BOSTON — State health officials added New Hampshire and Maine on Saturday to its list of states where travelers must quarantine or provide a negative coronavirus test if entering or returning to Massachusetts.

The two join 46 other states to be designated high risk for COVID-19 by the state’s Department of Health. The agency says states are included on the list if they average more than 10 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Hawaii and Vermont are the only states still considered low risk, meaning individuals do not need to heed the safety orders, which also include filling out a state travel form, when arriving from or returning to Massachusetts.

Commuters who cross state lines for work and those arriving for medical treatment or who work for the military are among those exempt from the travel rules, which authorities have said can result in a $500-a-day fine for noncompliance.

Meanwhile, Vermont is increasing its contract tracing staff and testing capacity as it continues to see a surge in coronavirus cases.

Officials said this week that the state’s contact tracing staff of about 40 will add about 20 more from the state National Guard and 10 more from the state Department of Public Safety over the next two weeks.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott said testing locations will also ramp up to seven days a week and most residents will soon be about a 30-minute drive from a site.

“The contract tracing team has been stressed, as you might imagine at this point,” Scott said at his virus briefing on Friday. “We’re adding people all the time, training and adding.”

The state hopes to have the capacity to test 30,000 Vermonters a week, added Human Services Secretary Mike Smith.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Maine CDC reports 168 new coronavirus cases, one more death

Next »

North Carolina employees vote to move small company to Maine