Governor Phil Scott expands trusted travel policy

Policy allows quarantine-free travel from designated counties from Ohio to Virginia

As state data and expanded testing and tracing capacity continue to support reopening, Governor Phil Scott announced Friday, June 26, that he will expand the number of states covered under Vermont’s county-by-county quarantine-free travel policy, which allows direct travel from designated counties without a 14-day quarantine requirement.

In early June, the governor, in close consultation with the Vermont Dept. of Health, opened up travel to and from counties in New England and New York that have less than 400 active cases of Covid-19 per 1 million residents without a quarantine requirement.

Effective July 1, this policy is expanded to counties below this threshold in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia. Quarantine requirements remain in place for those traveling to and from other regions.

“Our hospitality sector and the thousands of jobs it provides Vermonters has been one of the worst hit by this pandemic, and even as we’ve reopened, it hasn’t been enough to help them make ends meet or put all of their employees back to work,” said Governor Phil Scott. “With this data-based approach to determine low-risk counties, we can welcome more people to Vermont and support these jobs while continuing to limit spread of the virus in Vermont.”

A dynamic map of the approved counties is posted on accd.vermont.gov and is updated weekly with the latest county designations. Vermonters planning to travel to other states should understand that each state may have its own quarantine policies.

Visitors are strongly encouraged to register with Sara Alert for daily symptom reminders from the Vermont Dept. of Health and must attest to meeting the travel requirements. Lodging occupancy limits remain at 50% or 25 total guests and staff, whichever is greater, and health, spacing, group size and hygiene requirements remain.