STATE ISSUES NEW COVID-19 TRAVEL ORDERS

Source: amherstma.gov, mass.gov

Effective August 1, 2020, all visitors and returning residents entering Massachusetts must follow new travel orders. The Commonwealth has made great progress to slow the spread of COVID-19 and gradually re-open the economy, and all visitors have a responsibility to help us keep transmission levels as low as possible. 

All visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, who do not meet an exemption (see below), are required to:

• Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival, unless visiting from a lower-risk state designated by the Department of Public Health.
• Quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.
• If your COVID-19 test result has not been received prior to arrival, visitors, and residents must quarantine until they receive a negative test result. Failure to comply may result in a $500 fine per day.
  

Exempt from 14 day quarantine: people dropping students off and NOT staying overnight, plus students from these states:

• Connecticut
• Hawaii
• Maine
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Vermont

Click here to view full list of exemptions

Questions
1.Does this apply to students arriving from other States or foreign countries to attend college or university or boarding school?  

Yes. The travel rule applies to all persons entering Massachusetts from any point of origin.  A student who enters Massachusetts from any place not included on the list of COVID-19 lower-risk States must quarantine for 14 days if the student cannot provide proof of a negative test result that meets the standards of the 72-hour test rule.

2. Does the exemption apply to parents, guardians and family members who are dropping their students off for boarding school or college/university?

Yes. If a parent/guardian/family member is entering Massachusetts only to drop off the student and then immediately leaves the campus and the state, then they would meet the exemption of transitory travel.  If they are staying overnight, then they are subject to the requirements of the travel order.  

Parents, guardians, and family members who do not meet the transitory travel exemption and are coming into Massachusetts from any place other than a COVID-19 lower-risk State listed above are required to either receive a negative test within 72 hours of coming into Massachusetts or quarantine for 14 days.

You do not need to quarantine for 14 days if you took a test for COVID-19 and have received a negative result. The specimen for the test must have been collected no longer than 72 hours before your arrival in Massachusetts, and the testing must be by a method approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Upon request, you must be able to demonstrate proof of the negative test result.  If you took a test prior to your arrival but have not received your negative result, you MUST quarantine until you receive the negative result. You may obtain a test at your own expense after your arrival in Massachusetts, but you MUST quarantine until you obtain a negative result. Use the COVID-19 testing map to find a site near you. 

The requirements for quarantining are as follows:

• Travelers, along with their travel party, must separate from all other people for 14 days. 
• Travelers must not be in public or otherwise leave the identified quarters. 
• The living quarters must have a separate bathroom facility for each individual or family group. Access to a sink with soap, water, and paper towels is necessary. Cleaning supplies (e.g. household cleaning wipes, bleach) must be available in the bathroom.
• Travelers must have a way to self-quarantine from other household members if a fever or other symptoms develop, in a separate room(s) with a door.
• During the quarantine period, no one else should be in the living quarters other than those in the Travel Party, including hotel staff or delivery persons, as applicable.
• Food must be delivered to the living quarters.
• Travelers must have a sufficient supply of face masks or face coverings to wear and must be compliant with the Massachusetts’ masking order.
• Travelers are not to leave their living quarters except to receive urgent medical care.
• Travelers should engage in proper hygiene including washing hands frequently using soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  If soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol may be used. 
• Travelers should remain aware of potential COVID like symptoms including: fever (temperature over 100.0 degrees); cough; difficulty breathing; shortness of breath; chills; muscle or body aches; runny nose or nasal congestion; new loss of taste or smell; headache; nausea; vomiting or diarrhea. Travelers with any of these symptoms should immediately contact a healthcare provider. 
• If no one in the Travel Party develops symptoms, then the travel party may continue with their normal activities after 14 days.

Full details of the order can be found here.