CDC Updates US Travel Guidance

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today that people who are fully vaccinated with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized COVID-19 vaccine may travel safely around the United States.

In their updated guidance they provided details on who is considered fully vaccinated, as well as travel information for those who vaccinated and those who are not.

Who is Fully Vaccinated?

CDC states that people are considered fully vaccinated when:

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

Traveling When Fully Vaccinated

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.

The agency says if people don’t meet these requirements they need to take all the precautions of those who are not vaccinated including:

If you don’t meet these requirements, people are not fully vaccinated. For people in this category, they need to take all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.

Traveling While Not Fully Vaccinated

For people that have not been vaccinated at all or have had only 1 of the 2 dose regimen of the m-RNA vaccines here are the CDC’s travel considerations:

Before 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 US 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

• 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.
• Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.

Visit your state, territorial, tribal or local health department’s website to look for the latest information on where to get tested.

These guidelines were provided directly from the CDC website.