Maine reimposes quarantine, COVID-19 test requirements on visitors from Massachusetts

[darent]

to bad all those people from NH,Maine ,Vermont and New York didn't obey the quarantine that was inplace when visiting Nantucket this summer

 

[catherine]

I live in NH and have a week booked at Sugarloaf in January.

 

[Ice Queen]

I haven't been following all the COVID developments in the NE so Im curious how long this in place for and what it means.

Maine reimposes quarantine, COVID-19 test requirements on visitors from Mass.

The rule also applies to Maine residents who return from visits to Massachusetts.

www.wcvb.com

That article is inaccurate re. when you need to get a Covid test. The article at this link says "72 hours after arrival," but it's actually 72 hours prior to arrival, which of course makes more sense. Here's what the Maine.gov site says: Gov. Mills has issued a “Stay Safer at Home” Order for all Maine people. All out-of-state travelers coming into Maine, and Maine residents returning to Maine, must either receive a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to arrival or complete a 14-day quarantine, per the Keep Maine Healthy plan.

Depending on where you're coming from, it's probably pretty easy to comply with this restriction. It's certainly easier than Vermont's restriction.

 

[abc]

to bad all those people from NH,Maine ,Vermont and New York didn't obey the quarantine that was inplace when visiting Nantucket this summer

Nantucket is an island, you can easily check everyone who got off the ferry. The least the local police can do is to remind people they're to quarantine. Maybe most will obey? How about a few house visit to verify they're staying in? It's not like you have that big of a population, or big area to cover...

What else do you expect? With no intention of enforcement, why would anyone go out of their way to quarantine themselves knowing most others won't?

 

[curlyfuzzie]

And the lack of a reciprocal agreement shows you what an idiot Cuomo is.

Why? I'd say that Baker is the idiot. I'll be skiing in more in NY than usual because of the tight restrictions in the neighbor states. I also believe that skiing, being an outdoor activity, is probably relatively safe, especially if observing mask and distance rules. It's the inside gathering in the lodges that pose a higher risk.

 

[curlyfuzzie]

That article is inaccurate re. when you need to get a Covid test. The article at this link says "72 hours after arrival," but it's actually 72 hours prior to arrival, which of course makes more sense. Here's what the Maine.gov site says: Gov. Mills has issued a “Stay Safer at Home” Order for all Maine people. All out-of-state travelers coming into Maine, and Maine residents returning to Maine, must either receive a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to arrival or complete a 14-day quarantine, per the Keep Maine Healthy plan.

Depending on where you're coming from, it's probably pretty easy to comply with this restriction. It's certainly easier than Vermont's restriction.

If you travel over the border frequently, the Covid test-out requirement is onerous. Here in NY, Andy Cuomo says the state is doing "more testing than anyone"... Maybe so, but getting notified of the results can sometimes take up to 10 days, depending on where and when you get the test. I know this because I work with people who have been on the NYS Department of Health Covid "hotline". Proving a negative test within 72 hours would be impossible if you don't know the result of your test for ten days - or else you still would have to quarantine until you find out the results of your test, but by then the 72 hour time frame has been exceeded. Some places in my area will not test asymptomatic people, which makes taking a test just because the gubmint says so not quite so simple, and quarantining for 14 days when you are not sick, and have not come in contact with someone who's tested positive is IMHO, extreme.

 

[Slidebrook87]

Nantucket is an island, you can easily check everyone who got off the ferry. The least the local police can do is to remind people they're to quarantine. Maybe most will obey? How about a few house visit to verify they're staying in? It's not like you have that big of a population, or big area to cover...

What else do you expect? With no intention of enforcement, why would anyone go out of their way to quarantine themselves knowing most others won't?

In Nantucket over the summer there was no check on either of the ferries. It was essentially an honor system. If you wanted to get tested, it cost quite a bit of money and people coming for vacation obviously weren’t going to quarantine. Cases remained low throughout the summer and only started to get high this fall after numerous gatherings among islanders mainly relating to landscaping companies.

 

[Los]

Nantucket is an island, you can easily check everyone who got off the ferry. The least the local police can do is to remind people they're to quarantine. Maybe most will obey? How about a few house visit to verify they're staying in? It's not like you have that big of a population, or big area to cover...

What else do you expect? With no intention of enforcement, why would anyone go out of their way to quarantine themselves knowing most others won't?

Anyone who thinks the police should be visiting homes and monitoring who's inside to enforce the quarantine has lost all perspective on the severity of the threat and what a reasonable and proportionate response should look like.

 

[abc]

Anyone who thinks the police should be visiting homes and monitoring who's inside to enforce the quarantine has lost all perspective on the severity of the threat and what a reasonable and proportionate response should look like.

Says who?

Those who wouldn’t quarantine? Or even wear a mask?

 

[Los]

Says who?

Those who wouldn’t quarantine? Or even wear a mask?

What?

Anyway, I just came across a hilariously unhinged opinion piece in USA Today and immediately thought of you:

COVID has turned breathing into a deadly event and all of us into potential serial killers​

 

[Andrew B.]

Says who?

Those who wouldn’t quarantine? Or even wear a mask?

Those who believe the country was founded on some pretty basic principles of freedom.

I respect and follow the rules.

Those who surrender freedom for safety deserve neither.

Zet me zee your paperz

 

[icecoast1]

If you travel over the border frequently, the Covid test-out requirement is onerous. Here in NY, Andy Cuomo says the state is doing "more testing than anyone"... Maybe so, but getting notified of the results can sometimes take up to 10 days, depending on where and when you get the test. I know this because I work with people who have been on the NYS Department of Health Covid "hotline". Proving a negative test within 72 hours would be impossible if you don't know the result of your test for ten days - or else you still would have to quarantine until you find out the results of your test, but by then the 72 hour time frame has been exceeded. Some places in my area will not test asymptomatic people, which makes taking a test just because the gubmint says so not quite so simple, and quarantining for 14 days when you are not sick, and have not come in contact with someone who's tested positive is IMHO, extreme.

Doesn't NY have a policy that if you travel to any of the neighboring states that share a direct border (with the exception of VT for whatever reason) that those test/quarantine guidlines are waived?

 

[curlyfuzzie]

Doesn't NY have a policy that if you travel to any of the neighboring states that share a direct border (with the exception of VT for whatever reason) that those test/quarantine guidlines are waived?

For those coming into NY from contiguous states, yes - but the neighboring states do not have the same consideration. So, if I was a MA resident (like my daughter), I can come into NY and ski at Whiteface for instance. But when I return to MA, I must quarantine or test out. As a NY resident, if I were to come into MA to ski with my daughter at say, Wachusett, I must prove negative covid test within 72 hours of entering the state, or quarantine. When I return to NY, there is no restriction (other than being expected to wear a mask, social distance, and avoid large indoor gatherings).

 

[drjeff]

For those coming into NY from contiguous states, yes - but the neighboring states do not have the same consideration. So, if I was a MA resident (like my daughter), I can come into NY and ski at Whiteface for instance. But when I return to MA, I must quarantine or test out. As a NY resident, if I were to come into MA to ski with my daughter at say, Wachusett, I must prove negative covid test within 72 hours of entering the state, or quarantine. When I return to NY, there is no restriction (other than being expected to wear a mask, social distance, and avoid large indoor gatherings).

The reality is the more different (and often not based on science, but fear) that each of the Governor's of the the states of the Northeast make their regulations, the less that more people will follow them!

Examples specifically like above are exactly why people question the guidelines the Governor's of the various Northeast states put out there! The reality is that for the vast majority of the Northeast, the infection rates are pretty uniform right now, and it's time that the individual Governor's of all of the Northeast states get to together with the SAME guidelines for all of the states as geographically they're all very close and the amount of back and forth regular travel between them is significant, and not just for social/recreational travel purposes.

Wear a mask, don't go out if you're not feeling well, maintain some social distancing when possible, wash your hands and don't touch your face if you haven't recently washed your hands. It's not that difficult, and so much disparity in state to state guidelines certainly makes it more confusing that it needs to be

 

[Not Sure]

Pretty simple way to defeat any " Police check " Keep a bottle of Aloe vera handy if being approached by said law enforcement person spray it on your face and nose area and liberally coat your drivers license . Then cough profusely while handing your dripping ID to the law enforcement person. They will turn and run ....no problem .

 

[tumbler]

From Gov Scott's presser yesterday- a glimpse into possible enforcement through cell phone tracking?

A positive sign comes from cell phone data collected over the last week that shows travel into Vermont was down by more than 50 percent in the days leading up to the holiday. Out of state travel for the holiday was down 58% and air travel in Vermont was down 77%.

 

[icecoast1]

From Gov Scott's presser yesterday- a glimpse into possible enforcement through cell phone tracking?

A positive sign comes from cell phone data collected over the last week that shows travel into Vermont was down by more than 50 percent in the days leading up to the holiday. Out of state travel for the holiday was down 58% and air travel in Vermont was down 77%.

They were using cell phones to track social distancing going all the way back to march. Remember those maps early on that were showing how each state was following the guidelines? It's really not that hard to do although there are potential legal problems with tracking peoples movements with no warrant or probable cause, maybe part of the reason you dont see this talked about more even though its already going on

 

[Smellytele]

They were using cell phones to track social distancing going all the way back to march. Remember those maps early on that were showing how each state was following the guidelines? It's really not that hard to do although there are potential legal problems with tracking peoples movements with no warrant or probable cause, maybe part of the reason you dont see this talked about more even though its already going on

Well they say they do not know any info on the users of said cell phones only that phones are being tracked generically to show movement.

 

[abc]

What?

Anyway, I just came across a hilariously unhinged opinion piece in USA Today and immediately thought of you:

COVID has turned breathing into a deadly event and all of us into potential serial killers​

Hilarious, yet true.

 

[JimG.]

Why? I'd say that Baker is the idiot. I'll be skiing in more in NY than usual because of the tight restrictions in the neighbor states. I also believe that skiing, being an outdoor activity, is probably relatively safe, especially if observing mask and distance rules. It's the inside gathering in the lodges that pose a higher risk.

Not coming from the financial angle. I was referring to the supposedly all consuming need to protect people from COVID that Cuomo, Baker et al always preach.

Yeah, I'll be skiing in NY only this season. And I'll bet many from outside NY in those contiguous states will come to NY too, especially if it snows. So NY will have it's own population of skiers AND outsiders from those contiguous states. But no relief valve whereby NY skiers can go to adjoining states to ski. A one way street.

I stand by my original comment...Cuomo is an idiot.