Trump rejects quarantine for New York area, opts for strong travel advisory

President Trump on Saturday night announced he had decided against an enforced quarantine for the New York City area, opting instead for a strong travel advisory limiting movement to slow the coronavirus.

Trump tweeted he made the choice after consultation with the federal health officials and the governors in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

"On the recommendation of the White House CoronaVirus Task Force, and upon consultation with the Governor’s of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, I have asked the @CDCgov to issue a strong Travel Advisory, to be administered by the Governors, in consultation with the Federal Government. A quarantine will not be necessary," Trump said.

The announcement came several hours after the president had raised the idea of an enforced quarantine.

“We’d like to see New York quarantined because it’s a hotspot — New York, New Jersey, maybe one or two other places, certain parts of Connecticut quarantined,” Trump said earlier Saturday as he departed the White House for a trip to Norfolk, Va., to see off a Navy hospital ship heading to the Big Apple.

“We might not have to do it but there’s a possibility that sometime today we’ll do a quarantine — short term two weeks for New York, probably New Jersey and parts of Connecticut,” he added. 

The president's initial idea did not sit well with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.  "I don't know how that would be legally enforceable," Cuomo said. "Not even knowing what that is, I don't like the sound of it."