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Covid-19 Testing Requirements for International travelers arriving in the US

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Starting January 26th, 2021, there will be Covid-19 testing requirements. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has implemented a negative Covid-19 test required to be presented by everyone arriving in the US by air. 

All passengers must show a negative Covid-19 test that is less than three days before their flight’s departure to the United States. Please note that this is separate from Covid-19 test and/or entry/exit requirements for your intended destination. For a full list of countries that are currently open to US Citizens please look at our Covid-19 Travel Guide.

Exception

If you have recovered from Covid-19 in the past three months before your travel, you can satisfy the entry requirement with the following:

  • Proof of positive viral test in the past three months
  • A letter from your healthcare provider or public health official that clears you for travel

If your trip is less than three days, then a viral test taken in the United States can be used to fulfill the order’s requirements. But remember, the specimen cannot be taken more than three days before the return flight.

Recommendations

Upon returning to the US, the following has been recommended:

  • It is recommended that you get tested 3-5 after you arrive (even if you’ve taken a negative Covid test in your country of origin).
  • It is recommended that you stay home (self-quarantine) for seven days post-travel.
  • Self-quarantine for ten days if you do not get tested
  • Refrain from being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.

A late effort has been made in the attempt to stop the spread of Covid-19, but is it really working? I mean, as long as you can twerk in the clubs in Houston and Atlanta with no mask as if it was 2019, I don’t think any of this really matters. The reality is that the policing of Covid-19 procedures and requirements for travel seem to be much too late at this point. It seems like those who will take precautions to keep themselves safe will do so, and those who won’t will not. The virus is spreading faster in the US than in any other country. If anything, you really run the risk of getting stuck in another country because you have tested positive prior to your return flight back home.

You have to be prepared for the possibility of receiving a Positive Covid-19 test if you are to travel abroad. The possibility of getting stuck in another country because you have tested positive prior to your return flight back home is a real risk that you may face. The good news is that most resorts in Mexico, Jamaica, and the Caribbean are offering onsite Covid-19 testing to guests of their hotels. A large number of these same hotels are also offering complimentary stays for up to 14 days for guests that contract Covid-19 while staying at the hotels. Be sure to check the protocols of where you are staying prior to departing.

With Covid-19, you will never know exactly how sick you could become. If you are the type of person who never purchased travel insurance, now is a good time to reconsider this decision. Most Travel insurance plans include coverage for emergency evacuation. Please refer to our article Do I Need Travel Insurance if you have questions about how travel insurance works. Please do not be lax about the possibility of being stuck in a foreign country while recovering from Covid-19.

For complete details include testing and entry requirements, You can visit The CDC’s website