Hello all,

As of November 25th:

Can I come to Vermont?

In ordinary times, Vermonters are pleased and proud to welcome visitors. However, as we do our best to reduce the impact of COVID-19, anyone traveling to Vermont must quarantine. The State of Vermont has suspended its leisure travel map and implemented a mandatory quarantine for anyone returning or traveling to Vermont. Learn more about the changes (link is external. The Health Department strongly advises against non-essential travel, even within Vermont.

As of November 14, 2020, Governor Scott’s Executive Order (link is external) prohibits gathering with people from other households. This includes both inside and outside social gatherings, in public and private spaces. 

Answers to travel questions Find out if you need to quarantine, Quarantining at home before coming to Vermont, Sign up for daily symptom check reminders, Getting tested Overnight stays, College students

Weigh the risks when you’re making plans

At this point you may be eager to see your friends and family again. When making plans or going out, look for these three things:

1. Six-Foot Spaces – Are people staying at least 6 feet away from each other?
2. Masks on Faces – Are people wearing face masks when they cannot keep a 6-foot distance?
3. Uncrowded Places – Will it be uncrowded with enough space to spread out?

Any of these will lower the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19 but the more you have, the better!

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As of July 28th:

Can I travel to and from Vermont?

Effective June 8th, Vermonters may travel outside of Vermont to counties across New England and New York that have a similar active COVID-19 caseload to Vermont and return without quarantining if they do so in a personal vehicle.  Similarly, residents of other states who live in counties across New England and New York that have a similar active COVID-19 caseload to Vermont may enter the state for leisure travel without quarantining. 

The State of Vermont has determined that any county with less than 400 active cases of COVID-19 per one million residents meets this criteria. The Agency will publish an updated map and list each Monday by 5 p.m. at accd.vermont.gov identifying quarantine and non-quarantine counties throughout New England and New York.  Vermonters must remember to follow any travel restrictions and quarantine requirements for the states they plan to visit.

Residents from a non-quarantine county may travel to Vermont without quarantine restrictions if they travel directly to Vermont in their personal vehicle. This includes overnight travel, commuting for work, leisure visits and recreation. Travelers are asked to register with Sara Alert upon arrival to Vermont to get two weeks of daily reminders to check for common symptoms of COVID-19.  Travelers must remember to follow any travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in their home upon return.

After July 1st, the State of Vermont plans to re-evaluate this criteria to determine if it should be expanded or restricted based on current data.  The State hopes more counties will be added over time as their active case counts improve and that the criteria may be expanded beyond 400 cases per million after July 1st and as circumstances allow.

Travelers, including Vermonters, that visit or are from a quarantine county must still quarantine for 14-days upon entrance into Vermont or quarantine for at least seven days upon entrance into Vermont and receive a negative COVID-19 test. 

Commuter (day trip) traffic to and from Vermont by those who travel daily between Vermont and adjacent states including quarantine-required counties in those adjacent states is authorized for essential travel (e.g. essential work, healthcare, groceries) and currently authorized daily work, family visitation, or recreation. Travel to and from Vermont from outside the daily commuting area AND by those who do not travel to and from adjacent states daily is currently restricted and subject to all other travel restrictions.

Those participating in essential work or currently authorized work that requires an overnight stay may utilize the state’s lodging, camping and short-term rental properties if the individual self-certifies upon arrival that they are authorized to work in Vermont, have not been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, and have not experienced COVID-19-like symptoms in the past 24 hours including a fever above 100.4°F, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache or new loss of taste or smell. 

EFFECTIVE 6/15: Travelers may complete either: (i) a 14-day quarantine; or (ii) a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative test – in their home state and enter Vermont without further quarantine restrictions if they drive directly from their home via their personal vehicle.

Travelers may complete either: (i) a 14-day quarantine; or (ii) a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative test – in a Vermont lodging establishment regardless of destination origin or manner of travel (travelers must stay in their quarantine location for the duration of quarantine other than to travel to and from a test site).

For more information about how to quarantine, visit the Vermont Department of Health’s quarantine chart.

PRE-June 8th Information

There are a lot of people from out of state in the Valley and I am getting a lot of calls and letters about it today, including from law enforcement. There seems to be some confusion that I’d like to clear up. Here are all of the known items related to who should and who should not travel in the Valley.

Edited: 3/29 and 3/30 On March 30th, Governor Scott said “If you don’t need to come to Vermont, please don’t come.” Edited again on April 17. Edited May 25th and May 29th. This page will be regularly edited for updates, but the best up to date guidance can be found at www.healthvermont.gov

First: Day trippers

The borders of the state remain open. Day trippers and weekenders – please do not come to Vermont at this time. All travelers to Vermont, including Vermonters, coming in from other states have been asked to self quarantine for 14 days.

Second: Air BnB, Short term rentals and Overnight Guests

Please see above. As of Tuesday (see Executive Orders below) there should be no new overnight vacationers in Air BnB’s, short term rentals or hotels and motels. Anyone who was in one of those types of lodging/accommodations on Tuesday should not have their stay extended. If you rented an Air BnB after Tuesday, the person who rented it to you is breaking the law by violating an Executive Order unless the reason you are here is work related to the Vermont emergency. The subcontractors who cleaned that apartment for your arrival, are likely breaking the law by violating the Executive Order for non-essential workers. Vacationers and AirBnB guests please do not come to Vermont at this time. It is a violation of the governors executive order to accept non essential guests at any short term rentals or other lodging properties. Everyone entering Vermont from another state or country has been asked to self quarantine for 14 days. Updated April 10 – short term lodging reservations can be taken for dates after June 1, 2020. Updated May 25th – Vermonters and out of state visitors who have quarantined for 14 days prior to their stay at a lodging property may stay at lodging properties in Vermont.

Third: Second homeowners

On March 30th Commissioner of Public Safety Michael Schirling said “All first and second homeowners are a part of the Vermont Family.” We love you. Please do not come without supplies. Please behave as if you are infected with the virus. That means self isolating and social distancing. Please understand you are here living under the same Executive Orders that your scared friends the year round Vermonters are living under. Second homeowners you can come to your home in Vermont, but the Governor has requested that you self-quarantine for 14 days when entering Vermont from another state or country. That means coming and going on the weekends is a violation of the executive order because you are unable to quarantine for 14 days.

Fourth: Year Round Residents

You are not being ignored.

1. Mount Snow shut down on March 14th – long before they were required to.
2. On March 15th, State Legislators from every ski resort town in Vermont began communicating with each other and with the Governors staff about the possibility for unexpected population levels due to second homeowners arriving to shelter in Vermont.
3. The number one non winter activity in the Deerfield Valley is hiking – because we have so many trails everywhere including on public lands. Hiking is legal and also encouraged with proper social distancing.
4. Vermont has issued orders to close restaurants and bars and provide takeout only.
5. Vermont has an order limiting the number of people that can congregate at 25
6. On Sunday March 22nd, during a public Joint Rules call listened to by hundreds, Speaker of the House Mitzi Johnson repeatedly pressed Vermont’s Emergency Management Director Erika Borneman on the question of whether or not they were factoring into healthcare planning the possibility of increased populations in resort areas.
7. On Tuesday March 24th, Governor Scott ordered short term rentals to close and gave guidance about not extending guests.
8. On Wednesday Vermont Senator Leahy stated publicly “I wish people would stay away. I do. Usually, I’m like, come to Vermont. Spend your money right now. I agree. Stay away. I know when we have the snowfall here, a few days ago, uh, there were snowmobilers wanting to come from other states, Massachusetts, Connecticut and elsewhere. They were told to stay away. Uh, we love to see, but not now, and that’s going to hurt our businesses that rely on it, but we have to do it. I’ll try to make up the money to help these small businesses.”
9. On Monday March 30th Governor Scott issued an executive order that everyone – including Vermonters) must self-quarantine for 14 days when entering Vermont from another state or country. This does not apply to essential workers who must travel over the state border to their job in Vermont.
10. In some of our towns, there are four second homes for every one year round home. In the towns with lots of second homeowners, that is a large part of both why we need and how we pay for our police force, fire fighters and rescue.
11. We have traveling nurses and doctors, FEMA, military and other workers associated with recovery who have traveled here. Don’t assume you know what is going on with every out of state plate. I’m sure my daughter’s Vermont license plate sticks out in GA where she is stationed as an Army nurse.
12. Ski area legislators are continually communicating with each other and Governor Scott’s team about the increased population.
13. The virus is already here locally. We are not keeping it from coming here. You should be interacting with grocery store and gas station attendants as if you are already infected.

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Governor Phil Scott Executive Orders

Number 01-20 declaring a State of Emergency in Vermont & National Guard Call Out
ADDENDUM 1 to 01-20 prohibits all non-essential mass gatherings to the lesser of fifty (50) people or fifty percent (50%) of the occupancy of a facility
ADDENDUM 2 to 01-20 Prohibits on-premises consumption of food or drink
ADDENDUM 3 to 01-20 Suspension of all Non-Essential Adult Elective Surgery and Medical and Surgical Procedures
ADDENDUM 4 to 01-20 Closure of Close-Contact Businesses and Further Restrictions of the Size of Mass Gatherings
ADDENDUM 5 to 01-20 Work from Home Order
ADDENDUM 6 to 01-20 Stay Home to Stay Safe Order
ADDENDUM 7 to 01-20 Requirement to quarantine
ADDENDUM 8 to 01-20 Non-Congregate Sheltering in Vermont; Extension of Certain Deadlines Relating to Closures of DMV and Bars and Restaurants
ADDENDUM 9 to 01-20 Extension of State of Emergency Declared March 13, 2020; Other COVID-19 Related Directives and Clarifications
ADDENDUM 10 to 01-20 Work Smart & Stay Safe – Restart VT: Phase I
ADDENDUM 11 to 01-20 Work Smart & Stay Safe –Restart VT: Phase II
ADDENDUM 12 to 01-20 Work Smart & Stay Safe -Restart VT: Phase III
ADDENDUM 13 to 01-20 Play Smart and Play Safe: Restart Phase V
ADDENDUM 14 to 01-20 Be Smart, Stay Safe

Directives
Directive 1 – Continuity of Education Planning.pdf
Directive 2 – Childcare For Essential Service Providers.pdf
Directive 3 – Department of Motor Vehicles Suspension of In-Person Transactions.pdf
Directive 4 – Department of Liquor and Lottery – Delivery and Take-Out of Beverage Alcohol – Amended March 20, 2020.pdf
Directive 5 – Continuity of Learning Planning .pdf