Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health has released new travel guidance for both Vermonters traveling out of state and coming back and for those coming to Vermont. As part of Vermont's phased reopening plan, the new travel guidance is effective today, April 9, 2021. The CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated, because travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.
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Unvaccinated Vermonters who have traveled outside the state must be tested within 3 days of returning to Vermont. Learn more.
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Unvaccinated people planning to visit Vermont must have a COVID-19 test within 3 days before arriving in Vermont. Learn more.
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Rules for international travel are different. Learn more.
Vermonters Traveling Out of State
As part of Vermont's phased reopening plan, there is new travel guidance, effective April 9, 2021.
Unvaccinated Vermonters who have traveled outside the state must be tested within 3 days of returning to Vermont.
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The test you get must be for a current infection (like a PCR test), except it cannot be an antigen test (also known as a rapid test).
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Find free and fast testing near you.
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You do not need to quarantine while you wait for a result. But if you have any symptoms, stay home and away from other people.
Vaccinated Vermonters do not need to get tested or quarantine.
People who had COVID-19 within the last 3 months and have recovered do not need to test or quarantine unless they develop new symptoms.
Rules for Vermonters who have traveled to other countries are different. Learn more.
People near Vermont state border
Vermonters who live near a state border and regularly travel to and from a neighboring state may make day trips to that state for work, health care, for students who commute daily to attend preK-12 school or college if commuting daily, and for other essential needs like groceries or visitation for parental shared custody, without testing. See details on essential purposes.
The testing exemption only applies to the person under essential travel rules. It does not apply to anyone else who travels with you, for non-essential reasons.
If you live within 5 miles of the Vermont border, you may make day trips for certain activities without getting a test if you travel 5 miles into the neighboring state. This includes going to worship, going to a gym, getting a haircut, and participating in place-based outdoor recreation. Find out more about travel to and from border towns.
People traveling for essential purposes do not need to get tested. However, if you travel the Health Department recommends that you get tested regularly.
Essential travel includes travel for personal safety, health care, care of others, parental shared custody, for food, beverage or medicine, for students to attend preK-12 school or college commuting daily, or a school-sponsored activity, or for work.
The testing exemption only applies to the person under essential travel rules. It does not apply to anyone else who travels with you, for non-essential reasons.
Sign up for daily symptom check reminders
Sara Alert is a free, automated and secure reminder system to check for common symptoms of COVID-19. People visiting or returning to Vermont are strongly encouraged to sign up to get daily reminders asking if they are experiencing any symptoms.
Sara Alert sends daily reminders until they automatically stop two weeks after the day you report arriving in Vermont. You can choose to receive messages by email, text or phone.
If you report symptoms, the Health Department will reach out to provide guidance and next steps. Sara Alert is not a contact tracing system. It is not GPS-based, so it does not monitor your movements or track your location.
Why sign up for Sara Alert?
✔ Fast, easy, and free reminders to check yourself for symptoms
✔ Quick access to the Health Department for guidance and information if you develop symptoms
✔ Helps our public health teams contain the spread of COVID-19
If you are enrolled in Sara Alert and have questions about your messages, email the Travel Team or call 802-863-7240 (option 6).
GATHERING
To slow the spread of COVID-19 in Vermont, there are limits on gathering. An unvaccinated household may gather with one other unvaccinated household. You can gather with multiple unvaccinated households, as long as you are with only one other household at a time.
Learn how to gather with others safely
Hosting visitors
Under the current gathering guidelines, hosting visitors is considered a social gathering. Both you and your guests must follow Vermont’s gathering restrictions.
Visitors to Vermont
As part of Vermont's phased reopening plan, there is new travel guidance, effective April 9, 2021.
CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated, because travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.
Masks are required in public spaces in Vermont.
TESTING AND QUARANTINE
Unvaccinated people must have a COVID-19 test within 3 days before arriving in Vermont.
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The test you get must be for a current infection (like a PCR test), except it cannot be an antigen test (also known as a rapid test).
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If the test is negative, no quarantine is needed. If the test is positive, do not come to Vermont.
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Please bring proof of your negative test result with you.
Vaccinated people do not need to get tested or quarantine.
People who had COVID-19 within the last 3 months and have recovered do not need to test or quarantine unless they develop new symptoms.
Rules for visitors from other countries are different. Learn more.
GATHERING
To slow the spread of COVID-19 in Vermont, there are limits on gathering. An unvaccinated household may gather with one other unvaccinated household. You can gather with multiple unvaccinated households, as long as you are with only one other household at a time.
Learn how to gather with others safely
OVERNIGHT STAYS
Overnight stays in lodging, camping and short-term rental properties are allowed as described below.
When you arrive at the lodging site, you and anyone traveling with you must self-certify(link is external) that you meet one of these conditions:
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Have had a negative test result within three days before arriving in Vermont. The test must be for a current infection (like a PCR test), except it cannot be an antigen test (also known as rapid test). OR
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Are authorized to work in Vermont
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Are fully vaccinated
And you must also meet both of these conditions:
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Not had close contact with someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days AND
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Not had COVID-19-like symptoms in the past 24 hours.
Find more details on lodging and accommodations(link is external) from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.
International Travel
Find guidance for travel outside the United States.
Check CDC’s travel notices for Canada. Read Canada’s entry restrictions.
Follow the CDC’s after travel guidance when you return to the U.S.
OTHER INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
If you are planning on traveling internationally, check the current list of Travel Advisories by country from the U.S. Department of State, and visit travel.state.gov for detailed information on safe international travel. See CDC guidance on testing and international travel.
Visit the CDC’s travel page(link is external) for travel recommendations by country(link is external) and see the FAQs for Travelers.
The CDC recommends no one travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide, especially people with an increased risk of serious illness. That’s because the risk of COVID-19 on cruise ships is high. Learn more about cruise ships and river cruise voyages.
You must follow travel restrictions and quarantine requirements for the countries you plan to visit.
Follow the CDC’s after travel guidance when you return to the U.S.
Source: VDH 4.9.2021