ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION’S (CDC) WEBSITE.
Older adults and travelers with underlying health issues should avoid situations that put them at increased risk for more severe disease. This entails avoiding crowded places and non-essential travel
If you travel to Guyana:
- Monitor your health and limit interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the United States
- If you get sick with fever, cough, or have trouble breathing seek medical care and call ahead before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room
- Avoid travelling if you are sick
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing
- Clean your hands often by washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
Global COVID-19 Outbreak Notice
Warning – Level 3, Avoid Nonessential TravelAlert – Level 2, Practice Enhanced PrecautionsWatch – Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions
Alert – Level 2, Sustained Community-Level Transmission—Special Precautions for High-Risk Travelers
Key Points
- Sustained community spread of respiratory illness caused by the novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring globally. Some countries have widespread sustained spread.
- Older adults and people of any age with serious chronic medical conditions are at increased risk for severe disease and should consider postponing nonessential travel.
- Travelers should avoid contact with sick people and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Travelers should monitor their health and limit interactions with others for 14 days after returning from travel.
- Travelers that are sick with fever, cough, or have trouble breathing should stay home and call ahead before seeking medical care.
What is the current situation?
Sustained community spread of a respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus (COVID-19) has been reported globally. Sustained community spread means that people have been infected with the virus, but how or where they some of them became infected is not known, and virus transmission is ongoing. At this time there is evidence that COVID-19 is spreading in most regions and has been characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
Illness from this virus has ranged from mild to severe. Signs and symptoms of infection include fever, cough, and trouble breathing. This new coronavirus has caused severe disease and death in patients who developed pneumonia. Risk factors for severe illness are not yet clear, although older adults and people of any age with serious chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness.
What can travelers do to protect themselves and others?
Since older adults and people of any age with serious chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for severe disease, people in these groups should discuss travel with a healthcare provider and consider postponing nonessential travel.
If you travel, take the following steps:
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
- Avoid traveling if you are sick.
If you have travelled to any destination during the past 14 days:
- Monitor your health and practice social distancing. Social distancing means staying out of crowded places, avoiding group gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.
- If you get sick with fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher), cough, or have trouble breathing:
- Seek medical advice. Call ahead before going to a doctor’s office or emergency room.
- Tell your doctor about your recent travel and your symptoms.
- Avoid contact with others.
- Do not travel while sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.
Clinician Information
Healthcare providers should obtain a detailed travel history for patients with fever or acute respiratory symptoms. If a traveler is suspected to have COVID-19, see Information for Healthcare Professionals for information on evaluating, reporting, clinical care guidance, and infection control.
For additional information, please see:
This notice was originally posted March 11, 2020.
Visit CDCs webpage for additional information about COVID-19.
