Gov. Charlie Baker announced Tuesday that the commonwealth would relax its 14-day quarantine advisory for most out of state travelers, just as the Island community is gearing up for the Fourth of July weekend.
In his daily press briefing, the governor announced that any visitors from the five New England states, as well as New York and New Jersey, would not have to abide by the state’s 14-day quarantine guidelines for out of state visitors. The 14-day quarantine will still apply to travelers from any other state in the country, and all travelers showing symptoms of the virus are instructed not to travel to the state.
“These surrounding states, like Massachusetts, are seeing a significant decline in cases and new hospitalizations,” the governor said during his press briefing Tuesday. “Due to lower infection rates across the Northeast region, our administration is updating our state’s travel guidance.”
The new guidelines go into effect Wednesday, July 1, three days before the dramatically altered Fourth of July holiday. Normal traditions, like the Edgartown Fourth of July parade, have been canceled due to the pandemic.
Governor Baker urged all due caution when it comes to holiday revelry. “It’s our hope that most folks don’t do the big large Fourth of July gatherings,” he said. “And for the most part across the commonwealth, they’re not.”
Immediately after the announcement the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce sent an email blast to members notifying them of the change.
Businesses and lodging services in seasonal communities like the Vineyard have been hit hard during the pandemic, especially as travel restrictions like the 14-day quarantine guidelines have slowed down the usual swell in the summer population, according to numbers from the Steamship Authority. Day trippers, seasonal visitors from out-of-state and members of the business communities on-Island have also expressed hesitation and confusion about the guidelines, especially with a 14-day quarantine in place.
For instance, although the Island had dramatically increased its testing capacity for Covid-19, a negative test result did not exempt travelers from the two-week quarantine guidelines, according to state regulations and public health officials on the Island.
But with cases decreasing throughout the region, the governor’s new relaxed guidelines will allow travelers from the Northeast to come without quarantine restrictions in place. Lodging services that reopened earlier this month and were required to inform their guests of the out-of-state quarantine guidelines will no longer have to do so for visitors from the seven exempt states.
Governor Baker said enforcement of the guidelines regarding interstate travel is difficult constitutionally, but that lodging services informed his administration that the quarantine advisory was “definitely” effective in limiting travel. He said that adjusting the quarantine would help improve the gloomy outlook for seasonal communities in the state
“We’re home to many destinations that people travel to from all over the world, and there’s no doubt this season will be different and immensely difficult for visitors and businesses,” the governor said. “It’s our hope that many folks will still be able to visit their favorite places in our great state.”
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