Leaving Town For Christmas? The CDC Says Get Tested… Twice

If you're planning to go see family this holiday season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a suggestion: Don't... but if you do, get tested for COVID. Not once, but twice. Because so many Americans travelled on Thanksgiving, the CDC is adding the option to get two tests, according to an AP report.

The CDC said travelers should think about getting a COVID-19 test one to three days before their trips, and a second test three to five days afterward. You should stay away from others for 10 days after travel if you cannot or choose not tested when you return home. Despite this new guideline, they still encourage minimal or no travel at all for the holidays.

The CDC also says 14-day quarantine best way to reduce COVID risk to others, but 10- and 7-day periods are acceptable in some cases. This is a slight departure as the CDC previously recommended that anyone who was exposed to the coronavirus quarantine for a full 14 days, or two weeks.