Florida sets up more checkpoints to quarantine travelers
The state is targeting New Yorkers and Lousianans, particularly
Florida is working to set up more highway checkpoints to deter travelers, mostly from New York, from arriving in the state, and further spread the new coronavirus.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday the screening of travelers on Interstate 95 will be similar to the measure adopted Friday on Interstate 10 to discourage travel from Louisiana, an area seeing a large spike in cases.
On Interstate 10, the Florida Highway Patrol and sheriff’s deputies are setting up checkpoints to screen cars from Louisiana and require travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days. It’s not clear how the Interstate 95 screenings will be organized.
The new travel restrictions follow the governor’s order on Tuesday that visitors flying in from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are to self-quarantine for two weeks under threat of a 60-day jail sentence.
DeSantis said President Donald Trump told him by phone he was considering a quarantine for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut amid concerns that their residents have traveled to Florida and infected people in Florida. Trump also spoke to reporters Saturday that he was studying the possibility of implementing the restrictions, mentioning specifically Florida.
“Whatever works I think we need to do,” DeSantis said. “The more people are being shuttled around the country, I just think it makes it more difficult. I think it would make it a lot easier if we didn’t have folks coming in from hot zones.”
DeSantis has been criticized for refusing to issue a statewide lockdown that states like California, New York and Illinois have done and instead let local governments issue orders for residents to stay at home.