COVID-19 August Travel Restrictions: Latest Quarantine Rules for US States
Impacting Travel Donald Wood August 18, 2020
As travelers prepare for Labor Day Weekend and the possibility of hitting the road, the ongoing coronavirus outbreak has left tourists uncertain about where they can visit and what restrictions they face once they arrive.
To combat the viral pandemic, several states have imposed restrictions on visitors from areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases. Other states have mandated immediate quarantines and pre-testing to avoid the further spread of the illness.
Here is a comprehensive list of state-specific travel restrictions currently in place across the United States. If a state is not listed, there are currently no travel restrictions in place.
As part of the Keep COVID Out of Alaska program, all non-residents must arrive with a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours before departure or proof of a pending test result. The negative result must be uploaded into the Alaska Travel Portal and tourists must quarantine while waiting for confirmation.
In addition, a non-resident arriving without a pre-test must pay out of pocket for the procedure, which is available for $250 per test. The traveler will be required to quarantine while waiting for results.
For Alaska residents, testing remains available at no cost and those traveling back home to rural areas will now have the option of testing at the airport sites to prevent bringing the virus into our small communities.
Travelers who visit the state and begin showing symptoms of COVID-19 are advised to stay away from others and follow the instructions on how to isolate and get tested. Public health orders may limit travel or even require visitors to stay in Colorado during quarantine or isolation, at their own expense.
The order means travelers may not be able to leave the state, regardless of how you arrived, which ensures the safety of the tourist and those they come in contact with on the trip home.
Connecticut, New Jersey and New York
As part of a partnership between all three states, anyone traveling to the region from an area boasting a new daily positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average is directed to self-quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state.
Anyone entering from one of the 36 states and jurisdictions on the travel advisory list must also fill out a Travel Health Form, with failure to do so potentially resulting in a $1,000 fine and mandated quarantine completion.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an order for travelers arriving for non-essential reasons to self-quarantine for 14 days if they are returning from one of the 29 states on the high-risk list. For those embarking on essential travel, they are required to self-monitor for symptoms and limit activities.
Governor Ron DeSantis modified a travel mandate that requires most people arriving from Connecticut, New Jersey, New York or Louisiana for non-essential reasons to self-quarantine for 14 days.
All travelers arriving in the islands from out of state must quarantine for 14 days, except for those who perform emergency response or critical infrastructure functions. Officials also revealed interisland travelers who arrive in Kauai, Hawaii, Maui or Kalawao must self-quarantine for 14 days.
Starting September 1, travelers arriving in Hawaii from out of state must show a negative COVID-19 test result or self-quarantine for 14 days.
While there are no statewide restrictions currently in place for Illinois, Chicago issued an Emergency Travel Order that requires a 14-day quarantine for both visitors and returning residents who come from 21 areas experiencing a surge in new COVID-19 cases.
Kansas residents returning to the state or arriving from Florida or Arizona must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. In addition, anyone entering the state after traveling to a country with a CDC Level 3 Travel Health Notice will have to quarantine, including Brazil, China, Iran, Europe’s Schengen area, Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Kentucky issued a new travel advisory in July that recommends a 14-day quarantine for those entering the state from Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Puerto Rico.
The state recently issued a modified a travel mandate requiring those visiting Maine who plan to stay in a lodging establishment to show a negative COVID-19 test or opt to self-quarantine for 14 days. Travelers from five states, including Vermont and New Hampshire, are exempt.
Travelers arriving in Maryland are “encouraged” to undergo a test within 72 hours before departure or promptly upon arrival, self-quarantining until the results are known. As for residents, they should get tested and self-quarantine when returning from any state with a COVID-19 test positivity rate of ten percent or higher.
Returning residents and tourists heading to Massachusetts will be required to quarantine for fourteen days or provide a negative COVID-19 test result taken up to 72 hours before their arrival.
Failure to comply with this directive will result in a $500 fine per day. Travelers over the age of 18 or unaccompanied minors are also required to fill out an online Massachusetts Travel Form.
Travelers entering New Hampshire from non-New England states for “an extended period of time” are still being instructed to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival, though the government’s “Safer at Home” guidance does not specify any enforcement measures.
All out-of-state travelers staying overnight in New Mexico and not meeting exemptions are now required to quarantine for 14 days upon entry into the state, whether they’re arriving by plane or via ground transportation.
Travelers entering Ohio from states reporting positive testing rates of 15 percent or higher based on a seven-day rolling average are “advised” to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
Anyone coming from 19 states with high COVID-19 case counts is required to quarantine for 14 days, but there is no word on how the mandates are being enforced or the possible penalties.
Governor Gina Raimondo announced that anyone arriving in Rhode Island from an area with a stay-at-home order still in effect must self-quarantine for 14 days.
The state recommends travelers coming from any region with widespread viral transmission adhere to quarantine for two weeks from the date of their departure for South Carolina.
Residents arriving in a personal vehicle from the Northeast are permitted to enter without quarantining, but out-of-state visitors from outside the region must either undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival or may complete a seven-day quarantine, followed by a negative test in their own state.
All out-of-state travelers utilizing lodging, campgrounds or other accommodations must complete and submit a Certificate of Compliance form or verify compliance via a digital checkbox.
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