If you are traveling interstate for work, you should obtain documentation directly from your employer stating the nature of your trip and need for it, as well as your employer’s contact information, which you can provide to your local or state police if you are staying.
Julie Hall, Public Relations Manager of the American Automobile Association, offers several guidelines to follow if you decide to travel long distances by car:
- Before traveling, talk to your doctor about your current health status and how to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Learn about the impact of COVID-19 on the cities and states you travel through and if there are any restrictions. (See below and also check here ).
- Travel with all necessary travel documentation, including health insurance cards.
- Determine if rest stops are open along your itinerary. This varies from state to state. Gas stations, which are an important business, may be your best toilet option. (Check the websites of each state’s Department of Transportation).
- Please note that restaurants and fast food eateries may be closed, although transport or takeaway can often be used.
- Contact hotels in advance to make sure they are open if you cannot travel in one day.
- Bring plenty of disinfectant sprays / wipes with you.
Regardless of where you are traveling, you should take all possible precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, especially if you are traveling from an area with high infection rates.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends that you consider all of these questions before traveling between states:
- Is COVID-19 spreading in the area you are going to? If COVID-19 is raging in your destination, but not where you currently live or are, you may increase your risk of infection while traveling.
- Will you or your fellow travelers be in close contact with others during the trip? The risk of contracting respiratory viruses such as coronavirus can increase in crowded places, especially in closed rooms with little air circulation, such as in a car.
- Are you or your travel companions at increased risk of contracting COVID-19? People at increased risk of serious illness are older people and people of all ages with serious chronic medical conditions (such as heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes).
- Is COVID-19 spreading where I live when I return from travel? Consider the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to others while traveling, especially if you are in close contact with older people or those with severe chronic illnesses . These people are at a higher risk of serious illness.