The Department of Public Health of Connecticut has distributed its first $1,000 fine on Monday to two individuals who Gov. Ned Lamont said failed to follow the travel advisory for citizens who return home from states with high COVID-19 infection rates.
What We Know:
- Lamont stated that the two anonymous people came back to Connecticut from being in Louisiana and Florida. Neither completed the health form needed from anyone coming from any state.
- Aside from not filling out a form, one of the people did not want to quarantine for the necessary 14 days and was given an additional fine of $1,000. Lamont said a coworker had told state officials that the person was not obeying Lamont’s executive order. Additionally, officials received a hint about the other person.
- Lamont’s chief operating officer, Josh Geballe, said the incidents happened a couple of weeks ago. One of the individuals is from Windham County, and the other is from Hartford County. For the moment, he stated, there are further investigations currently happening regarding possibly other offenders.
- Geballe said in a statement that this is real and people need to obey these rules and comply since this is one of the riskiest areas for the state of Connecticut right now as people are traveling into this state, bringing the virus with them. People need to fill out the form and need to quarantine, and are expected to do that. He continued to say, “If not, there will be consequences.”
- Geballe stated that the information on the forms is critical in case someone tests positive and officials need to trace who they may have come in contact with. So far, more than 20,000 of the health forms had been handed in so far, with approximately 1,000 filed every day. Geballe said its significant amount of data that can be used if needed.
Lamont told reporters during his coronavirus briefing that he “hates” to do it, but they are serious and want to show people how serious they are. He continued to say that people are incredibly doing the right thing, and those who are not, please be on notice.
