Connecticut authorities fine residents $1,000 after they fail to fill out compulsory COVID-19 form

Connecticut authorities fine two residents $1,000 each after they fail to fill out compulsory health form following their return from COVID-19 hot spots of Louisiana and Florida

  • Gov. Ned Lamont recently signed an executive order making travelers and residents returning from 34 states fill out health form
  • All people who have arrived from those states must self-quarantine for 14 days 
  • Failure to complete the form results in a $1,000 fine; those who are caught violating quarantine rules are subject to an additional $1,000 penalty 
  • On Monday,  Lamont confirmed two residents had been charged by the state
  • Connecticut has not reported a new COVID-19 case in three days 

Two Connecticut residents have been fined $,1000 each for failing to fill out a compulsory health form after they returned from areas of the country designated as ‘COVID-19 hot spots’. 

Governor Ned Lamont confirmed  Monday that state authorities slapped the two with the penalty after they got back from spending time in Louisiana and Florida respectively. 

‘We’re going to continue to be strict because that’s what got us to where we are. We’re going to try to hold people accountable,’ Lamont told The Hartford Courant. 

‘I hate to do it but we’re going to show people we’re serious about this’. 

Like neighboring New York, Connecticut was badly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in March and April, before the curve started to flatten. 

Governor Ned Lamont (center) confirmed Monday that state authorities have fined two residents $1,000 each  after they failed to complete an online health form after they returned from spending time in Louisiana and Florida respectively

The state has recorded no new coronavirus cases in the past three days. 

Back in June, Gov Lamont joined New York Gov Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov Phil Murphy in enacting a travel advisory which ordered travelers to quarantine for two weeks if they arrived from nine states that were determined to be coronavirus hot spots. 

The advisory has since been expanded to 34 states. States are added if they record ‘a new daily positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average’.

Last month, Gov Lamont additionally signed an executive order allowing the Connecticut Department of Public Health to issue $1,000 fine for travelers or returning residents who do not complete an online travel form. 

The short form asks questions about the person’s trip and details about where they intend to self-isolate. 

Like neighboring New York, Connecticut was badly effected by the COVID-19 outbreak in March and April, before the curve started to flatten. Medical workers are seen in Stamford back in March

Like neighboring New York, Connecticut was badly effected by the COVID-19 outbreak in March and April, before the curve started to flatten. Medical workers are seen in Stamford back in March 

Lamont’s order additionally allowed the Department to fine people  an extra $1,000 if they did not properly quarantine.  

On Monday, the governor did not disclose the names of the two offenders. 

However, he did say that they were both reported to authorities by their concerned co-workers. 

One of the offenders reportedly broke self-isolation, and thus received a $2,000 fine all up. 

According to Lamont’s office, several more returning residents are also under investigation and may be fined. 

Lamont says the biggest risk of a second wave in the state comes from travelers and returning residents, rather than community transmission. 

‘Overwhelmingly, people are doing the right thing. For those few of you who aren’t, please be on notice,’ he stated. 

As of Tuesday, Connecticut has recorded more than 50,500 COVID-19 cases, and upwards of 4,400 deaths.  

CONNECTICUT’S EXECUTIVE ORDER

 Returning residents and travelers must fill out an online health form and quarantine for 14 days  if they have arrived from any of the following states:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas 
  • Arizona 
  • California
  • Florida 
  • Georgia 
  • Hawaii 
  • Iowa 
  • Idaho
  • Illinois 
  • Indiana
  • Kansas 
  • Kentucky 
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri   
  • Mississippi 
  • Montana
  • North Carolina
  •  North Dakota 
  • Nebraska 
  • Nevada
  • Oklahoma 
  • Puerto Rico
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota 
  • Tennessee
  • Texas 
  • Utah 
  • Virgin Islands
  • Virginia 
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk