The shelter in place orders at the start of the pandemic compelled people to stay home to avoid catching the virus. It also forced people to forego trips to different parts of the country due to some states’ restrictions on non-essential entry into their borders.
When the restrictions were eased, people were able to travel. But a resurgence in the cases following the holidays compelled some states to reimpose restrictions to stem the increase in coronavirus cases. But several states haven’t imposed any travel restrictions and allowed visitors from other states to enter their borders.
States without Travel Restrictions
More than half of the states in the US have no statewide travel restrictions. Despite this, some of these states have a mask mandate that applies to everyone, including travelers. These states include Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
While other states do not have any travel restrictions, they have a mask mandate that applies to everybody, including travelers. These states include Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. Even as Montana doesn’t have any statewide travel restrictions, some North American reservations may have restrictions on travelers who want to enter their areas.
States with Travel Restrictions
Some states require a negative Covid-19 result before travelers are allowed to enter their borders. For travelers who are not keen on having themselves tested, they’ll have to go to quarantine. The quarantine period ranges from seven days to 14 days.
Vermont is the only state that requires a negative Covid-19 result or a quarantine of at least seven days. On the other hand, the states that require a negative Covid-19 result or a quarantine of at 10 seven days include Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.
Some states have exemptions for travelers coming from specific states. For instance, Connecticut exempts travelers from New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island. Maine allows travelers from New Hampshire and Vermont without any restrictions. Maryland has exemptions for travelers from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. Massachusetts has no travel restrictions for travelers from Hawaii. New Hampshire exempts travelers from New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware from the travel restrictions.
New Jersey visitors can go on self-quarantine for 10 days if they don’t want to go through a test. The quarantine period is shortened to seven days if the test negative on the seventh day of quarantine. On the other hand, visitors to Pitkin county and Aspen in Colorado who stay for more than 24 hours should have a negative Covid-19 result, or they can go through a 10-day quarantine.
Hawaii vacationers should have a negative Covid-19 result, or they should go on a 10-day self-quarantine. But some islands may require a second test. But if the visitors have been at sea on a recreational boat for at least 14 days, they can forego the quarantine period if no one in the boat experiences symptoms of the virus.
Some states require a negative result in the Covid-19 test. These states include Alaska, Arizona, and Rhode Island. Some states require travelers to go on a 14-day quarantine to enter their borders. These states include Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, Washington State.
On the other hand, New York requires a 10-day quarantine, but travelers get a negative result after three days, they can exit the quarantine period. For Ohio and Oregon, they only advise travelers to go on a 14-day self-quarantine. Travelers to Washington DC should either get a negative COvid-19 result within 72 hours of their arrival, or they’ll have to go through a 14-day quarantine.
Air Travel or Land Trip
People planning to these states can either travel by air or go on a road trip. If they travel by air, they should remember to wear a mask. The new federal mask mandate signed by the president recently requires all passengers to wear a mask while traveling. Some airlines had already implemented a no-mask, no-fly policy even before the mandate was signed. So, travelers need to keep this in mind. Additionally, people opting to travel by land may want to have the number of a car accident lawyer handy just in case they figure in an accident while on the road. But they should still keep in mind the basic rules while going on a road trip, particularly when it comes to resting when they feel tired or sleepy.
The travel industry may be gradually recovering in the United States. However, it’s still important for everyone to follow the guidelines set by federal and state authorities to avoid getting infected by the virus.
