1 Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Quarantine Restrictions

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Quarantine Restrictions on Travelers Arriving in New York

State Following Out of State Travel

July 2, 2020

Background:

Was a travel advisory was issued for NYS?

Yes. Effective 12:01am on Thursday, June 25, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 205 that

requires individuals to quarantine for 14 days after traveling for 24 hours or longer within designated

states that have significant rates of transmission of COVID-19. Guidance

was also issued by the New York

State Department of Health. Since New York has successfully reduced COVID-19 transmission, vigilance

must be maintained to ensure that New York does not see a surge in new cases from states with

increasing community transmission of COVID-19.

What states meet the criteria for required quarantine?

Individuals are subject to the travel advisory if they have visited states identified as having a seven-day

rolling average of over 10% of all COVID-19 tests producing a positive result, or the number of positive

cases exceeding 10 per 100,000 residents. This list will be continually evaluated based on cases in each

state over time. Please refer to the following website for updates regarding impacted states:

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory

If I arrive in NY from a state that has been added to the designated state list before the date it was

added, but before 14 days have elapsed, do I have to quarantine?

The travel advisory is not retroactive. However, travelers from those states are advised to self-monitor

and get tested if they start to develop any symptoms, within the 14 day timeframe.

What does the travel advisory mean?

New York has joined with New Jersey and Connecticut in jointly issuing a travel advisory for anyone

returning from travel to states that have a significant degree of community-wide spread of COVID-19.

The travel advisory requires all such travelers to quarantine when they enter New York for 14 days from

the last day of travel in a designated state(s). The travel advisory requires all New Yorkers, as well as

those visiting from out of state, to take personal responsibility for complying with the advisory in the

best interest of public health and safety.

What does quarantine mean?

If you are returning from travel to a designated state, and if such travel was for longer than the limited

duration outlined above, you are required to quarantine when you enter New York for 14 days from the

last day you were in a designated state(s), unless you are an essential worker or fall under another

exception as determined by the Commissioner. The requirements to safely quarantine include:

• The individual must not be in public or otherwise leave the quarters that they have identified as

suitable.

• The individual must be situated in separate quarters with a separate bathroom facility for each

individual or family group. Access to a sink with soap, water, and paper towels is necessary.

Cleaning supplies (e.g. household cleaning wipes, bleach) must be provided in any shared

bathroom.

• The individual must have a way to self-quarantine from household members as soon as fever or

other symptoms develop, in a separate room(s) with a separate door. Given that an exposed

person might become ill while sleeping, the exposed person must sleep in a separate bedroom

from household members.

• Food must be delivered to the person’s quarters.

• Quarters must have a supply of face masks for individuals to put on if they become

symptomatic.

• Garbage must be bagged and left outside for routine pick up. Special handling is not required.

• A system for temperature and symptom monitoring must be implemented to provide

assessment in-place for the quarantined persons in their separate quarters.

• Nearby medical facilities must be notified, if the individual begins to experience more than mild

symptoms and may require medical assistance.

• The quarters must be secure against unauthorized access.

What does the travel advisory mean for first responders and essential workers?

As stated above, there are specific protocols

for essential workers related to the travel advisory, to allow

such workers to work upon their return to New York while also taking steps to mitigate any risk of

transmission of COVID-19.

In addition, all essential workers must continue to adhere to existing guidance, including guidance

regarding return to work after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or after the employee had

close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19.

Further, for all essential workers who have been in a designated state in the 14 days prior to arrival in

New York State shall abide by the following requirements. These conditions may change over time.

Quarantine and monitoring requirements of traveling essential workers apply for the following

timeframes:

Short Term – for essential workers traveling to New York State for a period of less than 12 hours.

• This includes instances such as an essential worker passing through New York, delivering goods,

awaiting flight layovers, and other short duration activities.

• Essential workers should stay in their vehicle and/or limit personal exposure by avoiding public

spaces as much as possible.

• Essential workers should monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering

when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.

• Essential workers are required, unless required for such essential work, to avoid extended

periods in public, contact with strangers, and large congregate settings, for 14 days.

Medium Term – for essential workers traveling to New York State for a period of less than 36 hours,

requiring them to stay overnight.

• This includes instances such as an essential worker delivering multiple goods in New York,

awaiting longer flight layover, and other medium duration activities.

• Essential workers should monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering

when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.

• Essential workers are required, to the extent possible unless required for such essential work, to

avoid extended periods in public, contact with strangers, and large congregate settings for a

period of at least 14 days.

Long Term – for essential workers traveling to New York State for any period of greater than 36 hours,

requiring them to stay at least several days.

• This includes instances such as an essential worker working on longer projects, fulfilling

extended employment obligations, and other longer duration activities.

• Essential workers should seek diagnostic testing for COVID-19 as soon as possible upon arrival

(within 24 hours) to ensure they are not positive.

• Essential workers should monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering

when in public, maintain social distancing, clean and disinfect workspaces for a minimum of 14

days.

• Essential workers, to the extent possible unless required for such essential work, are required to

avoid extended periods in public, contact with strangers, and large congregate settings for a

period of at least 14 days.

Who is an essential worker?

An “essential worker” is (1) any individual employed by an entity included on the Empire State

Development (ESD) Essential Business list; or (2) any individual who is employed as a health care worker,

first responder, or in any position within a nursing home, long-term care facility, or other congregate

care setting, or an individual who is employed as an essential employee who directly interacts with the

public while working, or (3) any other worker or person deemed such by the Commissioner of Health.

Pursuant to Executive Order 202.45, any essential employee who travels to a designated state as part of

the person’s employment, or at the direction of the employee’s employer, will remain eligible for

benefits under New York’s COVID-19 paid sick leave law.

Resources for essential worker lists:

• ESD Essential Business list: https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026

• DOH Protocol for COVID-19 Testing (5/13/20):

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/06/doh_covid19_revisedtestin

gprotocol_053120.pdf

• DOH Interim Guidance for Professional Sports Teams Traveling Between States with Significant

Community Spread of Covid-19 and New York State (7/1/20):

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/07/professional-sports-travel-

advisory-guidance.pdf

How does this travel restriction affect healthcare personnel?

Anyone who has traveled to a designated state will be required to quarantine when entering New York

State for 14 days from the last day in a designated state. However, entities may allow healthcare

personnel (HCP) who have traveled to a designated state to work as essential workers if all the following

conditions are met:

1. Furloughing such HCP would result in staff shortages that would adversely impact operation of

the healthcare entity, and all other staffing options have been exhausted.

2. HCPs are asymptomatic.

3. HCP received diagnostic testing for COVID-19 within 24 hours of arrival in New York.

4. HCP is self-monitoring twice a day (i.e. temperature, symptoms), and receiving temperature

monitoring and symptom checks at the beginning of each shift, and at least every 12 hours

during a shift.

5. HCP is wearing a facemask while working.

6. To the extent possible, HCP working under these conditions should preferentially be assigned to

patients at lower risk for severe complications, as opposed to higher-risk patients (e.g. severely

immunocompromised, elderly).

7. HCP allowed to return to work under these conditions should maintain self-quarantine when not

at work.

8. At any time, if the HCP working under these conditions develop symptoms consistent with

COVID-19, they should immediately stop work and isolate at home. All staff with symptoms

consistent with COVID-19 should be immediately referred for diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2.

What if I have a medical appointment or procedure?

If you have a health care procedure or appointment scheduled in New York that cannot be postponed,

you (and your support person/companion) may travel to the extent necessary to maintain that

appointment, but must otherwise remain quarantined. For further information, see the Department’s

guidance

on this topic.

Are students enrolled in NYS health care education programs who reside out of state required to

quarantine upon their return to New York for classes?

Students who have traveled in or to any of the designated states requiring quarantine, and are currently

enrolled in a NYS health care education program, are required to adhere to the essential worker

guidance

upon their arrival in New York.

Additional Questions:

If I am not an essential worker, can I travel to one of the designated states for vacation or to see

family?

Yes. However, upon your return you will be required to quarantine when you enter New York for 14

days from the last day you were in a designated state(s). In addition, pursuant to Executive Order

202.45, any New York State resident who voluntarily travels to a designated state for travel that was not

taken as part of the person’s employment or at the direction of the person’s employer, will not be

eligible benefits under New York’s COVID-19 paid sick leave law.

I am only passing through designated states for less than 24 hours through my course of travel. Do I

need to quarantine?

No. Individuals passing through a designated state for less than 24 hours, such as stopping at rest stops

for vehicles, buses, and/or trains; or lay-overs for air travel, bus travel, or train travel, are not required

to quarantine.

I am a resident of a designated state and will be visiting family in NYS for less than 14 days. Will I have

to quarantine in NYS for the full 14 days?

While in New York State, you will need to maintain quarantine for 14 days from the last day you were in

a designated state(s). If you are in New York State for less than 14 days, you will need to quarantine for

the entire time you are in New York and, to protect the public wherever you are, you should complete

the remainder of the 14-day period quarantine period in your home upon return to a designated state.

I am traveling from a designated state to New York State am visiting for less than 14 days. If I am

required to quarantine for 14 days, who will pay for my accommodations, meals, and lost wages?

Travelers from designated states may leave the state prior to the expiration of the 14-day quarantine

period. However, to protect the public wherever you are, you should still maintain quarantine for the

remainder of the 14-day period. Travelers are responsible for their own expenses during quarantine.

If I am a New York State resident arriving from a designated state, will I be given a quarantine order?

Do I have to report myself to the local health department?

The NYS Department of Health expects all travelers to comply and protect public health by adhering to

the quarantine without receipt of an individual order. However, the NYS Department of Health and the

local health departments reserve the right to issue a mandatory quarantine order, if needed. If you

would like an order for purposes of applying for a sick leave benefit, please contact the local health

department where you are staying or where you reside. However, as mentioned above, pursuant to

Executive Order 202.45, any New York State resident who voluntarily travels to a designated state for

travel that was not taken as part of the person’s employment or at the direction of the person’s

employer, will not be eligible benefits under New York’s COVID-19 paid sick leave law.

Clinical Testing

If I have a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test, does that mean I can come out of quarantine?

No. 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.

Compliance

How will my quarantine be enforced?

The NYS Department of Health expects all travelers to comply and protect public health by adhering to

the quarantine. However, the NYS Department of Health and the local health departments reserve the

right to issue a mandatory quarantine order, if needed. Pursuant to Executive Order 205, anyone who

violates a quarantine order may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 or imprisonment up to 15

days per PHL 229.

If I am driving from a designated state to New York State. Will law enforcement stop me because I

have an out-of-state license plate?

The Executive Order does not direct law enforcement to stop people solely due to an out-of-state

license plate.