# Maine - ok for out of state with recent negative Covid test



## mdurette (Jun 8, 2020)

Beginning July 1, out-of-state visitors with recent negative test may forgo quarantine - Mount Desert Islander
					

AUGUSTA — The state has unveiled a proposed alternative to the 14-day quarantine for out-of-state visitors in an attempt to salvage the summer season




					www.mdislander.com
				




*AUGUSTA* — The state has unveiled a proposed alternative to the 14-day quarantine for out-of-state visitors in an attempt to salvage the summer season amidst the coronavirus pandemic.


Under the three part plan, which includes compliance forms, expanded testing and increased symptom checking, visitors who have received a negative COVID-19 test no later than 72 hours prior to arrival are allowed to forgo the 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Maine. Individuals may be tested in Maine, but they must quarantine while awaiting the results.


Visitors from New Hampshire and Vermont are exempt from the testing and 14-day quarantine requirement altogether, effective immediately. “When adjusted for population, the prevalence of active cases of COVID-19 in these states is similar to that in Maine,” the Governor’s office noted in a press release.


“It doesn’t mean you’re free — it means use a cloth face covering, keep your social distance and enjoy Maine,” said Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew in a media briefing on Monday.

Visitors also will be asked to sign a compliance form, provided at all Maine lodging, campgrounds, seasonal rentals, overnight camps and other commercial lodging (including short-term rentals) stating either that they’ve received a negative COVID-19 test, that they will quarantine in Maine for 14 days, or that they have already completed their quarantine in Maine.


The forms will be kept on file at the lodging establishment for a period of time (perhaps 30 days, Governor Janet Mills said). Visitors “may” be required to provide proof of their negative test result if they’re asked.


“We don’t want to make the hotel staff become a repository for HIPAA-protected information,” said Mills. “Someone may ask for the test result, confirming it.”


The new rules go into effect on July 1, when lodging establishments may begin serving residents outside of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. A draft of the Certificate of Compliance form is posted on the state’s website at maine.gov/covid19/restartingmaine/keepmainehealthy.


Nearly half of the state’s visitors come from Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey, where the presence of the virus is 8 to 11 times higher than the population-adjusted cases in Maine. Maine has the nation’s highest percentage of housing that serves as vacation homes.


Visitors and residents also can expect to see more symptom checking in high-traffic areas, such as visitors’ centers and beach parking lots. The state plans to partner with the Maine Community College System to enlist Maine students in the health professions to ask visitors questions and offer advice.


State officials were looking for “as broad of an economic reopening as possible,” said Heather Johnson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic Community Development (DECD), at the briefing.


“Many other states have imposed capacity limits on hotels, motels and campgrounds,” said Mills. “We didn’t do that.”


The Department of Transportation also will place signs at key sites instructing people to stay home or seek medical care if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and informing visitors of the quarantine or testing requirements.


Alaska announced a similar plan last week, with a form for travelers that includes information such as a declaration certifying a negative PCR test or a vow to self-quarantine for 14 days. The form also asks about symptoms and for an address where the visitor will be quarantined, if that is required.


As of Monday, Hancock County had recorded 12 confirmed cases of the virus. Ten residents had reportedly recovered, one had passed away and one had been hospitalized at some point.


“Our numbers are low right now,” said Mills, but numerous public health leaders, including the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, “all predict a resurgence in late summer, early fall. We want to protect against that.”


In Maine, the “low numbers … are not an accident,” Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said Monday. “They are the direct and beneficial result of early quick action by the government” coupled with buy-in from residents.


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## missyrcrews (Jun 8, 2020)

Was just coming on to post about this.    You beat me to it.


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## theo (Jun 9, 2020)

inadvertent duplicate post deleted.


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## theo (Jun 9, 2020)

As I understand the Maine requirements, any visitor "from away" (NH and VT residents excepted) would be obligated to have *both* a test *and*  documentation of its' (negative) results *all completed within the 72 hours immediately preceding their arrival in Maine* in order to avoid a 14 day quarantine mandate upon arrival in Maine.

That combination of requirements seems very difficult (impossible, actually) to accomplish. In many places, testing is still not even available unless a person shows symptoms and a doctor makes a referral. In short, to comply with the Maine requirements, a *healthy* person will somehow have to obtain a COVID test and obtain documentation of its' negative results and accomplish all of that within the 72 hours immediately preceding their arrival in Maine. While this requirement may be easy enough for Governor Mills to "proclaim", it may well also be outright impossible to achieve.

The medical infrastructure in Maine cannot possibly accommodate the existence (or the "mass importation") of high numbers COVID-19 cases and I certainly respect the goal of preventing incoming summer hordes of people "from away" from bringing the virus with them to Maine. That said, the requirements imposed upon *healthy* out-of-staters in order for them to avoid going directly into a 14 day quarantine period upon their arrival in Maine seem to me to be logistically difficult (or impossible) to actually accomplish.


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## amycurl (Jun 9, 2020)

I'm excited by this. It means I will get to have my Maine fix in August *and* visit my mother. I am sure that one could get a doctor to refer for a test. Woot!


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## theo (Jun 10, 2020)

amycurl said:


> I'm excited by this. It means I will get to have my Maine fix in August *and* visit my mother. I am sure that one could get a doctor to refer for a test. Woot!



You may be missing my intended point. Even if you *can* manage to get a referral and tested before coming to Maine "from away", you must do so *and* have documentation of negative results *within the 72 hour period immediately preceding your arrival in Maine*.
Good luck with accomplishing that, I respectfully submit.

A cynic might theorize that the Governor's actual underlying (and contradictory) message is "Maine welcomes you......but stay home".


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## missyrcrews (Jun 10, 2020)

Theo, I don't think you're far off the mark.  She faced pressure to do something, and so she did.  Allowing VT and NH free access is good....and also means that when WE return from those states, we don't have to quarantine.  But most of our tourism doesn't come from VT and NH...it comes from points south.  Will be interesting to see how it all plays out.  Tourism is huge here.


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## TravelTime (Jun 10, 2020)

theo said:


> You may be missing my intended point. Even if you *can* manage to get a referral and tested before coming to Maine "from away", you must do so *and* have documentation of negative results *within the 72 hour period immediately preceding your arrival in Maine*.
> Good luck with accomplishing that, I respectfully submit.
> 
> A cynic might theorize that the Governor's actual underlying (and contradictory) message is "Maine welcomes you......but stay home".



I am confused why this would be impossible. I had a covid test and get the documentation of negative results in less than 24 hours. If someone is going to a place that requires a test to visit to avoid a 14 day quaranteine, then it should be easy to ask their doctor to refer them for a test. This would probably be a valid reason for testing.


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## theo (Jun 11, 2020)

TravelTime said:


> I am confused why this would be impossible. I had a covid test and get the documentation of negative results in less than 24 hours. If someone is going to a place that requires a test to visit to avoid a 14 day quaranteine, then *it should be easy to ask their doctor to refer them for a test. This would probably be a valid reason for testing*.



It is apparently a matter of your location. Friends and family members in Massachusetts, for a specific example, advise that it is not yet possible there for a healthy, asymptomatic person to obtain a test at all (let alone obtain the results within 24 hours). As it turns out, "planning to go on vacation" is *not*  a valid reason for a asymptomatic person to obtain a medical referral for COVID testing there (and a very large number of summer visitors to Maine do indeed come from Massachusetts, just a relatively short drive away from Maine).

This situation will presumably change as COVID testing becomes more available for otherwise healthy people. In the meantime, people from MA (and many others from elsewhere) have cancelled their planned summer rentals in Maine, being logistically unable to obtain testing and results within 72 hours of their planned arrival in Maine and being completely unwilling to be quarantined (locked down) in place 24/7 for 14 days if they chose to travel to Maine *without* first obtaining testing and actual documentation of negative results.

I can certainly appreciate that few people would want to pay serious money for a vacation rental, only to become "quarantined" 24/7 for 14 days immediately upon arrival in Maine.  Understandably, that scenario would not fulfill too many people's idea of a "vacation".


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## Cornell (Jun 11, 2020)

@theo Where I live (IL) testing is so easy and available to get.  Anyone can walk into a CVS, Walgreens, etc and get a test.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 11, 2020)

I got one at CVS earlier in the week.  I've had a cough for months and I am the primary caregiver of someone over 60. I don't think I have it but since I have this cough I would like to be able to tell everyone that I tested negative.  It normally takes 2-3 to get the results but I was told because they just opened it up so you don't need an actual doctor referral they are a little behind and expect it to take 4 days to get the results.  I think there are rapid testing sites but you either need more stringent referral process or need to pay out of pocket in the $200 range.


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## TravelTime (Jun 11, 2020)

theo said:


> It's apparently a matter of location. Friends in Massachusetts, to provide a specific example, advise that it is not yet possible there for a asymptomatic person to obtain a test at all (let alone obtain results within 24 hours). As it turns out, "planning to go on vacation" is *not*  a valid reason for a healthy person to obtain a medical referral for testing there (and a very large number of summer visitors to Maine do indeed come from Massachusetts, just a very few hours away from Maine).
> 
> This situation will presumably change as COVID testing becomes more available for otherwise healthy people. In the meantime, the aforementioned friends from MA (and many, many others) have cancelled their planned summer rentals in Maine, being logistically unable to obtain testing and results within 72 hours of their planned arrival in Maine and being completely unwilling to be quarantined (i.e., locked down) in place 24/7 for 14 days if they chose to travel to Maine *without* testing and results.
> 
> I can certainly appreciate that few people would likely want to pay serious money for a vacation rental, only to become "locked down" in place 24/7 for 14 days upon arrival.  Understandably, that scenario would not fulfill many people's idea of  "vacation".



I figured that would be one reason why doctors would not authorize a test for healthy people. There appears to be the testing capacity and availability of quick results in California but not yet available everywhere.The states need to put realistic guidelines in place and work with the testing facilities to make sure it is feasible to open up. Many states and countries are now opening up without quarantine if you can get a negative test. The testing really needs to become available for healthy people who need to follow a state, federal or international testing mandate.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Jun 11, 2020)

So does anyone know if the Amtrak Downeaster is currently running from Boston to Portland, Maine?   Do they advise passengers of State of Maine requirements prior to boarding?

Visited the Apple Store today (not fruit but technology) and they refused admittance without a temperature check and facial mask.   I passed the test!



.


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## mdurette (Jun 12, 2020)

Full Maine report for travelers:




__





						Travel and Visitor FAQs
					

The State of Maine, its communities, and its diverse tourism and hospitality industries know that visitors want to travel to locations that are safe and healthy, and they want to enjoy the communities, businesses and outdoor locations that make Maine so special. FAQ For Travel and Visitors What...




					www.maine.gov


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## WinniWoman (Jun 12, 2020)

The thing is you can test negative on the day of the test and pick up the virus the next day. It's the antibodies test that is more important I would think.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 12, 2020)

WinniWoman said:


> The thing is you can test negative on the day of the test and pick up the virus the next day. It's the antibodies test that is more important I would think.


But the antibody tests (all of them) has a terrible false positive/negative rate.  You probably need to take 2-4 of these tests and average out the results before you can have even a reasonable confidence in the results.


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## Cornell (Jun 12, 2020)

WinniWoman said:


> The thing is you can test negative on the day of the test and pick up the virus the next day. It's the antibodies test that is more important I would think.


Exactly --- I see all these people running around where I live getting tested with the idea of "I got tested so I'm good".  
I seriously have given up trying to understand or follow the rationale of a lot of this.


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## wackymother (Jun 12, 2020)

We are in north Jersey. Our town did testing for residents; our county is doing ongoing testing for residents. You can also get tests at many drugstores, with quick turnaround of results--ours took three days. So if you were coming from our area, then yes, it would be pretty straightforward to get a test and get the results in time to set off for Maine if you plan ahead.


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## tonyg (Jun 12, 2020)

There seems to be little or no problem getting a test within 72 hours before arrival, the question is will I get the results. I expect Maine's vacation cash influx will be very seriously affected by this requirement, particularly along the coast and even more so in Bar Harbor without the cruise ship guests. Good year for Mainers to visit Bar Harbor tho.


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## missyrcrews (Jun 12, 2020)

TheTimeTraveler said:


> So does anyone know if the Amtrak Downeaster is currently running from Boston to Portland, Maine?   Do they advise passengers of State of Maine requirements prior to boarding?
> 
> Visited the Apple Store today (not fruit but technology) and they refused admittance without a temperature check and facial mask.   I passed the test!
> 
> ...


The Downeaster starts up again 6/15 with very limited runs.


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## missyrcrews (Jun 12, 2020)

tonyg said:


> There seems to be little or no problem getting a test within 72 hours before arrival, the question is will I get the results. I expect Maine's vacation cash influx will be very seriously affected by this requirement, particularly along the coast and even more so in Bar Harbor without the cruise ship guests. Good year for Mainers to visit Bar Harbor tho.


This indeed a good year for Mainers to enjoy their state.  Silver linings to everything!


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## #1 Cowboys Fan (Jun 12, 2020)

Maybe we will go next weekend..........................??


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## mdurette (Jun 12, 2020)

I have been watching New England inventory alot for the past week.   There have been some awesome Maine units become available.    They usually get snatched up pretty quickly, so someone is taking them.


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## theo (Jun 12, 2020)

mdurette said:


> I have been watching New England inventory a lot for the past week.   There have been some awesome Maine units become available.    *They usually get snatched up pretty quickly, so someone is taking them.*



.....and clearly taken with no awareness whatsoever of Maine's new requirements, which are only *a very few days old* now.


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## mdurette (Jul 5, 2020)

UPDATE:   
July 1: Due to improving public health metrics in those states, visitors from Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey are exempt from the 14-day quarantine requirement or negative COVID-19 testing alternative, effective July 3.

I find the list of accepted states strange.   New Hampshire, Rhode Island.....wonder why they are on the no-no list.











						Home | Covid-19
					






					www.maine.gov


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## missyrcrews (Jul 5, 2020)

New Hampshire can come....they were part of the original no quarantine ruling, along with VT.  Mass....not so much.


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## amycurl (Jul 5, 2020)

Thank you for that link. Now I don't have to worry about figuring out how to get a test for my daughter (since I think CVS will only do the tests for those over 18.)


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## 102704 (Jul 25, 2020)

New Hampshire is on the approved list. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are the two New England states where 14 day quarantine is required without a recent test.


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## WinniWoman (Jul 25, 2020)

102704 said:


> New Hampshire is on the approved list. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are the two New England states where 14 day quarantine is required without a recent test.



And Connecticut, no?


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## 102704 (Jul 25, 2020)

WinniWoman said:


> And Connecticut, no?


CT, NY, NJ, NH,VT are all allowed without restriction.


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## theo (Jul 27, 2020)

A relative from Massachusetts came to visit for a few days last week. A medical professional, he was able to get a COVID test and (negative) results, all within 3 days of his arrival in Maine (as ME Governor rules require, if not quarantining for 14 days). The "3 days" timetable is literally impossible to accomplish in Massachusetts right now, due to the sheer magnitude of testing demands on medical staff, testing supplies and lab capacity.

I hadn't thought too deeply about this, but he pointed out how ineffective (i.e., borderline silly) that "3 days" requirement is, since the test is only a "snapshot" of a moment in time (from several days ago). Anyone could become infected anytime *after* leaving the testing facility, arrive in Maine with documentation of their (now obsolete and inaccurate) negative test results, and proceed to travel freely around Maine at will, potentially infecting others, carrying authentic (but completely inaccurate) hard copy documentation of negative test results. Our relative never left our immediate area, content to just relax and decompress for a few days before returning to the fray.

I don't claim to have any brilliant insights on this matter and nothing in my life depends upon any incoming tourist money, but he did cite the interesting statistic that historically, 40% of all tourist dollars coming into Maine reportedly originate from Massachusetts.


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## mdurette (Jul 28, 2020)

theo said:


> I hadn't thought too deeply about this, but he pointed out how ineffective (i.e., borderline silly) that "3 days" requirement is, since the test is only a "snapshot" of a moment in time (from several days ago). Anyone could become infected anytime *after* leaving the testing facility.



Not only after leaving.....but at the testing facility itself.    But, I think the point of the test is to search out the non symptomatic people that are running around like normal, not even realizing they have it.    The required testing may catch a few folks that were not aware.

I would agree that most tourism money in ME and NH come from MA and RI folks.     I think ME refusal to add these two states to their non quarantine list is not because they are higher risk than others they have given the green light to....it is to try and control the volume coming into to state.


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## theo (Jul 28, 2020)

mdurette said:


> Not only after leaving.....but at the testing facility itself.    But, I think the point of the test is to search out the non symptomatic people that are running around like normal, not even realizing they have it.    The required testing may catch a few folks that were not aware.
> 
> I would agree that most tourism money in ME and NH come from MA and RI folks.     I think ME refusal to add these two states to their non quarantine list is not because they are higher risk than others they have given the green light to....it is to try and control the volume coming into to state.


I don’t disagree. I think that Governor Mills’ mixed and inherently contradictory message is (in predictable, true politician fashion) trying to have it *both* ways, essentially saying “Maine welcomes you —- Stay Home!”


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## WinniWoman (Jul 28, 2020)

theo said:


> A relative from Massachusetts came to visit for a few days last week. A medical professional, he was able to get a COVID test and (negative) results, all within 3 days of his arrival in Maine (as ME Governor rules require, if not quarantining for 14 days). The "3 days" timetable is literally impossible to accomplish in Massachusetts right now, due to the sheer volume of testing demands on people, supplies and lab capacity.
> 
> I hadn't thought too deeply about this, but he pointed out how ineffective (i.e., borderline silly) that "3 days" requirement is, since the test is only a "snapshot" of a moment in time (from several days ago). Anyone could become infected anytime *after* leaving the testing facility, arrive in Maine with documentation of their (now obsolete and inaccurate) negative test results, and proceed to travel around the state at will, potentially infecting others, while carrying (inaccurate) hard copy documentation of negative COVID test results in their pocket. Our relative never left our immediate area, content to just relax and decompress for a few days before returning to the fray.
> 
> I don't claim to have any brilliant insights on this matter and nothing in my life depends upon any incoming tourist money, but he did cite the interesting statistic that historically, 40% of all tourist dollars coming into Maine reportedly originate from Massachusetts.




Regarding the test- of course! Common sense! I said this from the beginning! That is why it is so ridiculous imo! Again- pardon my french but it is all BS.

As for the tourist  dollars, it is even more so in NH. Every license plate here is from Massachusetts. Between the second homeowners and the day trippers and hotel tourists, you are hard pressed to actually find a born and bred local. Even those that are residents originated from Massachusetts. And they all seem to have big money. Their homes sell for over the top dollar in Mass. and their earnings are above average.  Many move to NH just over the border to escape the oppressive taxes in Mass, but continue to work in Mass. for the bigger salaries.

We have had Mass. license plates all over here from the get go of this virus and state quarantining stuff.They own homes here- pay taxes. People in southern NH had to go to work in Mass. Yet our numbers have been good- especially here in the Lakes region and north where most of the second homes are.

I feel like I moved to Mass. north- that is how embedded it is. It is the one thing I do not like about NH. It has lost it's authenticity. Don't get me wrong, all the (Mass and other) people we have met are very nice. I know everyone everywhere is from somewhere, including my husband and I! But it is extreme in NH. And why I like Vermont so much better but- well....NH is where I am now.


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## tonyg (Jul 31, 2020)

I found that NH was a bid lax in mask wearing and social distancing when we spent a week there this July.


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