WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Anyone traveling to New York, New Jersey or Connecticut from Florida or other high-infection coronavirus states will be required to quarantine for 14 days to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.
Following through on an idea he suggested last week, Cuomo was joined remotely by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont in announcing the new travel advisory.
Cuomo said it will take effect at midnight.
In addition to Florida, the other states Cuomo named are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and Utah.
The move is a reversal of sorts for a state that was once the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order in March mandating that travelers arriving in Florida from New York, New Jersey or Connecticut self-isolate for 14 days. His announcement came after a passenger on a JetBlue flight from New York arrived at Palm Beach International Airport after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Cuomo said the quarantine is not a travel ban, but anyone who violates the quarantine could be subject to civil penalties.
"You violate the quarantine, you will then have to do mandatory quarantine and then you'll be fined," he said.