There’s been a lot of confusion about the Massachusetts travel order. Starting Saturday, November 21, NH has been added to the list. Vermont and Hawaii are the only two states that aren’t on this restriction list.
The Travel Order is here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order#lower-risk-states-
Here is a brief summary as of November 21. If you are going to Massachusetts, be sure to review these yourself. It is possible that changes have been made since then.
The travel order states that one has to quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to arrival in Massachusetts. This applies to Massachusetts residents who have left the Commonwealth for more than 24 hours.
However, there are a lot of exemptions, including:
- Those who work or go to school in MA, or MA residents who go to work or school in other states
Transitory travel, which allows travelers who are passing through Massachusetts, including airport and bus connections. - Patients seeking or receiving medical treatment and persons accompanying and providing needed support to the patient.
- Military personnel
- Workers providing critical infrastructure services
- Critical Life Activities such as:
- Grocery shopping
- Visits to pharmacies
- Attending to the care needs of a family member
- Visiting persons in hospitals or congregate care facilities
- Attendance at daycare or children’s camps
- Religious services (including weddings, but not receptions, and funerals)
- Court proceedings
- Child visitation
- Additional information is here.
Visitors are instructed to wear face-coverings, maintain social distance, practice good hygiene, and adhere to all other COVID-19 rules and restrictions.
Travelers who do not comply with these rules may be subject to a civil fine of $500 per day.
If you are going to Massachusetts, please read all of the fine details.
Is Massachusetts discriminating against New Hampshire? I don’t think so. On Saturday, the day the travel order went into effect, Massachusetts reported that their 7-day average positivity rate was 3.21%. Two days before, on Thursday, NH DHHS reported our positivity rate at 4.1%. Massachusetts based their travel order on that rate. (On Friday, NH was 3.5%. On Saturday the State’s rate was down to 2.2%, although Manchester’s positivity rate was over 10%.)