All travelers entering Massachusetts—both out of state residents and Massachusetts residents returning home—must comply with a new travel order. This includes students returning to campuses for the fall semester.
The new travel order requires all visitors and returning residents to fill out a Massachusetts Traveler Form unless they are coming from a state that has been designated a lower risk COVID-19 state or fall into an exemption category. Currently, the lower COVID-19 states are NY, NJ, CT, ME, RI, VT, NH and HI. All lodging and short-term rental entities are required to inform guests at time of booking, on websites and on-site. All lower risk states will be updated regularly by DPH.
The new travel order also provides that visitors and returning residents arriving in Massachusetts from any place other than a COVID-19 lower risk state must quarantine for 14 days unless they can produce a negative COVID-19 test result administered on a sample taken not more than 72 hours prior to arriving in Massachusetts.
- 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 https://www.mass.gov/doc/may-1-2020-masks-and-face-coverings/download.
- 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.