The U.S. is still setting new COVID-19 death records, even as vaccines are rolling out across the country. The U.S. has surpassed more than 25 million cases.
Many states are still imposing stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions.
Some states are discouraging interstate travel by requiring or recommending that visitors and residents returning from other states quarantine. Others allow visitors to present a recent, negative coronavirus test in lieu of the quarantine. A few also require travelers to fill out health questionnaires when they arrive.
Some counties or municipalities have issued similar advice to travelers, so anyone looking to go on a road trip or take a vacation should check government websites for their destination and anywhere they plan to stop overnight.
If you are still deciding whether to travel, check USA TODAY’s updated list to see what restrictions are in place at your destination.
Resource guide:What you need to know about coronavirus and COVID-19
Alaska
Residents, nonresidents and workers must submit a travel declaration and self-isolation plan through the state’s portal. Out-of-state travelers must also arrive with proof of a negative coronavirus test taken no more than 72 hours prior to departure. Alternately, out-of-state visitors can opt to pay $250 for a COVID-19 test upon arrival. The test is free for Alaska residents, though they also have the choice of quarantining for 14 days. Children under 10 are exempt from the testing requirement.
More information: https://covid19.alaska.gov/travelers
Colorado
Travelers headed for Aspen or anywhere in Pitkin County longer than 24 hours must complete an online affidavit and provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test administered within the last 72 hours. If test results are pending at the time of arrival, the visitor must quarantine until it comes back. A negative test and affidavit are required for anyone age 10 and up; parents must sign one for minor children. Travelers who do not get tested must quarantine for 10 days.
The policy applies to full and part-time residents, including people who own vacation properties in the area. Failure to comply may result in a $5,000 fine.
More information: https://covid19.pitkincounty.com/travel-affidavit/
Connecticut
According to a Dec. 18 executive order from Gov. Ned Lamont, anyone traveling into Connecticut from a state other than New York, New Jersey or Rhode Island must quarantine for 10 days or provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test from within the last 72 hours.
Visitors must also fill out an online travel health form upon arrival in Connecticut.
The restriction also applies to anyone who has traveled outside the United States. It does not apply to travelers who spend less than 24 hours in Connecticut.
More information: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Travel
Hawaii
All travelers must complete a form through the state’s Safe Travels site. Visitors ages 5 and up who want to bypass the mandatory 10-day quarantine must have a negative COVID-19 test result from one of the state’s trusted testing partners taken within 72 hours of the final leg of their trip. If results aren’t available before boarding the final leg of the trip, travelers must quarantine for 10 days or the length of the stay.
As of Jan. 12, there is no exemption in place for individuals who have been vaccinated, though Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who oversees the state’s travel policy, indicated that policy may change once enough people have received both doses.
Check the county websites for any islands you plan to visit, as some, including Kauai and the Big Island, have their own entry requirements.
Kauai travel rules change – again: Island begins its own entry program Jan. 6
More information: https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel
Illinois
In an update to its travel restriction policy announced Jan. 13, the city of Chicago is now requiring visitors from virtually all U.S. states to quarantine for 10 days or provide a negative COVID test taken no more than 72 hours prior to arrival. Currently, only residents of states with fewer than 15 average daily cases per 100,000 residents are exempt. Check the city’s website to see how your state is categorized.
More information: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid-19/home/emergency-travel-order.html
Kansas
Anyone who has traveled to a gathering out-of-state with 500 people or more where people did not socially distance or wear masks and those who have been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15 must quarantine. Those travelers who have no symptoms can test out on day six and leave quarantine on day 8 if the result is negative. If a visitor required to quarantine has no symptoms after day 10, they are allowed to leave quarantine on day 11, though a full 14 days of quarantine is recommended.
More information: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/175/Travel-Exposure-Related-Isolation-Quaran
Kentucky
The Kentucky Department for Public Health continues to discourage all out-of-state leisure travel and urges those who do travel to self-quarantine for 14 days.
More information: https://govstatus.egov.com/ky-travel-advisory
Maine
Out-of-state visitors have the choice to complete a 10-day quarantine upon arrival in Maine or obtain a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours prior to arrival in Maine. New Hampshire and Vermont residents are exempt.
More information: https://www.maine.gov/covid19/
Maryland
Incoming visitors or returning residents must either obtain a negative test result or self-quarantine for 10 days, according to Gov. Larry Hogan’s emergency order. The penalty for knowingly violating the order is one year in prison and/or a fine of $5,000.
More information: https://covidlink.maryland.gov/content/faqs/#faqHoliday
Massachusetts
Visitors and returning residents are required to complete the Massachusetts Travel form, though visitors from states designated as low risk by the state department of health are exempt. A 10-day quarantine is also required unless an individual has a negative result from a COVID-19 test administered no earlier than 72 hours before arrival. Travelers who fail to quarantine may be fined $500 a day.
More information: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
Minnesota
Travelers and residents returning from out-of-state travel, are asked to quarantine for 14 days after they arrive.
More information: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/prevention.html#travel
New Hampshire
Visitors and returning residents who have been outside of New England for nonessential travel must quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. Travelers from Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island are exempt. Travelers who get a negative PCR test result on or after day 7 of that period may end their quarantine.
More information: https://www.covidguidance.nh.gov/out-state-visitors
New Jersey
New Jersey recommends visitors or people returning from states other than New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware to quarantine for 10 days. If travelers to the state test test negative, they should still quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.
In addition, the state is asking travelers to complete a voluntary online questionnaire. The advisory does not apply to people spending fewer than 24 hours in New Jersey.
More information: https://covid19.nj.gov/travel
New Mexico
Travelers coming from a high-risk state must quarantine for 14 days or the duration of their stay. High-risk states are specified on the state’s COVID-19 website.
There are several exemptions: airline workers, public safety or public health workers, military personnel and their dependents, federal employees, federal defense contract workers, first responders and health care workers.
More information: https://cv.nmhealth.org/travel-recommendations
New York
With the exception of essential workers and those coming from contiguous states, all travelers who leave the state for more than 24 hours must quarantine for 10 days. Affected travelers can opt to “test out” of quarantine by submitting a negative coronavirus test taken no more than 72 hours prior to arrival, quarantine for three days and get another test on day four. Providing that result is negative, the traveler may exit quarantine.
Travelers who go out of state for less than 24 hours do not need to quarantine but must get a coronavirus test on the fourth day following their return.
All travelers must continue to fill out the state travel form upon arrival.
More information: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory
Ohio
Travelers entering Ohio from a state with a testing positivity rate of 15% or higher are advised to quarantine for 14 days.
More information: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/families-and-individuals/COVID-19-Travel-Advisory/COVID-19-Travel-Advisory
Oregon
Travelers arriving from other states or countries are urged to quarantine for 14 days upon entering the state, and residents are urged to avoid nonessential out-of-state travel.
More information: https://traveloregon.com/travel-alerts/#covid
Pennsylvania
Visitors and returning residents who enter Pennsylvania from another state must have a negative COVID-19 test taken either within 72 hours prior to entering Pennsylvania. Travelers over age 11 who do not get tested must quarantine for 10 days or until receipt of a negative test result.
More information: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Travelers.aspx
Rhode Island
Anyone coming to Rhode Island from a state with a positivity rate higher than 5% is required to quarantine for 14 days unless they can provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of arrival, though the testing exception is not available to international travelers.
More information: https://covid.ri.gov/protect-your-household/travel-tofrom-ri
https://www.traveltexas.com/plan-a-trip/travel-safely-across-texas/
Vermont
All travelers entering or returning to Vermont must quarantine for 14 days. The only exception is essential travel. Travelers can end quarantine early if they haven’t had any symptoms of COVID-19 and get a PCR test on or after day 7 with a negative test result.
More information: https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/travel-quarantine
Washington
In addition to the current travel advisory recommending that visitors and returning residents quarantine for 14 days, Gov. Jay Inslee has also implemented a new 14-day quarantine requirement for anyone who has been to the United Kingdom or South Africa or any other country where the new variant of the virus is rampant.
The state also advises visitors to check the website for the county they plan to visit in case there are any additional restrictions.
More information: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/travelers-commuters
Washington, D.C.
Anyone traveling from a state with more than 10 cases per 100,000 people must get a coronavirus test no more than 72 hours prior to traveling. Visitors from Maryland and Virginia are exempt, as are people visiting for family emergencies or funerals. Anyone spending less than 24 hours in the District does not need to take a test. Visitors who are in Washington for more than three days should get tested within three to five days of arrival.
More information: https://washington.org/dc-information/coronavirus-travel-update-washington-dc
Contributing: Curtis Tate
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