CDC issues holiday travel guidance: Stay home or get tested twice

Updated: Dec 2, 2020 / 11:54 AM CST

PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 25: A traveler checks their phone while waiting for a flight at Portland International Airport on November 25, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. Millions of Americans traveled by plane ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, despite the CDC recommending families stay home. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health officials on Wednesday urged Americans to stay home over the upcoming holiday season and consider getting tested for coronavirus before and after if they do decide to travel.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the best way to stay safe and protect others is to stay home.

That’s the same advice they had over Thanksgiving but many Americans traveled anyway. With COVID-19 cases and deaths continuing to rise, the CDC added the testing option.

The CDC said even if few people became infected while traveling over Thanksgiving, that could still result in hundreds of thousands of new infections.

During a news briefing, the CDC said travelers should consider getting COVID-19 tests one to three days before their trips and again three to five days afterward. They also recommended reducing non-essential activities for a full week after travel or for 10 days if not tested afterward.