Good Question: Is there a double standard for travel quarantine rules?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Here’s another Good Question about New York’s travel quarantine rules.

A viewer named Ann asked News10NBC’s Brennan Somers: Upon returning from Florida, can one take a COVID-19 test instead of being quarantined?

We’ve addressed that before, and the answer is no.

The rules Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s team announced state, “Symptoms of COVID-19 can appear as late as 14 days after exposure. Therefore, a negative test cannot guarantee that you will not become sick. The full 14 days of quarantine are required.”

Here’s something most people don’t know — the rules aren’t the same for everyone. This is a joint effort between the Tri-state area. It covers New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. While they all use the same list of quarantine states, the restrictions vary.

Connecticut’s guidelines state, “An Affected Traveler is exempt from the self-quarantine requirement if the Affected Traveler (1) has had a test for COVID-19 in the seventy-two (72) hours prior to arrival in Connecticut or at any time following arrival in Connecticut, (2) the result of such COVID-19 test is negative, and (3) he or she has provided written proof of such negative test result to the Commissioner.”

Again, there’s no way around that rule for people coming to New York.

The same goes for the third state involved in this. New Jersey’s site states, “If you are from an impacted state and get a diagnostic/virus test, you should still self-quarantine for 14 days. If you test negative, you are still advised to self-quarantine for 14 days because you remain in the incubation period. A diagnostic test is a point-in-time indicator from the date of when you were last exposed – in this case, being in a state with significant community spread of COVID-19.”

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