Coronavirus: CDC issues 14-day travel advisory for tri-state area after Trump backtracks on quarantine plan
Hours after President Donald Trump said he is considering quarantining "hot spots" in parts of the tri-state area, -- New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut where cases of coronavirus continue to rise, the President has said a full quarantine will not be necessary.
While, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel advisory for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump tweeted, "I am giving consideration to a QUARANTINE of developing “hot spots”, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. A decision will be made, one way or another, shortly."
He also told reporters as he departed the White House for Norfolk Naval Station to send off a Navy hospital ship to New York, "We're thinking about certain things. Some people would like to see New York quarantined because it's a hotspot. ... We might not have to do it, but there's a possibility that sometime today we'll do a quarantine, short-term, two weeks on New York. Probably New Jersey, certain parts of Connecticut."
Trump's statement was immediately met with criticism by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. In an interview with CNN, Cuomo said that he did not think a possible New York quarantine was legal and that it would be a "federal declaration of war." He said, "It would be chaos and mayhem. It's totally opposite everything he's been saying. I don't think it's plausible. I don't think it's legal."
Cuomo also noted that such a move would "paralyze the economy." He said, "I think it would shock the economic markets in a way that we have never seen before. I am not going to close off my borders. Trucks have to come in, food has to come in, mail has to come in."
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut also spoke out against Trump's proposal, tweeting, "The specifics & impact of this new directive by tweet are unclear & uncertain. The effect may be more confusion than confidence. Gov. Lamont has been strong & effective in his leadership instructing CT’s people to self-quarantine & stay at home if possible."
He added, "Trump should be consulting with the governors, which evidently he has not done. The governors of CT, NY, & NJ have been ahead of federal authorities in their courageous & steadfast leadership, listening to the advice of scientists, & their insights & input should be heeded."
However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis supported Trump's suggestion. In a news conference live-streamed from the state Capitol, DeSantis said, "How is it fair to them to just be airdropping in people from the hot zones, bringing infections with them and seeding the communities with new infections that they’re trying to stamp out? I just think it’s bad policy to have people dispersing from there, and then seeding in other parts of the country, including the state of Florida.”
Later on Saturday, Trump backtracked on the idea, tweeting, "On the recommendation of the White House CoronaVirus Task Force, and upon consultation with the Governor’s of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, I have asked the @CDCgov to issue a strong Travel Advisory, to be administered by the Governors, in consultation with the Federal Government. A quarantine will not be necessary. Full details will be released by CDC tonight. Thank you!"
Later on Saturday, the CDC issued a travel advisory asking residents of the three states to refrain from non-essential travel for 14 days, effective immediately. The advisory does not apply to people who work for "critical infrastructure industries, including but not limited to trucking, public health professionals, financial services, and food supply, the CDC said in a statement.