New York State has added another handful of states to its travel advisory list and removed one.
At last count, there were 31 states on the list; travelers who’ve traveled to New York from them must self-quarantine for 14 days, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, in an effort to keep COVID-19 numbers here from exploding again.
Air travelers are being met by police at the airports and asked to fill out a form that details where they’re going.
“And we follow up,” he said Thursday.
States on the list: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, and Iowa.
Also: Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Nebraska.
Also: New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Minnesota has been removed from the original list.
The quarantine applies to anyone arriving from a state with a positive COVID test rate higher than 10 per 100,000.
Governor Cuomo continues to warn of “new threats on the horizon,” both from states that haven’t learned the lessons of the past six months and to the economy.
Wednesday, he joined Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in calling on Congress to pass the $500 billion State Stabilization fund as part of its next COVID-19 relief package.
“As states reopen, we cannot imperil our economic recovery efforts by slashing state programs that pay our teachers, firefighters, health care and frontline workers,” Governor Cuomo said.
“…Congress must provide states with $500 billion in unrestricted assistance…We need the Senate’s strong support now so we can fight the virus together and make economic recovery a reality.”
And that—economic recovery, especially in New York City—will be the state’s next challenge after COVID, he said in a press conference Thursday.
With more people working from home and NYC’s biggest draws—Broadway, restaurants, museums—shuttered, businesses are questioning the need to pay sky-high rents, he said.
That, coupled with increases in crime, homelessness, and graffiti “[is] a situation we have to address. All of these elements happening at the same time. That could be a problem.”
But not big enough to bring in federal agents like President Donald Trump is doing in other cities like Portland, Oregon and threatening to do in Chicago.
“I talked to the President and there’s no need. There is no federal property in danger,” Governor Cuomo said.
“The Constitution is clear on this. He said he would not be sending troops to New York City. If he were to do it, we would sue.
“The President said he heard me. He wouldn’t do it. We’d talk if anything changed. But I’ll stay on top of it.”
Governor Cuomo again thanked the states that offered help when New York was at its worst, along with the more than 30,000 nurses and doctors who volunteered “who knew the threat…I said at the time, we will never forget. We will repay the gratitude,” he said.
And he’s been doing that, he said, working closely with cities that include Atlanta, Houston, and Savannah. Offering them advice and assistance.
He also issued a warning to the state’s young people: COVID rates are rising fastest in those 21-30 years old.
“This is not the time to fight for your right to party,” he said.