Below is the new guidance that specifically aligns to any of our staff members or students who plan to travel over the upcoming holidays or have guests coming from out of state. We were waiting to see if any of the guidelines would be updated before the Thanksgiving break but we have not seen any major adjustments or clarifications from NYS. This information can also be found of the www.ny.gov website, specifically at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory and the specific more detailed set of guidelines are attached.
Out-of-state travelers to and from New York can "test out" of the mandatory 14-day quarantine (see details below) if they travel to or from a restricted state. Travelers from states that are contiguous (ex: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont) with New York will be exempt from this travel advisory. You do still have the option to quarantine for 14 days after your travel back from a restricted state if you choose not to "test out" of quarantine. If you have guests in your home from a restricted state they must quarantine for 14-days if they do not follow the "testing out" procedures depicted below. The new guidelines for travelers to "test out" of the mandatory 14-day quarantine are below:
For travelers who were in another state for more than 24 hours:
- Travelers must obtain a test within three days of departure from that state.
- The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days.
- On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. If both tests come back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test.
- Staff and students must provide proof of the negative diagnostic test to the health office before coming back to school.
For travelers who were in another state for less than 24 hours (this includes going to a restricted state to pick someone up)
- The traveler does not need a test prior to their departure from the restricted state and does not need to quarantine upon arrival in New York State.
- However, the traveler must fill out the traveler form upon entry into New York State, and take a COVID diagnostic test 4 days after their arrival in New York.
- If the traveler does not have plans to get tested on day 4 after arrival back to NY, they are expected to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival into the state.
Local health departments will validate tests, if necessary, and if a test comes back positive, will issue isolation orders and initiate contact tracing. All travelers must continue to fill out our traveler form upon arrival in New York State to contribute to New York State's robust contact tracing program. These travel guidelines require our CL staff, students, and extended CL family visiting from or traveling to a restricted state, to take personal responsibility for compliance in the best interest of school health and safety. If you have any questions, please contact our nurses's office at (716) 753-5819.