Travelers to Massachusetts Must Quarantine Or Face A $500 Per-Day Fine

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Friday that travelers entering the state will be required quarantine for 14 days or face a $500 fine as the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. continues to rise.

The travel order, which goes into effect on Aug. 1, affects all visitors to the state, Massachusetts residents coming back into the state, and students returning from out-of-state campuses. People coming into the state must also fill out a Massachusetts Travel Form.

“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 in a press release.

Exemptions from the order include travelers who are coming from a low-risk COVID-19 state as designated by the Department of Public Health, or have received a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before arriving in Massachusetts.

The list of low-risk states includes New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Hawaii, according to current public health data.

Other exemptions to the travel order include individuals passing through the state or those that are commuting across state lines for work. Also, people seeking medical treatment in Massachusetts are exempt as well as those who are complying with military orders or work in federallyndesignated essential services.

Travelers that enter the state who are not exempt from the travel ban must quarantine for two weeks or until they receive a negative test result.

The state is fining people that violate the order $500 per day.

“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.

The states of Alaska, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, and West Virginia have all issued travel bans during the coronavirus pandemic.

Massachusetts has reported over 114,600 positive cases of the coronavirus with over 8,400 COVID-19 deaths, Johns Hopkins University reported.