For the last few weeks, as I drive around adjacent areas of the Virginia Piedmont, I’ve been keeping an eye out for state police checkpoints set up to monitor compliance with the ChiCom flu travel restrictions. I haven’t seen any so far, and I don’t really expect any this far out in the boonies. Maybe there will be some eventually in the larger cities, but the largest city I regularly venture into is Charlottesville.

All the checkpoints I’ve read about are between states. The Rhode Island blockade of New Yorkers has been getting the most press coverage, and there were also reports that Florida state police have been stopping New York cars at the Georgia state line. If those New York refugees are smart, they’ll stop off in Augusta or somewhere and rent a car so they can slip into Florida with a set of Georgia plates.

Meanwhile in Canada, the province of Quebec has the most stringent controls I’ve heard of to date. Not only are the authorities stopping all traffic crossing the bridges from Ontario, but they’ve also set up internal checkpoints to keep people from traveling from one region to another.

Many thanks to Vlad Tepes for recording and uploading this video:

Here’s a CBC report on the situation in Quebec:

Gatineau police set up checkpoints to limit interprovincial traffic

Motorists caught making ‘non-essential’ trips face fines of up to $6K as COVID-19 restrictions intensify

Gatineau police set up checkpoints on interprovincial bridges and other roadways Wednesday in an unprecedented effort to enforce the province’s new ban on non-essential travel into western Quebec.

The ban started at noon and includes visitors crossing into Quebec from Ontario.

By Wednesday afternoon, traffic was lined up near crossings between the two provinces, including the Champlain and Alexandra bridges.

Police are asking drivers and passengers about the purpose of their trip to assess whether or not it’s essential, a news release from Gatineau police said. Essential trips include travel for essential work, medical appointments or for humanitarian reasons.

[…]

Quebec’s Ministry of Public Safety said earlier in the day it’s extending the travel limits between regions, put in place for much of the rest of the province over the weekend, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

[…]

Along with the bridges, police are at checkpoints to limit non-essential travel within the province of Quebec including between Outaouais and the Laurentides as well as in Pontiac, Papineau and Vallée-de-la-Gatineau.

One driver reported encountering a checkpoint on Highway 105.

Fines may be imposed on people who refuse to cooperate, Gatineau police said. Under Quebec’s Public Health Act, police can impose fines of between $1,000 to $6,000 for non-compliance.