California, Oregon and Washington issue Covid travel advisory asking for 14-day quarantine



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A masked passenger is seen sitting on a flight from San Francisco, Calif., To Newark, New Jersey, October 27, 2020.

Michael Loccisano | Getty Images

The governors of California, Oregon and Washington released a joint coronavirus travel advisory on Friday urging people arriving in their states to self-quarantine for 14 days and asking residents to avoid all non-essential out-of-state travel.

Pacific Northwest states said essential travel includes people traveling to “work and study, support critical infrastructure, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care and safety.” and security, ”according to a statement.

Democratic governors have also recommended travelers limit their interactions only with people in their household.

“California has just passed a sobering threshold – one million cases of COVID-19 – with no signs of slowing the virus,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “The increase in cases is adding pressure on our hospital systems and threatening the lives of the elderly, essential workers and vulnerable Californians. Travel increases the risk of the spread of COVID-19, and we all collectively need to step up our efforts. right now to keep the virus at bay and save lives. “

The travel advisory is voluntary, according to the Newsom office, which sent a statement saying the best application is “to encourage others to be respectable and to be responsible by taking action.” Asking people to do the right thing is the most powerful application tool we have. “

Friday’s travel warning comes as families across the country change vacation plans and college students plan their return trip amid a wave of Covid-19 cases in nearly every corner of the states -United.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters on a call late last week that the state would step up law enforcement at its airports during the holiday season to ensure that travelers on arrival meet quarantine and testing requirements.

Cuomo said he plans to send more National Guard to help enforce the state’s travel advisory, adding that he has spoken with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio , the increased presence of the New York City Police Department.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that travel can increase a person’s chances of spreading and becoming infected with the coronavirus. The safest option is to stay at home, according to CDC advice.

When it comes to air travel, people need to be aware that the risk isn’t limited to sitting alone on the plane, said Keri Althoff, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School. of Public Health, in a media call Thursday.

Althoff warned that queuing, especially if travelers are within 6 feet of other people, could increase their risk. People should also avoid touching their masks and faces, as airports are full of heavily affected areas, such as bathrooms.

“It’s not just what happens on the plane, but it’s the whole experience,” Althoff said. “And do all you can to reduce your exposures if you choose to travel or, given the rapidly accelerating cases in the country right now, choosing to stay at home may be the best option.”

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