CDC Issues New COVID-19 Quarantine Recommendations, Travel Guidelines

December 3, 2020

On December 3, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued new guidelines on staying safe, holiday travel and quarantine restrictions.

QUARANTINE

After reviewing and analyzing new research and modeling data, the CDC has identified two acceptable alternative quarantine periods. Under these options, quarantine can end after ten days without a covid-19 test if the person has reported no symptoms or after seven days with a negative test result if the person has reported no symptoms.

TRAVEL

The CDC recommends that the best way to protect yourself and others is to postpone travel and stay home. If you do decide to travel, the CDC recommends that travelers consider getting tested one to three days before travel and then again three to five days after travel and this should be combined with reducing nonessential activities for a full seven days after travel. If travelers do not get tested after traveling, the CDC recommends reducing nonessential activities for ten days.

STAYING SAFE

The CDC continues to encourage all Americans to wear a mask, maintain social distance by staying six feet apart from people who don’t live with you, and avoiding crowds and indoor spaces, and wash your hands often. Even as the vaccines become available taking these protective actions is critical until the Covid-19 vaccination becomes widely adopted.

View a recording of the short session here: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/t1202-covid-19-telebriefing.html