What to Do If You Test Positive for COVID-19 While Traveling Abroad
Traveling has always come with complications. Our By The Way Concierge column will take your travel dilemmas to the experts to help you navigate the unexpected. Want to see your question answered? Submit it here.
“What should you do if you test positive for COVID-19 while touring a European country?” — Margaret L., Allen Park, Mich.
Gone are the days of vaccine passports and time-sensitive PCR-tests, and what’s left now will depend on the country you’re visiting — most likely, it will be recommendations rather than mandates.
For example, in France, no specific requirements are in place, but it is highly recommended to wear masks, avoid vulnerable individuals, work from home, and inform close contacts if you are sick. In Germany, the national guidance suggests staying home “if possible” and avoiding contact with others, but there is no official isolation requirement. Italy has lifted COVID-19 isolation requirements since last summer.
According to Lin H. Chen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and the director of the Travel Medicine Center at Mount Auburn Hospital, the ideal approach is to follow the local rules and minimize the spread of the disease.
However, it’s important to note that the current situation might change, so it’s recommended to regularly check the destination’s health ministry website to stay updated.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website still advises against traveling while sick, the requirements for traveling back to the United States have been updated, and airlines no longer collect proof of negative COVID-19 tests.
However, the CDC is planning to change its COVID-19 isolation recommendations for the first time since 2021, which could occur in April.
The current guidance suggests individuals who test positive should stay home from work and school for five days. The forthcoming recommendation, still to be finalized, will resemble how we deal with the flu or RSV: If you have a positive test and experience a fever or severe symptoms, or if your symptoms are worsening, you should isolate. Once you have been fever-free without the use of medication for 24 hours or if your symptoms are mild and improving, you can resume your activities.
Dave Daigle, the associate director for communications for the CDC’s Center for Global Health, advises that sick travelers should separate themselves as much as possible from others, but he does not mention a specific duration.
Sick travelers should monitor their symptoms, follow local guidelines and healthcare provider instructions, get vaccinated (including COVID-19 vaccines), practice good hand hygiene, cover their coughs and sneezes, and wear masks when around others.
Terika L. Haynes, a travel planner and owner of Dynamite Travel, suggests that travelers should still take COVID-19 seriously and seek medical assistance right away. It is recommended to go to the nearest doctor or pharmacy, or utilize an online telehealth service if feeling unwell while traveling.
Consider travel insurance, including a policy that allows cancellations for any reason, if you are concerned about illness affecting your trip. This is especially important for senior citizens, pregnant women, individuals with underlying medical conditions, and those traveling for extended periods.
