Did President Biden Really Implement a 14 Day Quarantine for Returning International Travelers?

Last week President Biden issued an Executive Order that, at a glance, seems to complicate the return home from an international trip. We took a deep dive into this Executive Order to see what it’s all about.  

First, the President’s Order does require incoming passengers to have a negative viral test taken within 72 hours of departure, but countries that do not have easily accessible testing centers are exempt.

The President has NOT mandated quarantine at the federal level for returning U.S. citizens. Some states do however already have quarantine restrictions in place for incoming flights - check out the COVID Resource Center before traveling for state quarantine information.

The quarantine portion of the Executive Order asks the Secretary of Health and Human Services to put together a plan to present to the President that would include “CDC-recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after a flight to the United States from a foreign country” and it would still need to be “appropriate and consistent with applicable law.” 

The wording in the order suggests that any quarantine implemented would be self-regulated (for U.S. citizens anyway).

The situation is still fluid, so we’ll keep you up to date as we get more information and as the President’s COVID-related policies come into sharper focus. In the meantime, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out - we’re ready to help!