On Friday, April 2, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its travel guidance for fully-vaccinated people, to reflect the latest evidence and science.
Given recent studies evaluating the real-world effects of vaccination, CDC recommends that fully-vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves.
A person is considered fully-vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last recommended dose of vaccine.
Fully-vaccinated people can travel within the United States. They do not need COVID-19 testing or post-travel self-quarantine, as long as they continue to take COVID-19 precautions while traveling–wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.
“With millions of Americans getting vaccinated every day, it is important to update the public on the latest science, about what fully-vaccinated people can do safely, now including guidance on safe travel,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “We continue to encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as it’s their turn, so we can begin to safely take steps back to our everyday lives. Vaccines can help us return to the things we love about life, so we encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity.”
Because of the potential introduction and spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, differences in disease burden and vaccines, and vaccine coverage around the world, CDC is providing the following guidance related to international travel. Fully-vaccinated people
- can travel internationally without getting a COVID-19 test before travel, unless it is required by the international destination.
- do not need to self-quarantine after returning to the United States, unless required by a State or local jurisdiction.
- must still have a negative COVID-19 test result before they board a flight to the United States and get a COVID-19 test 3 to 5 days after returning from international travel.
- should continue to take COVID-19 precautions while traveling internationally.
CDC discourages non-essential domestic travel by those who are not fully-vaccinated. The guidance issued today does not change the agency’s existing guidance for people who are not fully-vaccinated.
- Unvaccinated travelers should still get tested 1-3 days before domestic travel and again 3-5 days after travel.
- They should stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days after travel or 10 days, if they don’t get tested at the conclusion of travel.
Updates to CDC travel guidance for vaccinated people can be found below:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html.
There are large numbers of Americans who remain unvaccinated. During the current state of the pandemic, CDC recommends that fully-vaccinated people continue to take COVID-19 precautions, such as wearing a mask, social distancing, washing hands frequently. Also avoid crowds when in public; when visiting unvaccinated people from multiple other households; when around unvaccinated people who are at high risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19.
CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety, and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.