Coronavirus

As summer approaches, please review the travel recommendations from the CDC. Always check your traveling state to review the local guidelines. As always, if you are sick – DO NOT TRAVEL – stay home! Travel Safely.

Domestic Travel Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People

If you are fully vaccinated, take the following steps to protect others if you travel:

DURING TRAVEL

• Wear a mask over your nose and mouth. Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.
• Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who is not traveling with you.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).

AFTER TRAVEL

• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
• Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.

You do NOT need to get tested or self-quarantine if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months. You should still follow all other travel recommendations.

Domestic Travel Recommendations for Unvaccinated People

If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, take the following steps to protect yourself and others from COVID-19:

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

• Get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before your trip.

WHILE YOU ARE TRAVELING

• Wear a mask over your nose and mouth. Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.
• Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who is not traveling with you.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).

AFTER YOU TRAVEL

• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.
• Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
• If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
• If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.

Here is the most recent quarantine guidance for close contacts as of April 20, 2021.

Close contacts who were exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual in the classroom or on the bus while both individuals were masked do not have to quarantine unless they were within 3 feet of distance of the COVID-19 positive individual for a total of 15 minutes during a 24-hour period. This does not apply if someone was identified as a close contact outside of the classroom or bus (e.g., in sports, extra-curriculars, lunch, etc.) or if masks are not worn by both persons at the time of the exposure. All other close contacts must follow the standard protocol for when a close contact may return to school.

As a reminder, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health defines close contact as:

• Being within 6 feet of a COVID-19 case (someone who has tested positive) for a total of 15 minutes during a 24-hour period. Multiple brief or transitory interactions (less than a minute) throughout the day are unlikely to result in 15 minutes of cumulative contact and do not meet the definition of close contact. Being in the same room as an individual if you are consistently separated by 6 feet of distance does not meet the definition of a close contact.
• Close contact can occur while being with, caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case, OR
• Having direct physical contact with the person (e. g. hugging or kissing), OR
• Sharing eating or drinking utensils, OR
• Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment

All municipalities may move into Step 1 of Phase IV of the state’s reopening plan effective March 22nd.
Read full details regarding Step 1 Phase IV of the reopening plan.

The 2-1-1 now has several options to choose from. Listen carefully when calling in.
Read this flyer for more information.

SCHEDULING YOUR VACCINE APPOINTMENT
Blandford Board of Health urges residents to go online and schedule your vaccine appointments if you qualify in the Phase II vaccination process. You will be directed to the closest location to Blandford.

If you are 75 and older and are unable to use or have difficulty accessing the internet, to schedule an appointment online, you can call 2–1–1 and follow prompts to reach The Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

The resource line is available in English and Spanish and will have translators available. Individuals ages 75 and older will be able to speak to a representative live on the phone to assist them with an appointment. If no appointments are available, callers will have the option to be placed on a call back list for the mass vaccination sites. The vaccination site and the list will be called on a first-come first-served basis.

The Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line is for scheduling appointments only and representatives are not able to answer general questions about COVID-19 or provide individual health care advice.