CDC guideline on international travel for international students

CDC international travel guideline: Do I have to quarantine?

Update 11/3/2021: Nonimmigrant individuals who travel by air should be fully vaccinated from November 8, 2021. Please read the following article for the most recent update: 2022 vaccine requirements and electronic I-20 for internationals

Whether you are planning to attend in-person classes or take online classes in the United States, you might wonder if you are mandated to quarantine upon international travel. The simple answer to this question is that self-quarantine is not mandated by CDC but you may be required to do so by institutional, local, and state levels. In this blog post, the latest CDC international travel guideline which was updated on August 5 and best practices for international students will be discussed.

Related blog post: The cheapest air flight & Fall 2021 immigration documents

Contents


CDC international travel guideline

CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) updated the page titled After You Travel on August 5. The previous guidance encouraged international travelers to avoid public transport, taxis, and rideshare services including Uber and Lyft. Now the updated CDC international travel guideline provides a bit more flexibility, including the removal of the aforementioned previous recommendations. Pasted below is the list of actions that international travelers should take upon their arrival.

  • When around others, stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household. It is important to do this everywhere, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Wear a mask to keep your nose and mouth covered when you are outside of your home.
  • Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).
  • Watch your health: Look for symptoms of COVID-19, and take your temperature if you feel sick.

That being said, international students may need to quarantine themselves by state, territorial, tribal and local health department’s requirements. For instance, although CDC doesn’t require the self-quarantine nor your state, your town (city) may require international travelers to self-quarantine for up to 15 days. Therefore, the best practice is to reach out to your advisor and ask for guidelines for international travelers.


Guidance on domestic traveling

Besides international travelers, some students might have stayed in other states before they go back to their home university. It is worth noting that the rules for domestic travelers are actually different than international arrivals. For example, when it comes to New York state, students who visited restricted states that are listed in the COVID-19 Travel Advisory are subjected to the mandatory quarantine requirement. On the other hand, there is no New York State directive for international travelers. As we saw in the previous paragraph, international travelers can be outside and in public as long as they maintain safe distancing and use face coverings where needed.

CDC also recommends checking travel restrictions of state, territorial, tribal governments as they may have “travel restrictions in place, including testing requirements, stay-at-home orders, and quarantine requirements upon arrival.” Travel restrictions at the local level can be easily overlooked. Therefore the best practice for students who are planning to travel domestically is also reaching out to the advisor and ask for guidance.


Helpful resources

Below are helpful guidelines for international and domestic travelers by CDC. It is basic but it is better to double-check for your safe travel.

Does your destination have requirements or restrictions for travelers?

Some state, local, and territorial governments have requirements, such as requiring people to wear masks and requiring those who recently traveled to stay home for up to 14 days. Check state, territorial, tribal, and local public health websites for information before you travel. If you are traveling internationally, check the destination’s Office of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Health or the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Country Information pageexternal icon for details about entry requirements and restrictions for arriving travelers, such as mandatory testing or quarantine.

Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Air travel

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 sitting within 6 feet of others, sometimes for hours, may increase your risk of getting COVID-19.

Also consider how you get to and from the airport, as public transportation and ridesharing can increase your chances of being exposed to the virus.

Considerations for Types of Travel

Car travel

Making stops along the way for the gas, food, or bathroom breaks can put you and your traveling companions in close contact with other people and frequently-touched surfaces.

Considerations for Types of Travel

Anticipate Your Travel Needs

  • Bring a mask to wear in public places.
  • Pack hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Keep this within reach.
  • Bring enough of your medicine to last you for the entire trip.
  • Pack food and water in case restaurants and stores are closed, or if drive-through, take-out, and outdoor-dining options aren’t available.
  • If you are considering cleaning your travel lodgings, see CDC’s guidance on how to clean and disinfect.

The bottom line appears that both international and domestic travelers should be aware of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements that are imposed by the CDC, state, local, and health departments. Although CDC doesn’t require international travelers to quarantine themselves upon the arrival, travel restrictions of state, territorial, and tribal governments might ask you to follow certain rules. Given that this information keeps changing, seeking guidance from your advisor will be the most effective way to understand quarantine requirements for each situation.

If you are traveling from Schengen Area, the UK, and Ireland, check out the related blog post below which illustrates travel exemptions.

Related blog post: U.S. embassy reopening date and travel exceptions

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