Travelers must quarantine
Vermonters are advised against any non-essential travel, including within Vermont, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There is now a mandatory quarantine for anyone returning or traveling to Vermont. The State of Vermont has suspended its leisure travel map. Learn more about the changes.
If you travel out of Vermont whether for a day trip or longer, you must quarantine in Vermont when you return for 14 days. You can end your quarantine early if, you haven't had any symptoms of COVID-19, get a PCR test on or after Day 7, get a negative test result, still do not have symptoms, and continue to monitor yourself for symptoms for the full 14 days.
If you are visiting outside Vermont for a longer period, and you will travel back to Vermont in a personal vehicle (including a rental vehicle or private plane), you may complete either a 14-day quarantine or if you have not had any symptoms of COVID-19, a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative PCR test in the state where you are visiting. Continue to quarantine from when you receive your test result until you travel to Vermont. You may then enter Vermont without further quarantine restrictions. You must continue to monitor yourself for symptoms for the full 14 days.
Vermonters must follow travel restrictions and quarantine requirements for the states they plan to visit.
Quarantine helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 before a person knows they are sick, or if they are infected with the virus and don’t have symptoms.
Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from other people. Quarantine means you need to stay home and away from other people for 14 days. This means you can’t do any activities outside of your home, like going to school, work, or grocery shopping, or recreation. You should separate yourself from others and check for symptoms.
Even if you have recovered from COVID-19 or have gotten a positive antibody test, you must quarantine when you travel or return to Vermont under the current travel guidelines.
Learn more about quarantine and see tips about quarantining when you share a home.
If you plan to travel to Vermont by public transportation (plane, train, bus), you must quarantine in Vermont.
When you travel, limit your stops and only stop when necessary (for example, for food, fuel, or rest). Anytime you stop, follow the prevention steps: stay at least 6 feet away from people you do not live with, wear a face mask, avoid crowded indoor spaces, and wash your hands often. Stay home and do not travel if you are sick.
At this time, Vermonters should not host travelers.
As of November 14, 2020, you are not allowed to gather with people you don’t live with. This includes all inside and outside social, recreational and entertainment gatherings, and in public and private spaces. This means that visitors to Vermont can only socialize with the people they live with. They cannot gather with Vermonters or with people from another household. Learn more about what this means.
Update: For the period from December 23 – January 2, one household may gather with one other trusted household. That is a maximum of two households gathering during this period.
Once gatherings are allowed again, if you are hosting travelers under quarantine in your home or lodging, you do not also need to quarantine. That means you can go to school, work, or the grocery store. However, you need to stay at least 6 feet from the people who are under quarantine. People under quarantine should wear a mask in common spaces, use a separate bathroom, eat separately, and otherwise not be in close contact with the people who are hosting them. Be sure to disinfect commonly touched surfaces, and check yourself for symptoms for 14 days.
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 quarantining.
The quarantine 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.
People traveling for essential purposes do not need to quarantine. Essential travel (link is external) 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 quarantine 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 free symptom check reminders!
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).
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Sample email reminder:
Sample emailed symptom list:
Sample text reminder:
If you are under quarantine and have not had symptoms for the first 7 days of your quarantine, you can get tested. The test must be a PCR test. You should stay in quarantine until you get your results. If your test result is negative and you still haven't had any symptoms, you can end your quarantine. You must continue to monitor yourself for symptoms for the full 14 days.
Talk to your health care provider to find out where to get tested. There are testing locations throughout Vermont. If you don’t have a health care provider, call 2-1-1 to connect to care or contact the nearest federally qualified health center (link is external) or one of Vermont's free & referral clinics (link is external).
Please contact your college or university directly for information about testing and health guidance.
The City of Burlington has a Supportive Quarantine Program. The program includes a move-in care package of fresh local goods, a mask, and hygiene supplies. Learn more and sign up!