COURT HOUSE – July 13: Cape May County reports 11 new COVID-19 cases were found today; five were community-based, and six are linked to non-residents.
According to a release, New Jersey has 175,522 total COVID-19 positive cases and 13,613 deaths. Total positive cases of COVID-19 infection in Cape May County is now 847, including 73 deaths.
Sadly, today, the county announced the death of a 73-year-old Lower Township man from the coronavirus.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of another loss to this virus,” stated Cape May County Freeholder Jeff Pierson. “I pray that God will grant the friends and families the strength needed to get through this sad time.”
The state has issued an updated incoming travel advisory that all individuals entering New Jersey from states with a significant spread of COVID-19 should quarantine for 14-days after leaving that state.
Under the 14-day quarantine travel advisory announced by the governors of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, individuals traveling to or returning to New Jersey from states with increasing rates of COVID-19 are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days. This includes travel by train, bus, car, plane and any other method of transportation.
The 14-day quarantine travel advisory applies to travel from certain states identified as those that have a positive COVID-19 test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or have a 10% or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average (“impacted states.”)
As of Tuesday, July 7, there are currently 19 states that meet the criteria stated above:
- Alabama (added 6/24/20)
- Arkansas (added 6/24/20)
- Arizona (added 6/24/20)
- California (added 6/30/20)
- Delaware (added 7/7/20)
- Florida (added 6/24/20)
- Georgia (added 6/30/20)
- Iowa (added 6/30/20)
- Idaho (added 6/30/20)
- Kansas (added 7/7/20)
- Louisiana (added 6/30/20)
- Mississippi (added 6/30/20)
- North Carolina (added 6/24/20)
- Nevada (added 6/30/20)
- Oklahoma (added 7/7/20)
- South Carolina (added 6/24/20)
- Tennessee (added 6/30/20)
- Texas (added 6/24/20)
- Utah (added 6/24/20)
This list will be updated regularly.
Travelers and those residents who are returning from impacted states should self-quarantine at their home, or a hotel or other temporary lodging. Individuals should leave the place of self-quarantine only to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food and other essential items. As one example, no one who has traveled to or from a state on the COVID-19 hotspot list should be participating in or attending an in-person or drive-in graduation ceremony.
The self-quarantine is voluntary, but compliance is expected. Travelers and residents returning from impacted states typically will not need to check-in with public health officials, unless they are otherwise involved in contact tracing efforts or required to do so by their employer or any other federal, state or local law or order. It is expected that individuals will follow the recommendation to self-quarantine.
The travel advisory does not apply to any individual passing through designated states for a limited duration through the course of travel. Examples of such brief passage include but are not limited to: stopping at rest stops for vehicles, buses, and/or trains; or layovers for air travel, bus travel, or train travel.
Travelers arriving from areas with increasing COVID-19 cases may wish to postpone their travel to the region if they are unwilling or unable to follow the self-quarantine advisory. Contact your travel agent or real estate agent to inquire about any potential cancelation and/or refund. Alternatively, you may travel to NJ and stay in self-quarantine in the home; however, you are advised not to leave the home for any activities other than to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food or other essential items. NJ hotels and home rental services (i.e., Air B & B, VRBO, HomeAway, etc.) should contact guests with reservations to inform them of the self-quarantine advisory.
Exemptions
Business Travel
Individuals who are traveling to New Jersey from impacted states for business are exempted from the application of the travel advisory. This, for example, would include truckers driving from an impacted state to New Jersey, and any state, local and federal officials and employees traveling in their official capacities on government business.
Individuals traveling for business should still consider postponing travel to the extent possible. Individuals are encouraged to self-monitor for symptoms upon return from any travel to an impacted state, and employers should consider screening employees for symptoms before permitting them to return to work. Employees and employers should follow current CDC guidance regarding travel, available here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html
Critical Infrastructure Workers
Exceptions to the travel advisory are also permitted for individuals traveling to New Jersey from designated states who work in critical infrastructure, as defined by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. This would include, for example, health care workers and state and local law enforcement. The comprehensive list of critical infrastructure industries is available here: https://www.cisa.gov/identifying-critical-infrastructure-during-covid-19.
Critical Infrastructure workers who have had an exposure but remain asymptomatic should adhere to the screening, social distancing, and mitigation practices before and during their work shift, as outlined by the CDC.
Consult with your employer regarding whether there is industry-specific guidance that may apply to you (e.g. guidance for health care professionals: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html ). Please consult the DOH website and resources for additional details and information regarding isolation procedures for when a person under quarantine is diagnosed with COVID-19 or develops symptoms.
