COVID-19 UPDATES
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the travel industry. With the vaccine becoming widely available, we are undoubtedly on the mend to recovery. That said, our worldwide experience urged us to innovate and redesign future travel. Edu Trips, as well as other travel companies, have been hit hard by the virus. We are working carefully to bring back student travel with the utmost care and adherence to the CDC guidelines.This page includes guides, links, and all the relevant resources to traveling during the Covid-19 pandemic and post-vaccination travel. Use this Covid-19 information resource to help you plan your group’s travel.
RECENT UPDATES
Effective February 26th, all air passengers entering the United States will need a negative COVID-19 test, taken within the three days before their flight to the US. Airlines will deny boarding to anyone who does not provide documentation of the negative test. Many other countries already have similar rules in place so this is not entirely a surprise. However, it’s sure to put a damper on lots of student trips departing this spring and summer. To read through the CDC’s FAQs, click here. The CDC offers an online Covid Travel Resource guide. The below infographic shows the testing process pre and post-travel at a glance.
Please check for travel restrictions and additional travel-related Covid information on the CDC website.
In addition, the SYTA (the voice of student and youth travel) organization has developed a Covid-19 Student and Youth Travel Toolkit. You can download it here.
Travel After Vaccination
The CDC has updated COVID-19 exposure guidance for those who have been fully vaccinated against the virus. We’ve summarized the latest updates and travel-related guidance for your reference and convenience. The CDC still recommends vaccinated persons continue to follow current guidance to protect themselves and others—wearing a mask, staying at least six feet away from others, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands often, etc. However, the quarantine protocols have changed.
The CDC now says that vaccinated persons with exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:
Are fully vaccinated (meaning more than two weeks following receipt of the second dose in a two-dose series, or more than two weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine). Are within three months following receipt of the last dose in the series. Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure. The CDC also says fully vaccinated persons who do not quarantine should still watch for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following an exposure.
When it comes to testing and travel, you may be wondering if this guidance changes anything for international travelers arriving to the U.S. The CDC confirms that those who have had a COVID-19 vaccine or have tested positive for antibodies still need a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19.
“At this time all air passengers traveling to the U.S., regardless of vaccination or antibody status, are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery,” the CDC says on its website.
Travel Recovery
As of February 26, 2021, The President of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), shows optimism in the recovery of the travel industry. In her statement, she is encouraging people to start planning to travel as soon as this summer. While the airline companies are showing quick adaptability, incorporating testing into the flying experience, the industry is still awaiting clear protocols from the governments.
The travel industry has been hit hard, but the experts believe that the worst is over and we must focus on recovery. As many of us within the travel industry have realized, the intricate recovery process will be highly reliant on COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. In a recent U.S. Travel Association webinar, Dr. Mike Parkinson, U.S. Travel’s chief medical consultant, broke down the different types of tests being used, the reliability of each, and what value they may or may not have for the recovery of the travel industry. Webinar participants also heard from MGM Resorts International on how they are utilizing testing, among other measures, to create a layered approach for healthier and safer environments throughout their venues and events.
To view the webinar on testing in its entirety, click here.
