Now that vaccines are being distributed and more people are getting vaccinated, many are anxious and eager to travel. Statewide travel restrictions are being lifted in numerous states, airlines are the busiest they’ve been since last March, countries are opening up their borders, and people are planning their vacations.
Even though many have planned to and begun, the CDC still recommends that you stay home and delay your travel plans. If you must travel, they recommend that you do the following:
- Get fully vaccinated, if eligible
- Get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before your trip
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when in public
- Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet away from anyone you did not travel with
- Get tested 3-5 days after your trip and self-quarantine for a full 7 days, even with a negative test, or if you don’t get tested, then self-quarantine for 10 days
- Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements after travel
Even though countries have begun to let travelers in, they still have certain restrictions put in place. Some countries also require negative COVID tests or even a mandatory quarantine period, while others are fully open to U.S. travelers or completely closed.
According to NBC News, “more than 70 countries, including Brazil, Haiti, Ireland and Egypt, are fully open to U.S. travelers and tourists.” While “sixteen countries are completely closed to Americans, including France, Belgium, Iraq, Libya and New Zealand,” with other countries falling somewhere in between. “More than 150 countries require a negative Covid-19 test… more than 100 countries have some sort of quarantine requirement… and more than 60 countries have some sort of curfew in effect.” NBC News also has a color-coded map showing each country’s specific travel restrictions.
Travel within the United States has already started to increase, and many states have begun to lift their travel restrictions. An article from The Mercury News has a full and detailed list of every individual state’s travel requirements and restrictions. In over half of all U.S. states, there are currently no statewide travel restrictions, and the remaining have either mandated quarantines and/or a negative Covid-19 test. Even though some states may not have current travel restrictions, they are still discouraging travel and encouraging mask-wearing. If you are thinking about traveling to another state, make sure to check its official website for any travel restrictions.
Airlines also have their own restrictions in place, such as mandated mask-wearing or proof of a negative COVID-19 test. The CDC has recently enforced an order that, “all air passengers arriving to the United States from a foreign country to get tested no more than 3 days before their flight departs and to present the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding the flight.” Each airline has different requirements, but United Airlines, for example, requires that “all customers age 2 and older must comply with the federal face mask law.”
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