Earlier this year, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker issued an executive order requiring a mandatory 14-day quarantine for any travelers entering the state. The order, effective as of Aug. 1, outlined guidelines to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Certain travelers, including those who can produce negative test results within 72 hours before arriving in the state and those traveling to Massachusetts from states deemed “lower-risk” for COVID-19, have not been required to quarantine for two weeks under the order.
Over the past four months, the states classified as lower-risk have changed as coronavirus cases have increased and decreased in different areas. Massachusetts’ list of lower-risk states include those that have reported less than 10 cases per 100,000 people per day on average. As of Saturday morning, Vermont reported 12.5 cases per 100,000.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health removed Vermont from the list of lower-risk states on Friday. Maine and New Hampshire were removed from the list of lower-risk states last week, Boston25News reported.
Effective 12:01am 11/28, Vermont has been removed from DPH’s lower risk state list for MA’s travel order. All travelers arriving to MA from VT must fill out a form, quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID test. Please visit https://t.co/A3A2CeAiV0 for more info. pic.twitter.com/MuCrx9K6GX
— Mass. Public Health (@MassDPH) November 27, 2020
As a result, Hawaii is the only state left on Massachusetts’ lower-risk list, Boston25News reported. Travelers entering the New England state from the island state will not be required to quarantine.
According to the news station, Massachusetts residents are urged to limit any out-of-state travel only to states designated as COVID-19 lower-risk states.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows about 17,000 new cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts in the last seven days. About 730 cases have been reported in Hawaii in the same amount of time.
Across the U.S., Hawaii, Maine and Vermont have reported the fewest new cases per 100,000 people over the last week, according to the CDC.
Those who don’t comply with Massachusetts’ 14-day quarantine order are subject to a fine of $500 per day.
As #COVID19 cases continue to rise, it’s important to know what’s happening in your area. You can now view data on cases, deaths, and testing in your county. Visit the County View tab on CDC’s COVID-19 Data Tracker: https://t.co/iSLwhCwlZ2 pic.twitter.com/2XHXAnxR51
— CDC (@CDCgov) November 25, 2020
Cox Media Group
