The Dos and Don’ts of Traveling Right Now, According to a CDC Expert

There are a lot of different things that travelers these days need to be aware of, but one of the biggest concerns travelers have continues to be the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to educate more people on the best pandemic travel practices, Dr. Kristina Angelo, DO, Medical Officer of the CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine answered some of our biggest questions.

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Lacey Pfalz (TP): What are some methods or ways we can make sure we’re traveling responsibly right now in regards to the pandemic?

Kristina Angelo (KA): The most important action you can take is to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and get a booster dose when eligible. COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and free and they help protect people from getting sick or severely ill. Make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travel.

– Follow all requirements at your destination, including mask-wearing, proof of vaccination, testing, or quarantine.

– Wear a mask. We know masks slow the spread of COVID-19. Anyone 2 years or older should properly wear a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces when traveling. Mask wearing is required in indoor areas of public transportation conveyances traveling into, within, or out of the United States and indoors at US transportation hubs like airports and stations. Consider properly wearing a well-fitting mask in crowded outdoor settings.

– Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

– Do not travel if you are sick or waiting for the result of a COVID-19 test.

TP: Domestic travel has been growing in popularity throughout the pandemic. As cities across the nation begin seeing lower case counts and in turn begin loosening their pandemic protocols, what is your advice for domestic travelers?

KA: The things we do to travel responsibly, that I listed above, are things that protect ourselves and our loved ones as we travel domestically. I also will add on a personal note, that I still try to visit places and do things that allow me to be outside and keep my distance from people I am not traveling with.

TP: What is your advice for travelers traveling internationally right now?

KA: Make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before traveling internationally. Know the situation at your destination by checking its COVID-19 Travel Health Notice at CDC.gov/travel. CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Health Notice system is designed to alert travelers to health threats and give them advice to help protect themselves and others. Avoid travel to countries with a Level 4 Travel Health Notice. CDC recommends avoiding travel to Level 4 countries because of the very high level of COVID-19.

– Follow all requirements at your destination, including mask wearing, proof of vaccination, testing, or quarantine.

– When you travel back to the United States by air, you are required to show a negative COVID test result taken no more than one day before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 90 days before you board your flight. Develop a plan for how you will get tested while abroad.

You might have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels. You might feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can still be infected and spread the virus to others.

For this reason, the CDC recommends the following:

– All international travelers should get tested with a COVID-19 viral test 3-5 days after arriving in the United States, self-monitor for symptoms, and isolate and get tested if they develop symptoms.

– People who are NOT up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines are also recommended to get tested before they leave the United States and before and after domestic travel.

– If you are NOT up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, stay home and self-quarantine for a full 5 days after travel.

– All air passengers to the United States are also required to provide contact information to airlines before boarding flights to the United States. This strengthens a travel process already in place to rapidly identify and contact people in the U.S. who may have been exposed to a communicable disease, such as COVID-19.

For more recommendations on traveling during the pandemic, please visit the CDC’s travel health recommendations page.

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