SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio couple stranded in Peru because of the coronavirus pandemic is back at home, but they’re now under mandatory self-quarantine.
“I have my mom and my sister. They go to H-E-B. They buy our groceries, and they just leave it at the garage door,” said Jose Hinojosa, a San Antonio resident.
Hinojosa and Siul Cortes are not leaving their house because they are under mandatory self-quarantine.
Last month, the couple got engaged in Peru. KSAT spoke with them then when they were looking for ways to leave the country.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the country closed its borders.
“When we couldn’t leave Peru, I contacted the embassy. So they just took our information, email, phone number and passport numbers,” Hinojosa said.
After being stranded for two weeks in the South American country, the couple received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Peru on March 30 with good news.
“We got a call from the embassy saying that we had airplane confirmation,” Hinojosa said. “Before we got into the airport, they had a doctor checking our temperature.”
The couple left the next day and had a connecting flight from Miami to Austin. They arrived to Texas on April 1.
“When we got to Austin, Texas, they made me sign a form, where it's saying that you had to be in quarantine at your house for 14 days,” Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa said a special agent with the criminal investigations division at the Texas Department of Public Safety even came to check on them.
“He wanted to make sure that we’re here, that we’re following the quarantine,” Hinojosa said.
Texas Department of Public Safety sent KSAT the following information regarding its guidelines:
“As outlined in Governor Abbott’s Executive Order (GA-11), individuals traveling to Texas — with Texas being their final destination — through an airport from the Tri-State Area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as from the city of New Orleans, are subject to a mandated self-quarantine of 14 days. GA-11 was expanded by proclamation to also include air travelers coming into Texas from the following locations: California; Louisiana; Washington; Atlanta, Ga.; Chicago, Ill.; Detroit, Mich.; and Miami, Fl.
"DPS Troopers are stationed at Texas airports to screen passengers traveling from the designated quarantine areas. Travelers who are subject to the self-quarantine are required to complete this travel form to provide DPS with identifying information, including their full name, date of birth, home address, driver license/passport information and quarantine location. (The travel form and mandatory terms of self-quarantine can be found on our website.)
"The quarantine restrictions related to air travelers do not apply to travel related to military service, emergency response, health response or critical infrastructure functions.
"Additionally, as part of our efforts to enforce Governor Abbott’s Executive Order (GA-12), DPS is increasing its presence along the Texas/Louisiana border. DPS Troopers have set up roadway screening stations to gather required forms from road travelers along the border. The area of operations will remain in Texas counties that border Louisiana. The established screening stations will take place on major roadways in these counties, including interstate highways and other high-volume routes. Travelers will be asked to complete the travel form required under GA-12. It’s important for those entering Texas from Louisiana to be prepared to stop. GA-12 does not apply to travel related to commercial activity, military service, emergency response, health response and critical infrastructure functions.
"While the department does not discuss specifics related to its operational plans regarding enforcement, we want the public to be prepared for increased patrols and additional law enforcement presence along the Texas/Louisiana border as we work to enforce the Governor’s Executive Order.
"As a reminder, it is important for those who fall under the self-quarantine mandates in GA-11 and GA-12 to remember that a violation of the Executive Orders is subject to criminal penalties. Additional information about the Executive Orders and its requirements can be found online at www.dps.texas.gov/COVIDtravel. You may also find this press release helpful.
Governor Greg Abbott tasked DPS with enforcing the Governor’s Executive Orders, GA-11 related to air travel from designated locations and GA-12 related to road travel from Louisiana. From March 28-April 7, DPS Officers screened over 60,000 individuals and collected 14,825 travel forms from individuals subject to the mandated self-quarantine.”