SEATTLE — Gov. Jay Inslee issued a new advisory Friday for Washington travelers saying they should comply with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Inslee modified his Nov. 13 travel advisory, which urged people returning to Washington to self-quarantine for 14 days and encouraged Washingtonians to avoid non-essential travel.
However, the November advisory was a recommendation and not a mandate, and there was little way to enforce it.
Washington’s new travel advisory will follow CDC guidelines, which Inslee said was more all-encompassing.
“Current CDC guidance is more robust, thorough, and specific than my November 2020 travel advisory, and importantly, the CDC updates its guidance to reflect the latest science, optimal safety practices and protocols, and the current COVID-19 situation here and abroad,” Inslee said in a statement.
As of March 20, this is the CDC travel guidance, which Washington will follow:
- Get fully vaccinated for COVID-19 if you are eligible.
- Get tested for COVID-19 one to three days before your trip.
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth while in public.
- Avoid crowds and stay 6 feet apart from anyone who didn’t travel with you.
- Get tested for COVID-19 three to five days after your trip and self-quarantine for seven days after your trip. Alternatively, if you don’t get tested, quarantine for 10 days.
In early March, Inslee updated Washington’s requirements for international travelers to comply with CDC guidance. Under CDC rules, international travelers returning to the U.S. must test negative for COVID-19 before getting on a plane to the states.
The new travel advisory comes as airports experience a surge in spring break travel. On March 19, more than 1.4 million travelers passed through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints, which is the highest daily total since March 2020.