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

[John9]

I can travel within the State of Mass without restriction. No quarantine, no testing. I live less than a mile from Lynn, Mass one of the hottest spots in Mass. Yet if I DARE got to NH, ME, or VT and home I have to quarantine? I think a judge would look VERY closely at this.

I would argue that someone returning to say VT who is a resident has a home to quarantine in. A visitor does not, and would have to pay for lodging for an extra 2 weeks, forcing them to spend extra money, essentially a tax on out of state visitors. States cannot set entry requirements that is essentially charging a fee to non residents. I believe this is unconstitutional, and these state travel restrictions can be thrown out as a violation of the interstate commerce clause. This is discrimination against non residents.

 

[abc]

I would argue that someone returning to say VT who is a resident has a home to quarantine in. A visitor does not, and would have to pay for lodging for an extra 2 weeks, forcing them to spend extra money, essentially a tax on out of state visitors. States cannot set entry requirements that is essentially charging a fee to non residents. I believe this is unconstitutional, and these state travel restrictions can be thrown out as a violation of the interstate commerce clause. This is discrimination against non residents.

But I thought the regulation allows a visitor to "pre-quarantine" at their home before traveling to the destination state.

 

[thebigo]

I would argue that someone returning to say VT who is a resident has a home to quarantine in. A visitor does not, and would have to pay for lodging for an extra 2 weeks, forcing them to spend extra money, essentially a tax on out of state visitors. States cannot set entry requirements that is essentially charging a fee to non residents. I believe this is unconstitutional, and these state travel restrictions can be thrown out as a violation of the interstate commerce clause. This is discrimination against non residents.

You may be legally correct but the policies were enacted by duly elected representatives of a free people. You may chose to violate their freedom but remember it may be at the expense of your own.

 

[cdskier]

But I thought the regulation allows a visitor to "pre-quarantine" at their home before traveling to the destination state.

Yup...they do. That would be a good defense to say there's no discrimination against non-residents since they have the option to quarantine in their home state before coming.

 

[SenorQuesadilla]

Unless while under disaster or emergency declaration. State’s close borders all the time during hurricanes to reduce in influx into the effected area.

Really? I lived in Florida for many years and we never closed the border while I was there. Highways would sometimes be closed in one direction so all lanes could be used for outbound traffic but never borders actually closed. Which states are closing their borders for hurricanes?

 

[Nick]

Really? I lived in Florida for many years and we never closed the border while I was there. Highways would sometimes be closed in one direction so all lanes could be used for outbound traffic but never borders actually closed. Which states are closing their borders for hurricanes?

I live in FL now and don't recall the borders getting closed, even for Irma a few years back. I remember the same thing happening in SC where my in-laws are a few years before that. But that was just lane reversing, not shutting the borders down.

 

[drjeff]

I know that there have been some weather related situations (Blizzards/Hurricanes in particular as I recall) where various governors of states affected by the weather systems have banned all "non essential" travel on their roads for a period of time until conditions are safe once again, but I also can't recall a Governor every ordering that their states roads are closed at the border to any non state resident

 

[icecoast1]

You may be legally correct but the policies were enacted by duly elected representatives of a free people. You may chose to violate their freedom but remember it may be at the expense of your own.

A lot of what we've seen over the last several months has been done through executive order, not through the legislative process. Declaring a state of emergency gives leaders more power than they might have normally but some are taking it too far

 

[AdironRider]

It comes directly from my family in Wilson, WY. They’ve been out there for 50 years and I trust their unvarnished information. They’re not alarmists by any stretch. My cousin is an RN at St. John’s Hosptial and said that more than 50 hospital staff are out due to quarantine and they beds are lining the small ER. There are no beds available and based on the fact that nobody is complying with COVID Protocol, the post Thanksgiving surge is expected to be overwhelming. I consider myself a displaced Teton County local and spend a lot of time there, and I’m not going near the place this year. First time in 28 years I’m not skiing out there. The County Commission is now considering three week shutdown to try to flatten the curve before the XMas rush.

Town, county look to health experts for direction as hospital initiates surge capacity protocols

Facing a dire situation at St. John’s Health and spiking COVID-19 cases, town and county officials didn’t have an immediate response Tuesday and instead tasked local health officials with devising

www.jhnewsandguide.com

I want to chime in here as an actual Teton County resident that this is only half true.

The county three week shutdown is currently just a rumor, and would need to get the ok from the State. Nothing has been brought up for consideration yet but they did just make it mandatory to wear masks in office settings, which I was kinda surprised wasn't on the books already. But anyways we have that going for us, which is nice. This is Wyoming, so I am skeptical a stay at home order would pass muster. We didn't have one outside of inside the town limits for a couple weeks in spring, and even then, basically everything but gyms and hair salons were considered essential.

Daily Updates | St. John's Health

Daily Coronavirus Updates at St. John's Health in Jackson, WY.

www.stjohns.health

The situation at the hospital is manageable in terms of patient access. However, we are very small with only 6 icu beds so things can change quickly. We currently have 2 open spots in the ICU despite this, with only 2 being covid patients. 10 more are in primary care. 44% open capacity overall. 134 total active cases. This concept of beds of dying people lining the hallways is just not true as while case numbers are up, hospital capacity is currently about the same we had all summer, but we could conceivably be overrun quickly. The hospital could also, and is fully equipped to do so, double up people in rooms if not covid patients. This is par for the course in many hospitals elsewhere. Keep in mind also we had 4+ million people visit this summer and never got overrun, and are seeing maybe 20% of that visitation this winter. Orthos will be busy as always, this is not new here.

The nurse staff has been hit very hard. However, a good percentage of them are young, traveling nurses that live in the equivalent of dormitories (the hospital has bought up most of the old surrounding motels in East Jackson), which can't be a great help to preventing spread. Our local schools also had to go full remote for two weeks, not because of covid spread, but because to many staff were in quarantine for exposure, but not that they actually had covid. So far, this seems to be more of a staffing problem.

I personally feel mask usage has been incredibly strong, at least amongst local populations and surrounding bedroom communities. However you go outside Teton County to Idaho Falls and it is pretty much as if covid doesn't exist in peoples minds.

So IMO, things could be better, but not the dire situation presented above. The problem seems to be negligence by certain (mostly younger populations) causing staffing issues, but our overall situation has remained relatively manageable for now.

 

[Puck it]

FYI just do not believe anything the media says is the full truth. South Dakota is supposed to be swamped but not true.

 

[dblskifanatic]

From Mills' Executive Order "This Order may also be enforced by any governmental department or official that regulates
licenses, permits or otherwise authorizes the operation or occupancy of eating establishments, bars
or tasting rooms, lodging operations and accommodations, businesses, buildings, parks and
campgrounds. Municipalities are authorized to enforce the use of face coverings on streets and
sidewalks, in parks and other public spaces where individuals are gathering and not able to
maintain at least six feet of physical distance from one another, and to enforce the gathering limits.
A violation of this Order may be construed to be a violation of any such license, permit and other
authorization to which pertinent penalties may be assessed. Pursuant to 37-B M.R.S.A. section
786, this Order may also be enforced by law enforcement as necessary."

Here's the section cited:
§786. Enforcement

1. Law enforcement officers. Duly appointed law enforcement officers of local, state and sheriffs' organizations are empowered to enforce any of the provisions of this chapter or any rules promulgated thereunder in times of an emergency or during authorized alerts, including partial or full mobilization necessary to carry out section 742. Failure to comply with any just or reasonable order relative to enforcement from a duly appointed law enforcement officer is a Class E crime.


2. Arrest powers. Duly appointed law enforcement officers of local, state and sheriffs' organizations shall have the power to arrest persons found in violation of any provision of this chapter or any rules promulgated in times of emergency to carry out section 742.

I guess I better go to ME now while I still have Colorado plates!

 

[dblskifanatic]

We are in the same situation in NY bordering MA. NY is not enforcing quarantine on those coming from "contiguous" states, of which MA is one. Unfortunately, MA is not reciprocating that arrangement. So in order for us to travel to our place at Jiminy, less than an hour away and just over the NY/MA border, MA insists on quarantine/test out. We'd either have to test or quarantine every time we drive back and forth (totally unrealistic), or move to Jiminy for the season (which we are seriously considering).

We moved to MA from Colorado (it was a sad week)! Technically we are supposed to quarantine, but that is nearly impossible when you are moving in and have no food need to get necessities, get setup, return rentals and have a local moving crew. Also there is no verification going on as far as we have seen.

 

[machski]

I guess I better go to ME now while I still have Colorado plates!

How so? Only NH and VT are exempt from Maine Quarantine.