Commonwealth Amends Travel Order

As we have previously discussed, on November 17, 2020, the Commonwealth issued a travel order requiring Pennsylvanians who visit other states to either (1) quarantine for 14 days after returning to Pennsylvania or (2) having a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours before returning to Pennsylvania.  The travel order did not provide that individuals who tested negative for COVID-19 during the 14-day quarantine period could break the quarantine upon receiving the negative result.  Although the travel order provided certain exceptions from coverage (e.g., for individuals who commute to and from Pennsylvania for work, to receive medical treatment, etc.), it applied no matter how long the Pennsylvanian was in the other state.

Late last month, the Commonwealth issued a revised travel order that addressed these and other issues.  In the revised order, Pennsylvanians over the age of 11 “must produce evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in travel quarantine for 14 days after entering the Commonwealth . . . .”  The revised order notes, however, that the negative test result must be from a specimen collected within 72 hours before entering the Pennsylvania or, alternatively, during the 14-day travel quarantine period.  In other words, a negative COVID-19 test received during the 14-day travel quarantine could result in breaking the travel quarantine early.  In addition, the revised order also provides for a new and important exception from coverage: Pennsylvanians who return to the Commonwealth after traveling outside of the Commonwealth for less than 24 hours. 

The FAQs regarding the revised order, however, make clear that the travel quarantine is different than a quarantine required when an individual tests positive for COVID-19 or has been in “close contact” with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.  The FAQs state that individuals who are in quarantine because they are a “close contact” to a person who tested positive for COVID-19 may not end quarantine early even with a negative test result.  It remains to be seen, however, if the Commonwealth will revise this guidance in light of the new CDC guidance on quarantine timelines.    

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