Check out the best travel app for your group travel plans https://hoku.travel
Omicron Travel Restrictions?
Photo by Lukas Souza on Unsplash
Omicron Travel Restrictions?
The Covid variant omicron has started causing issues for millions of travelers during the holidays. We will explain the current restrictions traveling into the United States from an international flight and the restrictions while traveling domestically in the United States.
Traveling into the U.S
Restricted Countries
According to the CDC, the United States will restrict travel from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe due to concerns over the Omicron variant. These travel restrictions do not apply to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents.
Restrictions for international travelers
The CDC’s Order, which took effect November 8, 2021, requires all non-immigrant, non-citizen air travelers to the United States to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States remains in effect
Starting on December 6, air travelers aged two and older, regardless of nationality or vaccination status, are required to show documentation of a negative viral test result taken within one day of the flight’s departure to the United States before boarding. This restriction also applies to U.S citizens.
Exceptions to the CDC Order requiring all air passengers to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States are extremely limited to the following groups:
- children under 18
- people medically unable to receive the vaccine
- emergency travelers who do not have timely access to a vaccine
Domestic Travel Restrictions
Puerto Rico
This week Puerto Rico implemented new restrictions for domestic travelers. Starting December 17th, 2021, passengers arriving on domestic flights are required to show a negative result taken within 48 hours before arrival time, regardless of vaccination status.
If arriving without a test, passengers will have 48 hours to take a test upon arrival or be subject to fines.
Unvaccinated travelers must quarantine for 7 days after arriving even if they have a negative covid test result.
Hawaii
Hawaii’s has a 10-day mandatory self-quarantine in place for domestic travel from the U.S. and its Territories. Travelers entering the state who have been fully vaccinated may bypass quarantine without a pre-travel test.
Travelers wishing to use the pre-travel test to bypass quarantine must have a negative result from a test taken from a Trusted Testing and Travel Partner no more than 72 hours BEFORE beginning the final leg of their trip. Anyone without a negative test result or U.S. vaccination PRIOR to departure must quarantine upon arrival.
The vaccination record document must be uploaded to Safe Travels and printed out prior to departure and the traveler must have a hard copy in hand when arriving in Hawaii
Kansas
Kansas has quarantine restrictions for those who have traveled to any of the locations below:
- Traveled between Nov. 4 and Dec. 17 to Slovenia.
- Traveled between Nov. 18 and Dec. 17 to Austria, Cayman Islands, and Gibraltar.
- Traveled between Dec. 2 and Dec. 17 to Belgium, Czechia, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, and Slovakia.
- Traveled on or after Dec. 17 to Andorra.
- Attendance at any out-of-state or in-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
- Been on a cruise ship or a river cruise on or after March 15, 2020
The length of quarantine varies from 7 to 10 days depending on whether you have been tested for COVID-19. Those who are fully vaccinated not required to quarantine.