CDC drops 14-day self-quarantine recommendation

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Many of the seats aboard an American Airlines flight from New Orleans to Charlotte, North Carolina are seen on May 15, 2020. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday dropped its recommendation for travelers to quarantine for 14 days upon returning from trips overseas or out of state during the coronavirus pandemic.

The CDC updated its guidelines on its website. Though the two-week recommendation was changed, the federal agency did caution travelers that they can still contract the novel coronavirus while traveling.

“You may feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can still spread COVID-19 to others," the agency warns. "You and your travel companions (including children) may spread COVID-19 to other people including your family, friends, and community for 14 days after you were exposed to the virus.”

Brandon Wilson, owner of AvidJet, disinfects a Frontier airplane with a fogger at Denver International Airport on Tuesday, May 6, 2020. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

The CDC recommends travelers wear masks indoors, wash hands, maintain social distancing guidelines, and monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19.

The CDC states traveling increases your risk of contracting and spreading the virus, noting that staying at home is the best protection from COVID-19 for yourself and others. If you must travel, the federal health agency recommends travelers to check the recommendations on government websites for their destination as well as any places they will be passing through during their trip. Requirements may vary by location, with some requiring those who recently traveled to stay home for two weeks while others may allow a negative COVID-19 test instead of the self-quarantine.

If you have plans to travel internationally, the CDC advises researching the country’s Office of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Health to learn about any quarantine requirements.