October 14, 2020

 To the community,

Yesterday, in light of rising community COVID-19 transmission, the state of Vermont designated Grafton County, New Hampshire (which includes Hanover and Lebanon as well as several other cities) as a "quarantine county," which means there are now leisure travel restrictions between that county and Vermont. This designation is updated every Tuesday by Vermont, based on data from Johns Hopkins University, and so the guidelines could change.

Vermont's "essential travel" exceptions from quarantine remain in place for the following:

People traveling for essential purposes, including work, do not need to quarantine. Essential travel includes travel for personal safety, medical care, care of others, parental shared custody, for food, beverage or medicine, to attend pre-K-12 school and college if commuting daily, or to perform work for businesses that are currently allowed to operate. The current State of Emergency requires employers to use remote work and telework whenever possible to avoid unnecessary work travel. Businesses and employees must only travel for work related trips when absolutely necessary. Individuals engaged in a daily commute to and from their job are expressly exempt from the need to quarantine by executive order.

These exceptions do not include social or recreational activities, which should be curtailed by Vermont and New Hampshire residents until the active COVID-19 case level in Grafton County drops. Dartmouth students and employees affected by the Vermont guidance should remain vigilant about this shifting designation and adjust their travel as needed.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lisa Adams
Josh Keniston
Dartmouth COVID-19 Task Force Co-chairs