California urges travel quarantine

LOS ANGELES - The governors of California, Washington and Oregon issued travel advisories Friday urging visitors entering their states or returning home from travel outside the three states to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued the advisories as COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the county.

The travel advisories urge against non-essential out-of-state travel, ask people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country and encourage residents to stay local, a statement from Governor Newsom said.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 22: Air travelers wait for their checked baggage at Los Angeles International Airport on October 22, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. The global pandemic has had a devastating impact on aviation and airlines don't b …

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"California just surpassed a sobering threshold – one million COVID-19 cases – with no signs of the virus slowing down," Newsom wrote. "Increased cases are adding pressure on our hospital systems and threatening the lives of seniors, essential workers and vulnerable Californians. Travel increases the risk of spreading COVID-19, and we must all collectively increase our efforts at this time to keep the virus at bay and save lives."

In addition to urging individuals arriving from other states or countries to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival, the states’ travel advisories recommend individuals limit their interactions to their immediate household.

The advisories define essential travel as travel for work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care and safety and security.

During a Friday afternoon press briefing, California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly made it clear that California's suggestions to quarantine after inter-state travel isn't a ban, but rather a recommendation.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said in a social media video Thursday, "If we do not act immediately we will soon reach a breaking point."

"COVID-19 does not stop at state lines. As hospitals across the West are stretched to capacity, we must take steps to ensure travelers are not bringing this disease home with them," said Brown. "If you do not need to travel, you shouldn’t. This will be hard, especially with Thanksgiving around the corner. But the best way to keep your family safe is to stay close to home."

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Washington Gov. Jay Inslee sounded a similar warning.

"We are in as dangerous a position today as we were in March. In just the last two weeks our case numbers have doubled. Simply put, it’s just too dangerous to gather with anyone outside our household right now," he wrote on social media. "What happens next in our state depends on what happens in our communities. That’s why we implore you to rethink how you celebrate Thanksgiving and the December holidays."