Travel Advisory and Guidance – LA County Department of Public Health

Updated June 15, 2021

California’s economy is now fully open. Help keep California and Los Angeles County open and our communities healthy by following CDC travel guidelines.

When considering travel within or outside of California, both the California and Los Angeles County Departments of Public Health ask that you do the following:

Do NOT travel if you are sick, you have a recent positive COVID-19 viral test result, or you are waiting for results of a COVID-19 viral test after being exposed to the virus. You could spread the virus to others.
- If you have COVID-19 symptoms (see ph.lacounty.gov/covidcare), get tested, wait for a negative test result and improvement in your symptoms before you start your trip.
- If you are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, a negative test should not be interpreted as a safety clearance for traveling, for engaging in high-risk activities, or for being indoors without wearing a mask with others who may not be fully vaccinated. These tests assess for virus in your body the moment you were tested; you may actually have COVID-19 that won’t show up on a test until later that day or in subsequent days, and a negative test might create a false sense of security.
For more details on when a person should not travel, see the CDC’s When Not to Travel guidance.
Delay travel until you’re fully vaccinated.
If you are eligible, get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Wait at least two (2) weeks after getting your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or after getting the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine to travel—it takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination.

If you do not wait as described above, you are considered NOT fully vaccinated.

Note: You are also considered fully vaccinated two (2) weeks after you finished the series of COVID-19 vaccine that has been authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (for example, AstraZeneca/Oxford and Sinopharm).
If you’re fully vaccinated, follow the CDC domestic and international travel guidance for fully vaccinated people.
If you’re not fully vaccinated, but choose to travel,follow the CDC domestic and international travel guidance for unvaccinated people.
*Note: testing is not recommended if you have recovered from laboratory confirmed COVID-19 in the past 90 days AND you are currently without symptoms. “Recovered from COVID-19” means you had a positive COVID-19 viral test (swab or saliva) result and you have completed your isolation. See LACDPH’s “When does my home isolation end” webpage for more details.
Review and follow the CDC Safer Travel Tips, which provides guidance on People You Come into Contact with During Travel, Transportation, Accommodations, Food, Camping, and Additional Resources.
If you are traveling with children who are not or cannot get vaccinated at this time, follow recommendations for unvaccinated people and choose the safer travel options.
For people at high-risk of severe illness from COVID-19, especially if they are not fully vaccinated, be particularly careful about traveling. People who are at high risk include:
- People who are older, smoke or are overweight
- Pregnant women
- People with certain medical conditions like diabetes, heart problems, COPD, cancer, weakened immune systems, and sickle cell disease.
Consider checking with your health care provider for more specific advice about travel based on your health and underlying medical conditions.

See CDC webpage on People at Increased Risk for more information on who is at high risk of severe COVID-19 and on What You Can Do if You are at Higher Risk of Severe Illness from COVID-19.
No matter your vaccination status, wear a mask while on public transportation or in a transportation hub. It is a Federal requirement.

For the latest information, see CDC guidance on Travel During COVID-19:

Below are the CDC’s quick references for both domestic and international travel during COVID-19 for those not vaccinated and those who are fully vaccinated.

Domestic Travel Requirements and Recommendations

International Travel Requirements and Recommendations Quick Reference