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As US COVID-19 cases surpass 4 million, more states and cities enforce quarantines

July 24, 2020
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3 min read
Flying Coronavirus Pandemic
As US COVID-19 cases surpass 4 million, more states and cities enforce quarantines
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As the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, local government officials are cracking down on quarantines.

Photo by Benji Stawski for The Points Guy on May 1, 2020.

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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker issued an order Friday requiring out-of-state visitors from most of the U.S. to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, or face a daily fine of $500. The order excludes neighboring states in the New England region as well as New York, New Jersey and Hawaii.


To the south, Washington D.C. has also implemented a quarantine to be enforced for most visitors outside of the region.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's order goes into effect Monday, July 27, and will require people to self-quarantine upon arriving back to D.C. after nonessential travel to high-risk areas. Bowser defined high-risk areas as regions where the seven-day rolling average for new COVID-19 cases is 10 or more per 100,000 people, or 0.01% of the total population.

"We know that there are places where people are not being as cautious or making the sacrifices that were making here in D.C.," Mayor Bowser said in a livestreamed announcement Friday. "And unfortunately when people travel in and out of D.C. from these [high-risk areas], that can put our community's health at risk."

Related: A state-by-state guide to reopening

The ordinance excludes people returning from neighboring states Maryland and Virginia; the mayor's office will publish a list of quarantine regions beginning Monday, which will be updated every two weeks.

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Essential workers entering or returning to the D.C. region are asked to observe more vigilant procedures in lieu of undergoing quarantine.

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/breaking-chicago-institutes-mandatory-quarantine-for-some/

Massachusetts and D.C. join the ranks of Hawaii, Puerto Rico (for untested travelers), Maine, Chicago, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, all of which have implemented quarantines for visitors from high-risk regions, both international and domestic.

As of today, July 24, U.S. COVID-19 cases have surpassed four million, with 135,000 U.S. deaths due to COVID-19 — an increase of 1.8 million cases and 22,000 deaths since TPG first began reporting case data on June 24.

Data courtesy of the CDC



Featured photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.