Following a considerable improvement in the Covid situation, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US State Department lowered its travel advisory for India to Level 2, which is deemed safe. The United States placed India on Level 4 in April, advising its nationals not to travel to India, which was witnessing an unprecedented second wave of COVID-19 at the time.

In a statement, the State Department said: “Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorised vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC’s specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers.”

However, due to terrorism and civil turmoil, it has advised Americans not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir (excluding the eastern Ladakh area and its capital, Leh).

The US lowered travel restrictions for India earlier this month, dropping the country from the highest Level 4, which implies no travel, to Level 3, which encourages Americans to reconsider travel.

COVID-19 Level 2: Moderate in India | Important Information

• Before flying to India, make sure you are fully vaccinated.
• Unvaccinated travellers who are at a higher risk of serious sickness from COVID-19 should avoid going to India unless it is absolutely necessary. Consult your doctor if you must travel and have concerns.
• In India, travellers should adhere to any suggestions or rules, such as wearing a mask and keeping a distance of 6 feet from others.

Recommendations For Vaccinated Travelers

If you’ve been fully vaccinated with an FDA-approved vaccine or a WHO-approved vaccination for emergency use:

• Unless your destination mandates it, you do not need to get tested before leaving the United States.
• On arrival in the United States, you are not required to self-quarantine.

Before travel:

Confirm that you understand and adhere to any airline and destination regulations for travel, testing, masking, or quarantine, which may differ from those in the United States. If you do not fulfil the requirements of your destination, you may be denied entrance and forced to return to the United States.

During travel:

• Traveling into, within, or out of the United States requires wearing a mask over your nose and mouth on planes, buses, trains, and other kinds of public transportation, as well as indoors at U.S. transit hubs like airports and stations. In outside areas of a conveyance, passengers are not required to wear masks (like on open deck areas of a ferry or the uncovered top deck of a bus).
•  In India, travellers should adhere to any suggestions or rules, such as mask-wearing and social separation.

Before you travel to the United States by air

Before boarding a trip to the United States, all air passengers, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, must have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days before to travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the previous 3 months.

After Travel

• You should have a virus test 3-5 days following your travel.
•  Keep an eye out for COVID-19 symptoms; if you notice any, isolate yourself and get tested.
• Comply with all recommendations or rules issued by the state and local governments.
• If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, are unwell, tested positive for COVID-19, or are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test, don’t travel. Find out when it is safe to go. Traveling with someone who is sick is not a good idea.

Now that the US recognises that India’s Covid situation has improved, it remains to be seen when travel restrictions will be lifted.

– India’s new age travel digital media