Alaska Requires Coronavirus Tests for All Arriving Travelers

Image: PHOTO: Anchorage Museum, Alaska (Photo by Michael Schottey)
Image: PHOTO: Anchorage Museum, Alaska (Photo by Michael Schottey)
Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:24 AM ET, Tue June 9, 2020

Alaska announced last week it would require that all arriving travelers provide a negative coronavirus test if they want to bypass the state's mandatory 14-day quarantine process

According to the official website of Alaska, tourists arriving in the state via commercial airline on June 6 and later will now have to prove they tested negative for COVID-19 no more than 72 hours before landing.

Travelers who do not undergo testing before arriving in Alaska will be required to take a coronavirus test at the airport and self-quarantine until results are revealed to be negative. If positive, tourists will be forced to isolate at their own expense until they are cleared by approved medical personnel.

People tested at an Alaskan airport will also be required to take a follow-up test between one and two weeks after their first arrival. In addition, travelers coming to the state must fill out an online form.

The new regulations apply to all airline passengers landing in Alaska, including U.S. citizens flying in from other states. Passengers can refuse a test, but will be required to self-isolate for 14 days at their own expense.

Alaska is also popular with cruise passengers, but at least two major cruise lines won't be arriving anytime soon, as both Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line announced the cancellation of all voyages to the state through the end of 2020.

The Canadian government also extended the ban on cruise ships with overnight accommodations that carry more than 100 people through October 31, essentially shutting down the 2020 cruise season.


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