Governor Inslee Addresses Traveling Abroad Amid Pandemic

Governor Jay Inslee held a press conference Monday afternoon to address the state on traveling abroad in the midst of the pandemic and announced a proclamation that was signed Monday.

The proclamation pertains to travel to Washington state from countries reporting a circulation of a new variation of the coronavirus, including South Africa and the United Kingdom. This is a legal requirement, not a suggestion.

"This proclamation will require travelers who have been in those regions in the last 14 days to quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival in Washington state," said Governor Inslee. "This includes travelers that have arrived in the last few days."

Exceptions for this proclamation include flight crews, however Governor Inslee noted there is developing methods to address testing for flight crews.

"This proclamation is a response to news out of the United Kingdom and South Africa and other countries of a mutated version of the COVID-19 that is circulating there," said Governor Inslee.

Governor Inslee was joined with the state epidemiologist, Dr. Scott Lindquist.