SYRACUSE, N.Y. — With cases in CNY reaching record levels, it’s only a matter of time before several people you know have COVID and are quarantined.
But what do you do if someone you know is breaking their health department-mandated quarantine?
According to Erin Killian from Tully Rinckey Attorney’s and Counselors at Law, people could possibly face legal consequences.
“Each day that you violate that quarantine it would count as a separate violation, however, the law is not settled on what exactly a violation is,” said Killian.
Right now breaking an isolation order in New York State is punishable with a year in prison or up to a two-thousand dollar fine.
“So the law doesn’t specify if you’re in your house or apartment you may go outside while remaining on the premise, but you can’t leave the actual premise or come within six feet of anyone who doesn’t reside at the premise,” said Killian.
But also leaves some raising the question on whether it is your civic duty to report or spy on your neighbors?
“It’s very tricky to enforce cause there’s not someone watching you all the time. It comes down to your friends, family, and co-workers and those people may be reluctant to report these people that they know personally, so it’ll be interesting to see how the law changes at this point not much is settled,” Killian said.
We also asked the Onondaga County Executive who advised to call the county’s law department at 315-435-2170.
