In response to the increasing daily rates of COVID-19 cases in a number of states, governors from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have banded together to implement a new set of travel restrictions, but essential workers such as truck drivers are exempt.

According to a number of sources, including an email sent out by the New Jersey Motor Truck Association, the travel advisory is voluntary and does not apply to essential workers including truck drivers. Also, the three states will not be setting up checks at the border.

During the joint press conference, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced an a mandatory 14-day quarantine for people traveling from any state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day rolling average or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average. 

“We went from the highest cases, the highest viral transmission rate to some of the lowest rates in the country,” said Gov. Cuomo, adding that the need to keep the numbers from rising again keeps him up at night. “No one else had to bend the curve as much as we had to bend the curve.”

Although Governors Cuomo, Murphy, and Lamont made the annoucement together, each state will handle it as they see fit.

Currently, the following states meet the requirements for mandated quarantines:

• Alabama

• Arkansas

• Arizona

• Florida

• North Carolina

• South Carolina

• Texas

• Utah