Friday, December 18, 2020

Gov. Hogan Issues 'Travel Ban' for Maryland

More like a suggestion, really. From Da Sun, Maryland Gov. Hogan issues new restrictions on nonessential travel to fight coronavirus spread during holidays

As Christmas approaches, Gov. Larry Hogan told Marylanders to limit travel to essential purposes only, saying the holidays will be a critical time in the fight against the spread of coronavirus.

Under an emergency order, state residents who travel outside Maryland — and anyone who travels to Maryland — must either obtain a negative COVID-19 test result or quarantine for 10 days.

“Our message today is simple: You are safer at home for the holidays this year,” Hogan said at a news conference Thursday in Annapolis. “It will save lives.”

The season’s traditions — family visits, time with friends and other socializing — are the kinds of activities that contact tracing shows “are the most dangerous things we can do,” the Republican governor said.

Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., are exempt from the order, which was issued Thursday and is effective immediately. Hogan said the state isn’t planning aggressive enforcement of the order, rather relying on the “good faith” of state residents.

So you're only supposed to travel to all the states bordering MD without quarantining yourself or getting tested. Now, what happens if you apply that standard across the country? The virus spreads everywhere (except Hawaii and Alaska), and well, it already has. That cat is out of the bag.

I don't think we're planning any travel out of the region for the holidays, but this isn't what's stopping us.

I feel like they're issuing these orders mostly to say they did something, anything that they can check off a box on a checklist.

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