Connecticut COVID Travel Advisory to Go From Mandate to Recommended Guidance on March 19 No Longer Requiring Quarantines

Connecticut's COVID-19 travel advisory, that long required travelers quarantine or test negative after traveling to or from coronavirus hotspot states, will become recommended guidance on March 19, instead of a requirement, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Thursday.

Since Dec. 19, the mandated travel advisory applied to all travelers, both national and international, entering Connecticut from any location with the exception of New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

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The advisory required all affected travelers to complete the Connecticut Travel Health Form and self-quarantine for 10 days or until a negative COVID test result is provided. That was a change from the 14-day quarantine previously required.

There were also three exemptions from the requirement to self-quarantine, the governor said.

Anyone who has had a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours prior to their arrival to Connecticut, or following their arrival, was exempt from quarantine. These tests had to be submitted to the commissioner of the Department of Public Health and they can either be a PCR test or a rapid result test.

A year after the COVID-19 pandemic upended the travel industry and cancelled flights, those with vouchers could be racing the clock. The first step to avoid losing out is to read the fine print on your expiration date. Travel experts say now is the time to read up on the stipulations of that travel credit and perhaps give customer service a call.

Essential workers traveling for work-related purposes were also exempt from the 10-day self-quarantine.

Lastly, anyone who tested positive for the virus within 90 days before their arrival to Connecticut, who had clinically recovered or had not been symptomatic, was exempt. These tests had to be submitted to the Department of Public Health, the governor said.

The new guidance making these rules a recommendation, and not required, do not take effect until March 19.

More information on the state's travel advisory can be found here.