On Saturday, New York state announced that it was lifting its COVID-19 testing and quarantine requirements for inbound international travelers, according to USA Today reports. This move arrives on the heels of another policy change, which ended New York's quarantine mandate on visitors arriving from other U.S. states and territories as of April 1.
In the first few months of the pandemic, New York was the state hardest hit by the COVID-19 virus and fought an uphill battle to flatten the curve and bring infection rates down to a manageable level. The state's Governor Andrew Cuomo pointed out that, with New York being a main gateway for global travelers, the virus' initial migration to the U.S. (at least on the eastern side) was due to travel from Europe to the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
However, as cases continue to drop and more people get vaccinated, New York and the surrounding states are loosening restrictions.
"One in four New Yorkers has been fully vaccinated, which is great," Cuomo said yesterday. "Thirty-eight percent of New Yorkers have gotten at least one dose. We're working on more supply. Supply is the limiting factor right now. But our distribution network is up and robust."
Vaccination campaigns across all U.S. states have thus far been successful in bringing down nationwide infection rates, prompting New York and various other states to begin loosening former travel restrictions. But, just because cautionary measures are no longer obligatory and enforced by the state should not be taken to mean travelers shouldn't still adhere to the precautions recommended by both the CDC and the New York Department of Health.
"The travel guidelines require all New Yorkers, as well as those visiting from out-of-state or another country, to take personal responsibility for compliance in the best interest of public health and safety," the Health Department writes on its website.
Anyone arriving from outside of a contiguous state (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts or Vermont) must still complete the Traveler Health Form upon arrival in New York. And, both domestic and international travelers are still instructed to monitor themselves for symptoms through Day 14 following their arrival and self-isolate and seek COVID-19 testing if they become symptomatic.
Unvaccinated domestic travelers (those who've not already tested positive and recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days) are recommended to get tested between three and five days after their arrival in New York and consider self-quarantine. Residents and visitors alike are expected to continue COVID-19 safety practices, including the use of face masks in public, social distancing and frequent hand-washing.
It's also important to remember that all international travelers seeking to enter the United States must comply with CDC requirements that they provide proof of negative results from a COVID-19 test administered within 72 hours of travel, or that they've been diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days.
Both the CDC and New York currently recommend delaying international trips until the traveler is fully vaccinated, meaning that at least 14 days have elapsed since the traveler's final dose of a two-dose vaccine or job of a single-dose vaccine.
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