The infection rate of coronavirus-19 disease remains high in parts of the country and the world. If you are thinking about traveling, it’s vital to stay up to date about travel restrictions and regulations.
The Department of Defense and other governmental agencies regularly release current, reliable information about COVID-19. Follow their guidance to keep yourself and others safe and healthy.
If you are considering travel within the U.S.
Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. If that’s not possible, equip yourself with the right information to make smart decisions about traveling.
- Check whether travel restrictions have been lifted at your installation. The DOD has lifted travel restrictions where warranted by local conditions. See the DOD’s COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update for the latest information.
- Find out about infection rates. You may want to reconsider travel if the number of COVID-19 cases is high at home or at your destination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention keeps an updated list of United States COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by State.
- Learn about travel restrictions. Some states require travelers from high-risk states to test negative for COVID-19 or quarantine after arrival. If you travel to a state where the infection rate is high, you may have to quarantine or test negative when you return home as well. Find out about the requirements by looking up the health departments of your destination and home state at the CDC’s health department website.
If you are considering travel outside of the U.S.
COVID-19 risk remains high in most countries and many have closed their borders to non-essential travelers. If you do travel abroad, you may have to quarantine when you return home. New directives at home or abroad may disrupt your travel plans as well.
- Look up the COVID-19 risk level by country. You can find it on the CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination page.
- Find out about travel restrictions in the country where you intend to travel. The Department of State offers information for each country on its COVID-19 Specific Information page.
- Follow state guidance for your return. Your home state may require you to quarantine or test negative for COVID-19 when you return.
Ways to stay healthy if you travel
The CDC recommends travelers take the following precautions:
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when in public.
- Stay at least 6 feet from others.
- Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Avoid restaurants and bars. The safest options for food are deliveries, takeout and curbside pickup.
- Follow these recommendations for staying safe from infection while using public transportation.
- Take these precautions if you will be staying in a hotel or other overnight lodging.
Stay up to date on all the latest information on COVID-19. For Department of Defense updates for the military community regarding the virus that causes COVID-19, view the following sites:
- Visit Coronavirus.gov, CDC.gov, USA.gov and Defense.gov.
- Follow Military OneSource’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms.
- Continue to visit the Coronavirus Updates for Our Military Community page.
- Check Move.mil for PCS-related updates.
Staying Vigilant and Keeping Up With Current Guidance When Considering Travel During COVID-19
The infection rate of coronavirus-19 disease remains high in parts of the country and the world. If you are thinking about traveling, it’s vital to stay up to date about travel restrictions and regulations.
