Audience and Purpose

This page provides U.S. public health officials with an overview of CDC’s recommendations for domestic and international travelers with potential COVID-19 exposure.

Recommendations

CDC’s post-travel recommendations for all travelers—both international and domestic—are provided in the table below. Individuals should additionally follow guidance of the state and local authorities for jurisdiction-specific instructions.

1 For the purpose of this guidance, fever is defined as subjective fever (feeling feverish) or a measured temperature of 100.4oF (38oC) or higher. Note that fever may be intermittent or may not be present in some people, such as those who are elderly, immunosuppressed, or taking certain medications fever-reducing medications (e.g., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDS]).

2 Cruise ships subject to the No Sail Order should follow Interim Guidance During the Period of the No Sail Order for disembarking crew.

3 See below for guidance on air crews and here for guidance for other essential workers.

Individuals with Confirmed or Probable COVID-19 or Known Exposure to Someone with COVID-19

Individuals with confirmed or probable COVID-19 should delay travel until they meet criteria for discontinuing isolation. Individuals who have been exposed to a person with confirmed COVID-19 should delay travel until 14 days after their last potential exposure. Health departments may request use of federal public health travel restrictions for individuals with confirmed or probable COVID-19 or with known exposure, if they intend to travel before being cleared to do so by public health authorities, by contacting the CDC quarantine station with jurisdiction for the area where the person is located.

Traveler Contact Information

CDC supports domestic COVID-19 control efforts by making contact information for international air passengers available to state and local health departments for the purpose of public health follow-up or contact tracing.

Follow-up of travelers may include contacting travelers; providing instructions for what travelers should do if they develop illness compatible with COVID-19; and intermittent check-in during the two weeks after arrival. Mobile applications or automated text messaging may be useful to provide information to or conduct monitoring of travelers. Follow-up of travelers is at the discretion of health departments and may be considered by jurisdictions that are implementing containment measures. Decisions about whether to conduct follow-up and what it would involve could be based on the status of the COVID-19 outbreak in the jurisdiction, status of the COVID-19 outbreak in travelers’ countries or states of origin, volume of travelers, available resources, competing priorities of public health officials, or other factors, as applicable.