EAST LYME, Conn. (WTNH)– New York City is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in America and now there are concerns about people from there escaping to the shoreline.

“Message to summer residents who are back early,” East Lyme‘s First Selectman Mark Nickerson said in a post on his Facebook page.

The message is to those coming from out of state to their summer homes in the shoreline town.

“We welcome them back,” said Nickerson in the post. “They are valued members of our community and we enjoy their company. But we would like to impose a fourteen day self quarantine for anybody coming from another area.”

“New York is the epicenter, the new epicenter of this corona disease,” said Joseph Rozwadowski, of New London.

Locals have become increasingly concerned as they see more out of state cars driving around and parked at homes usually vacant until the warmer weather arrives.

“Tons and tons of New Yorkers,” said Marie Tyler Wiley, of Groton. “No problem with the people leaving and coming to their summer homes except for the fact that they have to be considerate of others and do a fourteen day isolation.”

In nearby Westerly, Rhode Island the request is posted on an electronic message board right at the state line over the Pawcatuck River. So far southeastern Connecticut has only had a few confirmed coronavirus cases.

“We’d like to kind of keep it that way,” said Rozwadowski. “So the precautions should be taken now. Governor Lamont said earlier in an interview that if they had more time we would have been in better shape, well now’s the time to take action.”

The governor isn’t closing the borders but is urging people to be responsible.

“The truth is when you’re not showing it, you’re not going to know when you have the germs until way after the fact,” said Tyler Wiley.

Not only are people coming to their summer homes, but residents also say there are a number of people who are also renting homes along the shoreline so they can get out of the city.

Full time residents just want everyone stay healthy so they can all enjoy this area.

“I’m very concerned,” said Rozwadowski.