MARION — Town Administrator James McGrail, Public Health Nurse Lori Desmarais and the Marion Board of Health would like to share with the community the state’s adjustment to the COVID-19 Travel Order for fully vaccinated individuals.
Earlier this week, Massachusetts adjusted the travel rules for those who have been fully vaccinated. Individuals are considered fully vaccinated if they have received two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine over 14 days ago.
Fully vaccinated individuals are now a designated exception to the state’s travel order. The order states that fully vaccinated individuals who do not have symptoms do not need to have a negative test before traveling to or returning to Massachusetts and do not need to quarantine when they arrive. These individuals will be required to show documentation of their vaccination and the date or dates doses were received, if asked.
Fully vaccinated individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 must still follow all testing and quarantining requirements of the state’s travel order.
Individuals who are not fully vaccinated must continue to follow the current travel order. Under this order, people entering Massachusetts, including visitors and returning residents, must complete the state’s travel form. They must also either quarantine for 10 days after arriving in Massachusetts or produce a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their arrival. Residents can also get tested after returning to the state, but must begin their 10-day quarantine until they receive a negative test result. For more information on quarantining requirements or testing, click here.
Those who fail to follow the travel order requirements may be fined up to $500 per day by state officials if they remain in violation.
Exemptions to the travel order are made for those who are traveling from identified lower risk states. As of March 12, the only lower risk states are Hawaii, Missouri, Oregon, Washington and Puerto Rico. Other exemptions are made for transitory travel, people commuting for work or school, patients seeking or receiving medical treatment and military personnel. To see a full explanation of exemptions, click here.
“While continued vaccinations are a promising step toward normalcy, it is important to remember that many orders and regulations remain in place for everyone’s health and safety,” Desmarais said. “Those who have not been fully vaccinated must continue to abide by the state’s travel order, including quarantining and testing requirements, and non-emergency travel to non-lower-risk destinations remains strongly discouraged.”
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