MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont Health Department is urging anyone who gathered with people outside their households over the holidays to get tested for the virus that causes COVID-19 seven days after the get-together.

And those who hosted out-of-state visitors should quarantine for 14 days or seven days and get a negative test.

The Health Department made the rules specially for holiday gatherings. From Dec. 23-Jan. 2 one household may gather with one other trusted household.

But the Health Department reminds people that staying home with your immediate family members is still the lowest risk.

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AIRPORT TRAVEL

The average number of passengers who traveled through the Burlington International Airport over Christmas was down 80%, according to airport officials.

Airport Manager Gene Richards calls the low number “great” because he hopes it will help Vermont avoid a spike in cases following the holidays.

Richards told WCAX-TV an average of 11,000 travelers come through the Burlington airport this time of year, but this year there have been about 2,000.

“This is a real blessing in our eyes to have less people traveling in and out of Vermont,” Richards said. “We know that the bounce from the holidays will hopefully be a little less because of it.”

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