Confusion Over Coronavirus Roadblocks

Texas tried imposing a mandatory self-quarantine on people coming over from Louisiana on Monday, but the orders appear to be unclear. CBSDFW reports on the matter.

The Governor is trying to keep the number of new coronavirus cases down coming in from other states, especially non-symptomatic carriers who may be fleeing heavily-infected areas. He has instructed state troopers to increase patrols on the Louisiana border.

However, the orders are unclear about when increased enforcement is supposed to start. For now, traffic is flowing freely along the border. When the order is clear, the troopers will stop vehicles and ask them to fill out forms that will tell the state where they will self-isolate for 14 days.

Journalists have seen the patrols on the borders, but they have not seen anyone get pulled over yet. One driver that was questioned came from New York City, one of the hotspots. Texas is the first state where he saw any sign of a roadblock.

Airline passengers are already restricted from coming into the state from hotspot areas. Texas has nearly 2,900 cases of COVID-19, about a thousand of them in Harris and Dallas counties.

Measures like this are necessary to control the outbreak. Self-isolation allows people carrying the virus to fight it off before rejoining the public.