CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said nonessential travel between his state and Connecticut should be avoided.
The move comes as Connecticut’s COVID-19 positivity rate spikes. It now stands at three percent. New York’s statewide rate, including its “red zones,” stands at 1.3%.
Per New York’s requirements, New Jersey and Connecticut now meet the criteria to be placed on their own quarantine lists. However, Cuomo said he doesn’t expect residents from those states to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Previously, Governor Ned Lamont had said he was considering rolling back the thresholds for the tri-state travel advisory — an agreement between New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — because a majority of states now qualify for the restrictions.
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Tuesday, Lamont said he’s keeping the advisory the same while working with New York and New Jersey to limit nonessential travel.
“We’re almost like one region so there’s going to be no travel advisory as regards to travel among our three states,” Lamont said. “That said, urging everybody to stay as close to home as best as you can. No need to do nonessential travel. For the rest of the country, keep our existing metrics in place.”
“There is no practical way to quarantine New York from New Jersey and Connecticut,” said Cuomo on a call with reporters. “We are going to be working with Connecticut and New Jersey to see how we can help them with their spikes, and also talk to Connecticut and New Jersey about making it clear that to the extent that travel among the states or between the states is not essential, it should be avoided.”
Lamont told News 8 that the discussion already happened and the plan is set. He said he’ll be reaching out to Rhode Island and Massachusetts as well.
“We’re going to keep the overall travel advisory in place for the other states but for New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, we’re going to have a pact where we don’t have a travel advisory that impacts any of the three of us. We can travel amongst each other.”