BOSTON — Starting Saturday, visitors to Massachusetts and residents reentering the state from most other states will be subject to a new travel order and the threat of $500 per day fines for noncompliance.
Under the new order, anyone entering Massachusetts from other states will be required to fill out a new “Massachusetts Travel Form” and quarantine for two weeks unless they can produce a negative result from a COVID-19 test administered no more than 72 hours before they arrived in the state.
Individuals coming from low-risk states are exempt. Those states include New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Hawaii.
On July 24, Gov. Charlie Baker announced the new order would take effect Aug. 1.
“There are no shortcuts when it comes to containing COVID-19. For months, the residents of the commonwealth have been vigilant, adjusted their daily routines and have had to adopt new habits, but we cannot and we must not let up now,” Baker said.
Other limited exemptions apply to those who are just passing through Massachusetts, commuting across state lines for work, those arriving here for medical treatment, military personnel traveling under orders and those who are traveling for work in essential services.
The Baker administration specifically emphasized that the order does apply to students who may be returning to campuses for the fall semester.
“Our goal is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as travel increases,” Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack said July 24. “We’re seeing more people moving around.”
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Port Authority are leading a campaign to inform travelers about the travel order. Signs are up at airports, highway rest areas and train stations. Audio announcements are also part of the informative effort.
State officials are also working with airlines and Amtrak to inform travelers. Lodging operators will be required to inform customers about the order, the administration announced.
“Do not travel here if you have symptoms of COVID-19, and if you are visiting us from another state, take a moment to learn about the rules. We can’t let up now, and I have every confidence that if we all work together and keep doing our part, we can continue to fight COVID and continue to reopen the commonwealth,” Baker said.
On Friday, Baker highlighted a few examples of social gatherings and unauthorized sporting events that have led to a number of coronavirus clusters in Massachusetts.
Baker said the “lapses in judgment” are contributing to a slight rise of positive cases in Massachusetts, and the governor said they need to stop.
“COVID does not follow any rules. We should not and we cannot let our guard down until there is a treatment or a vaccine,” Baker said.
WCVB-5
Aug 1, 2020