As California’s businesses return to full operation, employers are looking for ways to make it easier for employers to get back into the world.
- Employers should make sure that employees have access to testing required for business travel domestically and internationally.
- The Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, offers comprehensive guidance on COVID travel testing.
Understanding COVID 19 Testing and Travel Requirements
As the world reopens and people begin to travel again, the role of COVID 19 testing, vaccinations, and proper documentation is critical in controlling the spread of the virus. As a business owner or manager, it’s essential to understand these requirements as you start to send your team out for business travel again. Here are some guidelines for trips from California to other states and internationally.
Covid-19 California Travel Restrictions
California has fully reopened for business, and officials hope to keep it that way by encouraging citizens to follow travel guidelines from the CDC. Here are some of the highlights:
- Avoid sending your employees on business travel as much as possible until they are fully vaccinated. The CDC considers people fully vaccinated two weeks or more after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna.
- Fully vaccinated people can travel safely all over the United States with no requirements to test or quarantine.
- Unvaccinated people should get a viral testbetween 1 and 3 days before domestic travel and again 3 to 5 days after their return. Regardless of the test results, unvaccinated people should quarantine at home for ten days after the trip.
- Regardless of vaccine status, international travelers should follow the CDC guidelines for testing before and after the trip.
- Travelers to all destinations should follow the local and CDC guidelines for wearing masks.
- On any form of public transportation, travelers should wear a mask. This recommendation applies anywhere in the world and regardless of vaccine status.
Covid-19 USA Interstate Travel Restrictions
While vaccinated people can travel freely within the United States, employers should check with public health officials in any other state to which team members travel for up-to-date information and requirements. The CDC maintains the latest information on places seeing a spike in COVID cases; additional requirements for testing and documentation may be required in those areas. The requirements also vary for unvaccinated travelers.
Covid-19 International Travel Restrictions and Testing Guidelines
The CDC encourages people to wait until they are fully vaccinated before traveling internationally. However, for your team members who must fly to or through other countries, some specific requirements are in place before returning to the United States. Travelers should plan to get a COVID test no more than three days before returning to the United States. Travelers need to present documentation showing a negative test, proof of recovery from COVID 19, or a letter from a medical provider or public health official giving them clearance to travel. Because new COVID variants may appear overseas first and it’s unknown how well current vaccines work against them, the requirements are the same for vaccinated and unvaccinated overseas travelers.
For more details, consult the order issued January 12, 2021, by the CDC and DHS.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you need help getting your team ready to travel again, ARCpoint Labs of Martinez is here to help. We offer a full range of COVID testing solutions to take care of your team. We can even do expedited testing for travel purposes. Contact us today for your free consultation, onsite or in our offices.