You may have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels. You may feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can be contagious without symptoms and spread the virus to others. You and your travel companions (including children) pose a risk to your family, friends, and community for 14 days after you travel.
Do I need to be tested for COVID-19 before or after traveling in the USA if I have been vaccinated?
• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
Are you required to get a COVID-19 test to fly back to the U.S.?
Air passengers traveling to the US are required to present a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery. Airlines must confirm the negative test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before boarding.
Do I need a negative COVID-19 test to enter the US if I’m flying from US territories?
No, the Order to present a documentation of a negative COVID-19 test or recovery from COVID-19 does not apply to air passengers flying from a US territory to a US state.
US territories include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
Can a COVID-19 test taken before departure from the US be used to return within the 3-day time frame?
If a trip is shorter than 3 days, a viral test taken in the United States can be used to fulfill the requirements of the Order as long as the specimen was taken no more than three days before the return flight to the US departs. If the return travel is delayed longer than 3 days after the test, the passenger will need to be retested before the return flight.
Travelers considering this option should additionally consider the availability of appropriate testing capacity at their destinations, and the time frame needed to obtain results, as a contingency when making plans for travel.
How soon should I get a COVID-19 test before travelling?
If your planned itinerary has you arriving via one or more connecting flights, your test can be taken within the 3 days before the departure of the first flight.
What are the steps you should take after traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• 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.
What are some guidelines for traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth.
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).
How long should I quarantine after travelling during the COVID-19 pandemic?
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.
Do I need to get self-quarantine after a domestic travel if I am fully vaccinated against COVID-19?
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.
Do I need to quarantine after testing negative for the coronavirus disease?
You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
What will happen with my personal information during contact tracing for COVID-19?
Discussions with health department staff are confidential. This means that your personal and medical information will be kept private and only shared with those who may need to know, like your health care provider.
If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, your name will not be shared with those you came in contact with. The health department will only notify people you were in close contact with (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) that they might have been exposed to COVID-19. Each state and jurisdiction use their own method for collecting and protecting health information. To learn more, contact your state or local health department.
What is considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19?
For COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes).
Can you contract COVID-19 through sexual intercourse?
Although there is currently no evidence that the COVID-19 virus transmits through semen or vaginal fluids, it has been detected in the semen of people recovering from COVID-19. We would thus recommend avoiding any close contact, especially very intimate contact like unprotected sex, with someone with active COVID-19 to minimize the risk of transmission
What actions do we take if we get sick after travel and test positive with COVID-19?
If you get sick with fever, cough, or other symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive:
•Stay home and take other precautions. Avoid contact with others until it’s safe for you to end home isolation.
•Don’t travel when you are sick.
•You might have COVID-19. If you do, know that most people are able to recover at home without medical care.
•Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room and let them know you might have COVID-19.
•If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), get emergency medical care immediately.
•If you live in close quarters with others, take additional precautions to protect them.
Does the COVID-19 stay in your clothes?
Viruses similar to coronavirus don’t survive well on porous surfaces Despite the little information we have about the survivability of coronavirus on your clothes, we do know a few other helpful things.
Can flying on an airplane increase my risk of getting COVID-19?
Yes. Air travel requires spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which can bring you in close contact with other people and frequently touched surfaces. Most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes. However, social distancing is difficult on crowded flights, and you may have to sit near others (within 6 feet), sometimes for hours. This may increase your risk for exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.
What is the CDC’s recommendation for COVID-19 testing before traveling?
CDC recommends predeparture testing with a viral test no more than 3 days before departure for other travelers, including those departing from the United States for international destinations or traveling domestically within the United States.
How long does it take to get results for COVID-19 antigen tests?
Antigen tests are relatively inexpensive, and most can be used at the point of care. Most of the currently authorized tests return results in approximately 15–30 minutes.
Why is it necessary to take the COVID-19 test 3 days before arriving in the United States?
The 3-day period is the 3 days before the flight’s departure. The Order uses a 3-day timeframe instead of 72 hours to provide more flexibility to the traveler. By using a 3-day window, test validity does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test was administered.
Do I need to get a post-arrival COVID-19 test after traveling if I was infected within the last 3 months?
If you recovered from a documented COVID-19 infection within the last 3 months, follow all requirements and recommendations for fully vaccinated travelers except you do NOT need to get a post- arrival test 3-5 days after travel unless you are symptomatic.
Can I get an exemption or waiver to the COVID-19 testing requirement?
Exemptions may be granted on an extremely limited basis when emergency travel (like an emergency medical evacuation) must occur to preserve someone’s life, health against a serious danger, or physical safety and testing cannot be completed before travel.
Do I need to get another COVID-19 test if I have a connecting flight?
If your itinerary has you arriving to the US via one or more connecting flights, your test can be taken within the 3 days before the departure of the first flight.