New York COVID-19 travel quarantine has local officials on alert

Chad Pradelli Image
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
New York travel quarantine has local officials on alert
A New York coronavirus travel quarantine has many on alert.

Given the situation in New York, it's understandable why officials in neighboring states are wary of New Yorkers traveling into their areas.

Kelly Wakelee made the move from New York City to Downingtown this weekend.

She says, "We drove straight back to the house and I am now self-quarantining for the next two weeks."

She's among those following federal guidelines by the CDC. Her dad picked her up and she's doing a 14-day self-quarantine in her parent's Downingtown home.

Wakelee says this was her concern: "It was about what if I became sick and if I did become sick would I be able to the treatments I needed in New York and the answer was no."

Governor Tom Wolf has stopped short of a travel ban to Pennsylvania, but the message is clear. Do what Wakelee is doing. Florida and Delaware are advising the same.

"You must be quarantined for 14 days if you enter our state," said Governor Tom Wolf.

Governor Wolf has banned non-essential bus travel from New York. This Center City bus depot is quiet. 30th Street Station is a ghost town as Amtrak is on a reduced schedule.

Rhode Island is taking it a step further as state police and the National Guard there have begun to going door to door and pulling over vehicles with New York license plates.

Wakeleee says she and her parents discussed her move at length. She's not concerned about any critics who call her move reckless and says communication is key.

"I want to stress I was not experiencing any symptoms in the weeks prior to this, I've been self quarantining in New York, I have not been going to work. I have not been going outside and traveling, and so have my roommates."

Another concern from lawmakers is when people relocate and may need hospitalization, it puts added strain on the hospitals here.