Make no mistake: Federal officials recommend the American public stay home over the upcoming holidays in order to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cases of COVID-19 are surging across the country and flooding—in some cases, overwhelming—hospitals, pushing many to postpone elective procedures in order to preserve capacity. Top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, M.D., warned of a "surge within a surge" following Thanksgiving despite prior recommendations against travel and large gatherings.
Acknowledging many people may still be weighing whether to travel over the holidays, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials offered new guidance on Wednesday.
“We know it’s a hard decision, and that people have to have time to prepare and have discussions with family and friends and make these decisions and people travel for different reasons. Our recommendations are trying to help give them the tools they need to make these tough choices," said Cindy Friedman, M.D., chief of the Travelers' Health Branch at the CDC, on a call with reporters.
"I think it’s a good thing that people have options to prevent infection and they can take time now before the Christmas holidays—we have several weeks—to really think about the best option for them and their family which we think is to postpone travel," she said.
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For those who do decide to travel, CDC officials said, they should:
- Consider getting tested for COVID-19 between one and three days before travel.
- Get tested a second time approximately three to five days after travel. That testing should be combined with reducing nonessential activities for a full seven days after travel.
- If travelers do not get tested after travel, the CDC recommends reducing nonessential activities for 10 days. If at any point during or after traveling an individual does experience symptoms of COVID-19, they are asked to follow CDC and local guidance about what to do.
"Testing does not eliminate all risk. But when combined with reducing nonessential activities, symptom screening, and continuing with precautions like wearing masks, social distancing, and hand-washing, it can make travel safer," said Henry Walke, M.D., the incident manager for CDC’s COVID-19 response.
Quarantine guidelines change
The CDC also shortened the acceptable length of time a quarantine must last for individuals who have known or suspected COVID-19 exposure.
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While the agency continues to recommend a quarantine of 14 days, Walke said the CDC believes data support two "acceptable alternative quarantine periods" that end after 10 days and seven days, respectively.
- Under the first, an individual with a known exposure to COVID-19 who has reported no symptoms of illness can acceptably end their quarantine after a period of 10 days.
- Under the second alternative, an individual with a known exposure to COVID-19 who has reported no symptoms of illness and has gotten a negative COVID-19 test result can acceptably end their quarantine after a period of seven days.
Ultimately, the quarantine periods are up to local public health agencies, and they said people should continue to watch for symptoms for a full 14 days.
"We do think this length of quarantine may make it easier to take this critical public health action by reducing the economic hardship associated with the longer period, especially if they cannot work during that time," Walke said. "In addition, a shorter quarantine period can lessen stress to the public health system and communities, especially when new infections are rapidly rising."