Floridians are on a short list of visitors who will be required to self-quarantine if visiting New York, Connecticut or New Jersey in the near future.
The tri-state area is requiring visitors from other states with high infection rates to quarantine for 14 days - Florida being one of them.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the “travel advisory” Wednesday at a briefing joined via video feed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, all Democrats.
“We now have to make sure the rates continue to drop.” Cuomo said. “We also have to make sure the virus doesn’t come on a plane again.”
Murphy said the states’ health departments will provide details of how the rule will work.
Cuomo said visitors from states over a set infection rate will have to quarantine. As of Wednesday states over the threshold included Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah and Texas.
Earlier in the pandemic, Florida instituted a similar rule to persons traveling from New York.
Checkpoints on Interstate 95 screened travelers and required they self-quarantine for 14 days.
The checkpoints are still active.
On Wednesday, Florida shattered its daily record for new coronavirus cases with more than 5,500 confirmed.
The 5,506 new COVID-19 cases pushed the state's total to 109,014, according to figures released by the Florida Department of Health.
The rapidly escalating daily figures continue a trend that began when Florida started reopening its economy last month. In response, several counties and cities have implemented emergency orders requiring the wearing of masks in public places like stores and cracking down on businesses that aren't enforcing social distancing rules.
