CDC Says Fully Vaccinated People May Travel within the U.S.

On Friday April 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their travel guidance for fully vaccinated individuals, saying that people who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the U.S. and U.S. territories.

Additional updated CDC guidelines say that fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it and that fully vaccinated travelers do not need to self-quarantine. During and after travel, the CDC recommends that fully vaccinated travelers:

• 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 you travel:
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
• Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.

The CDC’s guidelines for people who are not fully vaccinated but need to travel remain unchanged:

• Before you travel:
• Get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before your trip.
• 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 you 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.

All travelers, including fully vaccinated travelers, returning to the U.S. are still required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the U.S.

The CDC’s new guidance comes after a few other promising signs of the travel industry’s recovery, like TSA’s increased passenger screening numbers and increase in hiring; the reopening of theme parks like Universal Orlando Resort (not the whole park, but parts of it), Universal Studios Hollywood and SeaWorld; and cruise lines’ summer plans to sail again (vaccines required).