Best Practices for International Travel During COVID-19

Best Practices for International Travel During COVID-19

1. Review the COVID-19 travel restrictions for your destination.

Protocols are continually updating as new variants spread in different countries. Some are prohibiting travel into their countries altogether. Others are requiring a specified quarantine period after visiting or negative testing results within a specific time window. Make sure to research before you travel to avoid any unplanned surprises.

2. Limit the number of countries on your itinerary.

While it’s tempting to plan a big trip and visit several countries at once, limiting your travel to only one or two countries, means you won’t have to worry about planning around additional quarantines, testing requirements, and safety protocols between the different locations.

3. Don’t forget your vaccination card.

Certain countries are allowing visitors who have been vaccinated—but they will want confirmation of your vaccination status, so be sure that your CDC vaccination card is fully filled out with the dates of dose(s). Having a copy of your vaccination card as a backup also may come in handy.

4. Don’t forget sanitizing and social distancing basics.

By now, we’re accustomed to wearing masks or face coverings, washing our hands diligently, disinfecting surfaces, and maintaining social distance. While traveling, these precautions are even more important. Be prepared and bring your own PPE, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies to disinfect any public or highly touched areas.

5. Bring a face mask and wear it correctly.

Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. According to the CDC, to be protected, your mask needs to fit snuggly against your face and should have layers to keep your germs in and others’ out.

6. Choose your hotel or vacation rental carefully.

When booking your lodging, make sure you are using a reputable vacation rental service that enforces cleaning protocols. It’s important to understand what safety procedures they have in place to accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic and how they are helping protect their guests and staff. Some key elements to look for include enhanced cleaning procedures, enforced social distancing, required masks for staff and guests, designated waiting periods in between guests, and contactless payment options.