Gov. Cuomo announces new general COVID testing requirements for visitors to New York
Editor's Note
Editor's note: This post has been updated to reflect new information.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that those visiting the state from anywhere other than Connecticut and New Jersey must now meet certain COVID testing requirements to get out of a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon entry.
Travelers who have been in another state for more than 24 hours are required to provide a negative COVID test taken no more than three days before departure. Once in New York, a three-day quarantine is still required and will end once another COVID test is taken and comes back negative. Travelers who have spent less than 24 hours in another state are required to complete New York's traveler information form and get a COVID test four days after arrival in New York.
In the event a positive test result comes back, the visitor will have to isolate and the state will initiate contact tracing.
Previously, visitors from a long and ever-changing list of U.S. territories and states were required to undergo a mandatory quarantine when entering the Empire State.
The new protocol takes effect on Wednesday, November 4.
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The full requirements are as follows to test out of the two-week quarantine:
For travelers who were in another state for more than 24 hours:
- Travelers must obtain a test within three days of departure from that state.
- The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days.
- On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain seek another COVID test. If both tests come back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test.
For travelers who were in another state for less than 24 hours:
The traveler does not need a test prior to their departure from the other state, and does not need to quarantine upon arrival in New York State.
However, the traveler must fill out the traveler information form upon entry into New York State, and take a COVID diagnostic test 4 days after their arrival in New York.
Related: A state-by-state guide to reopening
"New York [has] the third lowest positivity rate in the nation and New Yorkers should be very proud of what they're doing," Cuomo said in his announcement. "However, travel has become an issue - the rest of the states pose a threat. We're going to a new plan given the changing facts, and the experts suggest we shift to a testing policy. So there will be no quarantine list; there will be one rule that applies across the country. We bent the curve of this virus by following the data and the science, and we are continuing that approach with these new guidelines."
Related: Dreaming of a sandy beach? These Caribbean countries are open to U.S. tourists
As of Oct. 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tallied nearly 7.8 million cases and 214,446 U.S. deaths due to COVID-19 — an increase of more than six million cases since the quarantine was levied in late June.
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