FRESNO, CA (KMJ) — With coronavirus cases climbing across the country, Gov. Gavin Newsom has joined with Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Washington Governor Jay Inslee, to issue travel advisories.
The West Coast governors are urging people who plan to visit their states or those coming home from travel outside these states, to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the virus.
With Thanksgiving just two weeks away, the governors are asking residents of their states to stay local and avoid all non-essential out-of-state travel.
If you do travel, you’re asked to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country.
The travel advisory also recommends you limit your social interactions to people in your own home, which is going to seriously affect millions of people’s holiday plans.
“California just surpassed a sobering threshold – one million COVID-19 cases – with no signs of the virus slowing down,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “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.”
The advisory comes at a time when struggling airlines are already seeing air travel fading.
“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 Oregon Governor Kate 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.”
“COVID cases have doubled in Washington over the past two weeks. This puts our state in as dangerous a position today as we were in March,” said Washington Governor Jay Inslee. “Limiting and reducing travel is one way to reduce the further spread of the disease. I am happy to partner with California and Oregon in this effort to help protect lives up and down the West Coast.”
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its holiday guidance, noting the virus crisis is worsening and that small household gatherings are “an important contributor.”
The CDC said older adults and others at heightened risk of severe illness should avoid gathering with people outside their households.
