Safer travel guidance from the CDC

Many Americans are looking forward to traveling over the summer months. The CDC has created guidelines for safer travel, and recommends delaying travel until fully vaccinated. Take a look at some of the CDC's main recommendations to vacation safely this summer.

International travel

Fully vaccinated travelers (i.e., people two weeks out from their final dose) are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. However, the CDC notes even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants when traveling internationally. Unvaccinated people who must travel internationally have more travel requirements than fully vaccinated people. Before travel, it's also important to look up requirements related to travel, mask wearing, testing, or quarantine, in your destination, which may differ from U.S. requirements.

Key tips for safer international travel:

Learn more on the CDC's international travel page.

Domestic travel

Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at transportation hubs like airports and stations. Masks are not required in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like a ferry or top deck of a bus).

Key tips for safer domestic travel:

Learn more on the CDC's domestic travel page and use the travel planner tool to get local information on restrictions in specific areas of the U.S.

When not to travel

The CDC recommends not traveling if you or your travel companions:

• Are sick with symptoms of COVID-19 (even if fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past).
• Have suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 (even without symptoms)
• Have been around someone with suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 in the past 14 days (even without symptoms).

Get more information on the CDC website for travelers and visit the Baseline COVID-19 Testing Program website to learn if testing is available in your area through Baseline. (Note: always check your destination's COVID-19 travel rules to confirm when and how to get tested to meet their requirements.)