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JetBlue to Require All Passengers to Wear Face Masks on Flights (Video)

“This is the new flying etiquette.”

cdc travel jetblue

JetBlue will require all passengers to wear face masks when traveling in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Wearing a face covering isn’t about protecting yourself — it’s about protecting those around you,” Joanna Geraghty, the airline's president and chief operating officer, said in a press release on Monday. “This is the new flying etiquette.”

The policy — effective starting May 4 — mandates that customers wear masks or face coverings when checking in, boarding, and deplaning. They are additionally advised to wear them throughout the airport.

"On board, cabin air is well-circulated and cleaned through filters every few minutes, but this is a shared space where we have to be considerate of others," Geraghty noted. "We are also asking our customers to follow these CDC guidelines in the airport as well.”

The protective gear must cover a customer's mouth and nose. JetBlue also acknowledged that N95 masks should be saved for medical workers.

Customers will be reminded of the new rule via email before arriving at the airport, on signs throughout the terminal, and with announcements on the plane.

Crew members have already been wearing masks while working, however the rule for passenger makes JetBlue the first airline to require that face coverings be worn by passengers.

The policy follows the CDC's suggestion to wear face masks when outside the house, citing that it's possible to spread the disease without knowing it.

As a further precaution, JetBlue has also limited the number of seats for sale on each flight to maintain space between passengers and crew. The airline has "increased the rigor of its aircraft cleanings at night and between flights," as well as limited their food and beverage service to reduce contact.

Currently, the airline is only flying in and out of Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., restricting service to one or two airports in each city until at least June.

There almost one million cases of COVID-19 throughout the United States. Click here for updates on coronavirus from Travel + Leisure.

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The novel coronavirus, first detected at the end of 2019, has caused a global pandemic.

Coronavirus Updates

Cdc says travel is safe for fully vaccinated people, but opposes nonessential trips.

Rachel Treisman

cdc travel jetblue

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people on Friday, lifting certain requirements while continuing to advise mitigation measures like mask-wearing and hand-washing. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people on Friday, lifting certain requirements while continuing to advise mitigation measures like mask-wearing and hand-washing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people, lifting certain testing and self-quarantine requirements and recommending precautions like wearing a mask and avoiding crowds. But health officials continue to discourage nonessential travel, citing a sustained rise in cases and hospitalizations.

The CDC updated its website on Friday to reflect the latest scientific evidence, writing that "people who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States."

The announcement comes less than a month after the CDC first released updated guidance about gatherings for fully vaccinated people, which it described as a "first step" toward returning to everyday activities.

Air Travel Is Opening Up Again, But That Doesn't Mean The Pandemic Is Over

The CDC considers someone fully vaccinated two weeks after they receive the last dose of vaccine. Those individuals will no longer need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it, and do not need to self-quarantine upon return.

The new guidance means, for example, that fully vaccinated grandparents can fly to visit their healthy grandkids without getting a COVID-19 test or self-quarantining as long as they follow other recommended measures while traveling, according to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

Those measures include wearing a mask over their nose and mouth, staying 6 feet from others and washing their hands frequently. Masks are required on all planes traveling into, within or out of the U.S., under an executive order issued by President Biden.

But Walensky, speaking at a White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing on Friday, nonetheless discouraged all nonessential travel, citing a continued increase in the seven-day average of cases and hospitalizations.

"While we believe that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves, CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the rising number of cases," Walensky said.

CDC Director Fears 'Impending Doom' If U.S. Opens Too Quickly

CDC Director Fears 'Impending Doom' If U.S. Opens Too Quickly

She said that while vaccinated people can do more things safely, most Americans are not yet fully vaccinated. Those who are not must have a negative test 1-3 days before they travel under CDC guidance. They must either get tested 3-5 days after they return and self-quarantine for 7 days, or self-quarantine for 10 days with no test.

Walensky said on Monday that there is more travel occurring now than throughout the pandemic, including the winter holidays. She acknowledged that people have been looking to get away over spring break or take advantage of what they perceive as a "relative paucity in cases," and she said the country was seeing an uptick in cases as a result.

"The thing that's different this time is that we actually have it in our power to be done with the scale of the vaccination," she said. "And that will be so much slower if we have another surge to deal with as well."

The U.S. is already seeing an uptick in domestic travel, and many Americans are looking to book trips in the coming months in what experts described to NPR as a sign of "clear pent up demand for travel."

As the country's supply of COVID-19 doses has grown, so has Biden's goal for the number of shots in arms during his first 100 days, doubling the target to 200 million by the end of this month. Many states have already expanded eligibility to all adults or are set to do so in the coming weeks, well ahead of the president's May 1 deadline.

According to NPR's vaccine tracker , 16.9% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, and 30% has had at least one dose. Researchers estimate that 70% to 85% of the country would need to have immunity for COVID-19 to stop spreading through communities.

International travel restrictions remain

The CDC is not lifting travel restrictions barring the entry of most non-U.S. citizens from places including China, Brazil, South Africa and parts of Europe. It will continue to require airline passengers entering the U.S. to get a test within three days of their departure and show proof of a negative result before boarding.

The travel industry has been pushing for some of these restrictions to end. A group of 26 organizations sent a letter to White House COVID-19 czar Jeffrey Zients urging the federal government "to partner with us to develop, by May 1, 2021, a risk-based, data-driven roadmap to rescind inbound international travel restrictions."

While Some Spring Breakers Swarm Beaches, Many Stay Home, Dreaming Of Summer Travel

While Some Spring Breakers Swarm Beaches, Many Stay Home, Dreaming Of Summer Travel

"To be clear, at this time, we do not support removal or easing of core public health protections, such as the universal mask mandate, inbound international testing requirement, physical distancing or other measures that have made travel safer and reduced transmission of the virus," they wrote. "However, the data and science demonstrate that the right public health measures are now in place to effectively mitigate risk and allow for the safe removal of entry restrictions."

Travel and tourism have taken a considerable hit because of the pandemic with industry groups noting that overseas travel to the U.S. declined by 81% in 2020, causing billions of dollars in losses. Without lifting international travel bans, the U.S. Travel Association estimates that some 1.1 million American jobs will not be restored and billions in spending will be lost by the end of the year.

"Fortunately, enough progress has been made on the health front that a rebound for domestic leisure travel looks possible this year, but that alone won't get the job done," Roger Dow, the association's president and CEO, said in a statement . "A full travel recovery will depend on reopening international markets, and we must also contend with the challenge of reviving business travel."

Fauci Expects Surge In Vaccinations To Keep A 4th Coronavirus Wave At Bay

Fauci Expects Surge In Vaccinations To Keep A 4th Coronavirus Wave At Bay

  • COVID-19 vaccine
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Face masks for passengers now required on all JetBlue flights

Image: JetBlue Airways aircrafts are pictured at departure gates at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

JetBlue Airways on Monday became the first U.S. airline to announce that all passengers will have to wear a face covering on flights.

Starting May 4, passengers will be required to wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth during the duration of each flight and also during check-in, boarding and deplaning, according to a JetBlue statement.

"We are also asking our customers to follow these CDC guidelines in the airport as well," said Joanna Geraghty, the airline's president and chief operating officer. “Wearing a face covering isn’t about protecting yourself; it’s about protecting those around you.”

In early April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised people to wear face coverings "in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain."

JetBlue customers will be reminded by email and at the airport to wear a mask. Small children who can't keep a mask on are exempt.

The airline has already started requiring flight crew members to wear face coverings on the job.

Since late March, JetBlue has also reduced the number of seats available on flights so that passengers and crew are able to spread out.

American Airlines will begin requiring flight attendants to wear masks starting May 1, the airline said in a statement Monday. Passengers will be offered personal protective equipment. Masks became mandatory for United Airlines flight attendants on Friday.

On Thursday, the Association of Flight Attendants, which represents 50,000 flight attendants across 20 airlines, sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, asking that the departments use their "authority to mandate masks in aviation for crew, employees and passengers; require personal protective equipment; and end all leisure travel until the virus is contained."

"Since the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in China, flight attendants have been on the front lines of the growing global pandemic," the labor union's letter said. At AFA-affiliated airlines, at least 250 flight attendants have tested positive for the coronavirus, the letter said.

In a statement sent to NBC News, the Federal Aviation Administration, which operates under the Transportation Department said: "The FAA is not a public health agency, but we are lending our aviation safety expertise to federal public health agencies as they issue health guidance for crew members, including health monitoring, screening protocols and aircraft cleaning."

A CDC spokesperson said the agency is aware of the letter from the AFA. "CDC recommends that everyone wear a cloth face covering over their nose and mouth when in a community setting, including during travel if they must travel," said a statement from the CDC.

"This is an additional public health measure people should take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in addition to (not instead of) social distancing, frequent hand washing and other everyday preventive actions."

cdc travel jetblue

Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news editor for NBC News.

JetBlue 'proactively' cancels nearly 1,300 flights into mid-January as sick calls surge from omicron

cdc travel jetblue

It's still December, but JetBlue already "proactively" canceled nearly 1,300 flights into the new year due to COVID-related staffing challenges . But rest assured, even more cancellations could be coming.

"Like many businesses and organizations, we have seen a surge in the number of sick calls from Omicron," JetBlue said in a statement to USA TODAY. "To give our customers give as much notice possible to make alternate plans and reaccommodate them on other flights, we are proactively reducing our schedule through January 13."

Roughly 1,280 JetBlue flights have been canceled over the next two weeks. The airline said, "there is a high likelihood of additional cancellations until case counts start to come down."

Travelers across multiple airlines have struggled all week with flight disruptions driven by both COVID-related staffing struggles and winter storms. Since Christmas Eve,  more than 8,400 flights have been canceled and more than 45,000 have been delayed within, to and from the U.S., according to FlightAware , which tracks flight status in real time.

►4000+ flights canceled, delayed: Is this the new normal?

►Flight canceled or significantly delayed?: Here's what airlines owe yo u

"While the new CDC guidelines should help get crewmembers back to work sooner, and our schedule reduction and other efforts will further ease day-of cancellations, we expect the number of COVID cases in the northeast – where most of our crewmembers are based – to continue to surge for the next week or two," JetBlue said. 

The CDC's new guidelines allow for people who either test positive for COVID or have been exposed to COVID to end isolation or quaratine after five days, instead of the previously recommended 10, provided they continue to wear face masks for five more days around others.

JetBlue noted it started the holiday season with its highest staffing levels so far in the pandemic and has used all available resources to help with staffing, including having managers and other leaders staff frontline operations where possible.

The airline suggests customers check flight status on their website . 

Customers who want or need to change flights can do so free of charge for all flights through Jan. 31. The airline has waived its usual change and cancellation fees for Blue Basic fares. Other JetBlue fares don't have such fees. 

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  • Section 7 - Traveling Safely with Infants & Children
  • Section 7 - International Adoption

Vaccine Recommendations for Infants & Children

Cdc yellow book 2024.

Author(s): Michelle Weinberg

Vaccinating children for travel requires careful evaluation. Whenever possible, children should complete routine childhood immunizations on a normal schedule. Travel at an earlier age, however, might require accelerated vaccine schedules. Not all travel-related vaccines are effective in infants, and some are specifically contraindicated.

See recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedules . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a catch-up schedule for children and adolescents who start a vaccination schedule late or who are >1 month behind. Tables also describe the recommended minimum intervals between doses for children who need to be vaccinated on an accelerated schedule, which could be necessary before international travel.

Country-specific vaccination recommendations and requirements for departure and entry vary over time. For example, proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for entry into certain countries. Meningococcal vaccination is required for travelers entering Saudi Arabia for Umrah or the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued temporary vaccination recommendations for residents of and long-term visitors to countries with active circulation of wild or vaccine-derived poliovirus. Some countries might require coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, testing, or both for entry. Check the CDC Travelers’ Health website for current requirements and recommendations.

Additional information about diseases and routine vaccination is available in the disease-specific chapters in Section 5. See tools for determining routine and catch-up childhood vaccination .

Modifying Immunization Schedules for Infants & Young Children Before International Travel

Several factors influence recommendations for the age at which a vaccine is administered, including age-specific risks for the disease and its complications, age-dependent ability to develop an adequate immune response to a vaccine, and potential interference with the immune response by passively transferred maternal antibodies.

Immunization schedules for infants and children in the United States do not provide guidance on modifications for people traveling internationally before the age when specific vaccines are routinely recommended. Age limits for vaccine administration are based on the risk for potential adverse events (e.g., yellow fever vaccine), lack of efficacy data or inadequate immune response (e.g., influenza vaccine, polysaccharide vaccines), maternal antibody interference and immaturity of the immune system (e.g., measles-mumps-rubella [MMR] vaccine), or lack of safety data.

To help parents decide when to travel with an infant or young child, advise them that the earliest opportunity to receive routinely recommended immunizations in the United States (except for doses of hepatitis B vaccine at birth and age 1 month) is when the baby is 6 weeks old. In general, live-virus vaccines (MMR, varicella, yellow fever) should be administered on the same day or spaced ≥28 days apart.

Routine Infant & Childhood Vaccines

Children should be vaccinated against diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis A and hepatitis B virus, human papillomavirus, influenza, measles, mumps, Neisseria meningitidis , pertussis, polio, rotavirus, rubella, Streptococcus pneumoniae , tetanus, and varicella. To complete a vaccine series before travel, doses can be administered at the minimum ages and dose intervals. Inform parents that infants and children who have not received all recommended vaccine doses might not be fully protected. Rotavirus vaccine is unique among the routine vaccines given to infants in the United States because it has maximum ages for both the first and last doses; specifically consider the timing of travel so that the infant will be able to receive the complete vaccine series, if possible.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, and CDC’s vaccination recommendations are updated regularly. See the most current recommendations for children and teens . COVID-19 vaccines available for use in the United States can be administered simultaneously with all other vaccines.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A infection is usually mild or asymptomatic in infants and children <5 years old. Infected children can, however, transmit the infection to older children and adults, age groups at greater risk for severe disease. Ensure vaccination for all children traveling to areas with an intermediate or high risk for hepatitis A (see Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 7, Hepatitis A ). Routine hepatitis A vaccination for children aged ≥12 months consists of 2 doses, separated by ≥6 months. Ideally, the first dose should be administered ≥2 weeks before travel. When protection against hepatitis A is recommended, infants aged 6–11 months should receive 1 dose of hepatitis A vaccine before travel outside the United States.

Hepatitis A vaccine is considered safe and immunogenic in infants; doses administered before 12 months of age, however, can result in a suboptimal immune response, particularly in infants with passively acquired maternal antibody. Therefore, doses administered to infants <12 months old are not considered to provide long-term protection; initiate the 2-dose hepatitis A vaccine series at age 12 months according to the routine immunization schedule.

Hepatitis A Immune Globulin

When protection against hepatitis A is recommended, infants <6 months old should receive immune globulin (IG) before travel. One dose of 0.1 mL/kg intramuscularly provides protection for ≤1 month. Infants who do not receive vaccination who will be traveling for >1 month but ≤2 months should receive an IG dose of 0.2 mL/kg. If the traveler remains in a high-risk setting, IG (0.2 mL/kg) should be administered every 2 months until hepatitis A vaccine can be given at ≥6 months of age, if not contraindicated.

For optimal protection, children aged ≥1 year who are immunocompromised or who have chronic medical conditions, and who will be traveling to a high-risk area in <2 weeks, should receive the initial dose of hepatitis A vaccine and IG at separate anatomic injection sites.

Recommended Dosing Intervals for Coadministration of Live-Virus Vaccines

Hepatitis A IG is an antibody-containing product that does not interfere with the immune response to yellow fever vaccine but can inhibit the response to other injected live-virus vaccines (e.g., MMR, varicella) for up to 6 months after administration (see Sec. 2, Ch. 3, Vaccination & Immunoprophylaxis—General Principles ).

MMR vaccine is recommended for all infants aged 6–11 months traveling internationally. Because measles in infancy is a more severe disease than hepatitis A, administer hepatitis A vaccine and MMR vaccine simultaneously to infants aged 6–11 months to provide protection against hepatitis A and measles, but do not give hepatitis A IG.

If the interval between MMR or varicella vaccine administration and subsequent administration of an antibody-containing product is <14 days, repeat vaccination after the recommended interval unless serologic testing indicates a protective antibody response. For information about dosing intervals, see The Timing and Spacing of Immunobiologics, General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization: Best Practices Guidance of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Table 3-4 ) and Table 3-5 .

Hepatitis B

For certain age groups, hepatitis B vaccine can be administered with an accelerated schedule of 4 doses of vaccine given at 0, 1, 2, and 12 months; the last dose can be given after the child returns from travel (see Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 8, Hepatitis B , for details).

Influenza viruses circulate predominantly in the winter months in temperate regions (typically November–April in the Northern Hemisphere and April–September in the Southern Hemisphere) but can occur year-round in tropical climates (see Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 12, Influenza ). Because influenza viruses can circulate any time of the year, travelers aged ≥6 months who were not vaccinated during the influenza season in their country of residence should be vaccinated ≥2 weeks before departure if vaccine is available.

Children aged 6 months–8 years who have never received influenza vaccine, or who have not previously received a lifetime total of ≥2 doses, should receive 2 doses separated by ≥4 weeks. See annually updated recommendations about seasonal influenza vaccination .

Measles-Mumps-Rubella or Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella

Children traveling abroad need to be vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella at an age earlier than what is routinely recommended. Infants 6–11 months old should receive 1 MMR vaccine dose. Infants vaccinated before age 12 months must be revaccinated on or after their first birthday with 2 doses of MMR vaccine (separated by ≥28 days) or measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine (separated ≥3 months). The minimum interval between any varicella-containing vaccine (MMRV or monovalent varicella) is 3 months.

MMRV vaccine is licensed for use in children aged 12 months–12 years and should not be given outside this age group. Recipients of a first dose of MMRV vaccine have a greater risk for febrile seizures compared with recipients of MMR and varicella vaccines administered concomitantly. Unless the caregiver expresses a preference for MMRV, CDC recommends administering separate MMR and varicella vaccine for the first dose of MMR and varicella vaccination for children 12–47 months.

Meningococcal

Quadrivalent conjugate.

Children aged 2 months–18 years who travel to or reside in areas of sub-Saharan Africa known as the meningitis belt during the dry season (December–June) should receive quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) vaccine (see Sec. 5, Part 1, Ch. 13, Meningococcal Disease ). In addition, travelers are required to have meningococcal vaccination to enter Saudi Arabia when traveling to Mecca for Umrah or the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The CDC Travelers’ Health website provides annual health requirements and recommendations for US travelers going to Mecca for Umrah or Hajj (also see Sec. 10, Part 1, Ch. 2, Saudi Arabia: Hajj & Umrah Pilgrimages ).

The schedule for primary series meningococcal vaccine and booster doses varies depending on the vaccine administered.

Meningococcal B

Unless an outbreak of serogroup B disease has been reported, vaccination with a serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccine is not routinely recommended for travel to the meningitis belt or other regions of the world. Although MenB vaccine is not licensed in the United States for children <10 years of age, some European countries recently introduced MenB vaccine as a routine immunization for infants. Some countries might have other meningococcal vaccines available. Consider meningococcal vaccination for infants residing in these countries according to the routine infant immunization recommendations of that country.

Polio vaccine is recommended for travelers going to countries with evidence of wild poliovirus (WPV) or vaccine-derived poliovirus circulating during the last 12 months, and for travelers with a high risk for exposure to someone with imported WPV infection when traveling to some countries that border areas with WPV circulation. Refer to the CDC Travelers’ Health website destination pages for current polio vaccine recommendations.

Ensure that travelers complete the recommended age-appropriate polio vaccine series and receive a single lifetime booster dose, if necessary. Infants and children should receive an accelerated schedule to complete the routine series. See Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 17, Poliomyelitis , and CDC’s Immunization Schedules website for information about accelerated schedules.

People ≥18 years of age traveling to areas where polio vaccine is recommended and who have received a routine series with either inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) or live oral polio vaccine in childhood should receive a single lifetime booster dose of IPV before departure. Available data do not indicate the need for more than a single lifetime booster dose with IPV. Requirements for long-term travelers might apply, however, when departing from certain countries.

Long-Term Travelers to Countries With Poliovirus Transmission

In May 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the international spread of polio to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the authority of the International Health Regulations (2005). To prevent further spread of disease, WHO issued temporary polio vaccine recommendations for long-term travelers (staying >4 weeks) and residents departing from countries with WPV transmission (“exporting WPV” or “infected with WPV”) or with circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses types 1 or 3.

Long-term travelers and residents could be required to show proof of polio vaccination when departing from these countries for any destination. All polio vaccination administration should be documented on an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP). See ordering information and instructions on how to fill out the ICVP . The polio vaccine must be received 4 weeks–12 months before the date of departure from the polio-infected country.

Country requirements can change, so clinicians should check for updates on the CDC Travelers’ Health website.

Travel Vaccines for Infants & Children

Dengue can cause mild to severe illness (see Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 4, Dengue ). Although many people have asymptomatic infections, for some children dengue can be life-threatening. Travelers should adhere to mosquito protection measures during travel to dengue-endemic areas (see Sec. 4, Ch. 6, Mosquitoes, Ticks & Other Arthropods ).

In June 2021, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the use of a live attenuated dengue virus vaccine, Dengvaxia (Sanofi Pasteur), to prevent disease in children aged 9–16 years. Children eligible to receive the vaccine include those with laboratory-confirmed previous dengue virus infection who live in areas of the United States, including the US territories of American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands; and freely associated states, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Dengvaxia is not approved for use in US travelers who are visiting but who do not live in areas where dengue is endemic.

Only people who test positive for previous dengue infection or who have other laboratory-confirmed evidence of a previous dengue infection are eligible for vaccination with Dengvaxia. In people without previous dengue infection, Dengvaxia can increase the risk for severe illness and hospitalization if the person gets infected after vaccination. Serodiagnostic tests recommended by health authorities with acceptable performance (≥75% sensitivity, ≥98% specificity) are available to test for evidence of previous dengue infection.

The vaccine is a series of 3 doses, administered 6 months apart at month 0, 6, and 12 months.

Japanese Encephalitis

Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and is endemic throughout most of Asia and parts of the western Pacific. JE risk can be seasonal in temperate climates and year-round in more tropical climates. Risk to short-term travelers and those who confine their travel to urban centers is considered low. JE vaccine is recommended for travelers who plan to spend ≥1 month in endemic areas during JE virus transmission season. Consider JE vaccine for short-term (<1 month) travelers whose itinerary or activities could increase their risk for JE virus exposure. The decision to vaccinate a child should follow the more detailed recommendations found in Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 13, Japanese Encephalitis .

An inactivated Vero cell culture–derived JE vaccine (IXIARO) was licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009 for use in the United States for travelers aged ≥17 years. In 2013, the recommendations were expanded, and the vaccine was licensed for use in children ≥2 months of age. For children aged 2 months–17 years, the primary series consists of 2 intramuscular doses administered 28 days apart. For travelers who received their primary JE vaccine series ≥1 year prior to potential JE virus exposure, ACIP recommends providing a booster dose before departure. See information on age-appropriate dosing .

Rabies virus causes an acute viral encephalitis that is virtually 100% fatal. Traveling children can be at increased risk for rabies exposure, mainly from dogs that roam the streets in low- and middle- income countries. Bat bites carry a potential risk for rabies throughout the world. In addition to taking measures to avoid animal bites and scratches (see Sec. 4, Ch. 7, Zoonotic Exposures: Bites, Stings, Scratches & Other Hazards ), preexposure and postexposure rabies prophylaxis is part of a broader approach to preventing this disease. Follow the recommendations in Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 18, Rabies , when making decisions about whether to provide rabies preexposure prophylaxis for children.

Preexposure Prophylaxis

In June 2021, to align with the recently revised adult schedule, ACIP adjusted the number of recommended doses of rabies preexposure prophylaxis in children downward, from 3 to 2. For immunocompetent children <18 years old, administer the first dose of vaccine on day 0 and a second dose 7 days later (see Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 19, . . . perspectives: Rabies Immunization ).

The advantages of the revised schedule are that it is both less expensive and easier to complete prior to travel. There are, however, no data on the duration of protection afforded by this 2-dose series. Because of this uncertainty, travelers with a sustained risk for rabies exposure should either have a titer drawn or receive a third dose of vaccine within 3 years of the initial series. Travelers unlikely to visit an at-risk destination after 3 years require no further titers or boosters unless they have a subsequent exposure.

Postexposure Prophylaxis

Children who have not received preexposure immunization and who might have been exposed to rabies require a weight-based dose of human rabies immune globulin (RIG) and a series of 4 rabies vaccine doses on days 0, 3, 7, and 14. Decisions about any changes in how to manage postexposure prophylaxis, schedule deviations for pre- or postexposure prophylaxis, and postexposure prophylaxis initiated abroad are expected from the ACIP.

Tick-Borne Encephalitis

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral disease transmitted by Ixodes ticks in parts of Asia and Europe. Rare in US travelers, TBE is usually asymptomatic but can appear as a biphasic illness with central nervous system involvement (see Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 23, Tick-Borne Encephalitis ). Although TBE infection tends to be less severe in children, residual symptoms and neurologic deficits have been described.

Most infections result from the bite of infected tick, typically acquired when a person is bicycling, camping, hiking, or participating in other outdoor activities in brushy or forested areas. TBE also can be acquired by ingesting unpasteurized dairy products from infected animals, or, rarely, from direct person-to-person spread via blood transfusion, solid organ transplantation, or breastfeeding.

In August 2021, the FDA approved a TBE vaccine for people aged ≥1 year ; in February 2022, ACIP approved recommendations for vaccine use among people traveling or moving to a TBE-endemic area who will have extensive tick exposure based on planned outdoor activities and itinerary. Primary vaccination consists of 3 doses; the schedule varies by age. For children 1–15 years old, give the second dose 1–3 months after the first dose; for children aged ≥16 years, give the second dose 14 days–3 months after the first dose. All children should receive the third dose 5–12 months after receiving their second dose of the vaccine. A booster (fourth) dose can be given ≥3 years after completion of the primary immunization series if ongoing exposure or reexposure is expected.

Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (see Sec. 5, Part 1, Ch. 24, Typhoid & Paratyphoid Fever ). Travelers can avoid typhoid fever by following safe food and water precautions and frequently washing hands. Typhoid vaccine is recommended for travelers going to areas with a recognized risk for Salmonella Typhi exposure.

Two typhoid vaccines are licensed for use in the United States: Vi capsular polysaccharide vaccine (ViCPS) administered intramuscularly, and oral live attenuated vaccine (Ty21a). Both vaccines induce a protective response in 50%–80% of recipients. The ViCPS vaccine can be administered to children aged ≥2 years, who should receive a booster dose 2 years later if continued protection is needed. The Ty21a vaccine consists of a series of 4 capsules (1 taken orally every other day), which can be administered to children aged ≥6 years. Do not open capsules for administration; capsules must be swallowed whole. All 4 doses should be taken ≥1 week before potential exposure. A booster series for Ty21a should be taken every 5 years, if indicated.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes, is endemic to certain areas of Africa and South America (see Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 26, Yellow Fever ). Proof of vaccination against yellow fever is required for entry into some countries (see Sec. 2, Ch. 5, Yellow Fever Vaccine & Malaria Prevention Information, by Country ). Infants and children ≥9 months old and without contraindications should be vaccinated before traveling to countries where yellow fever is endemic.

Infants aged <9 months are at greater risk for developing encephalitis from yellow fever vaccine, which is a live-virus vaccine. Studies conducted during the early 1950s identified 4 cases of encephalitis out of 1,000 children aged <6 months who received yellow fever vaccine. An additional 10 cases of encephalitis associated with yellow fever vaccine administered to infants aged <4 months were reported worldwide during the 1950s.

Advise travelers with infants aged <9 months against traveling to areas where yellow fever is endemic. ACIP advises against administering yellow fever vaccine to infants aged <6 months. Infants aged 6–8 months should be vaccinated only if they must travel to areas of ongoing epidemic yellow fever, and if a high level of protection against mosquito bites is not possible. Clinicians considering vaccinating infants aged 6–8 months can consult their respective state health departments or CDC toll-free at 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).

The following authors contributed to the previous version of this chapter: Michelle S. Weinberg

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Japanese encephalitis vaccine: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2019;68(2):1–33.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningococcal vaccination: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2020. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2020;69(9):1–41.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention of Hepatitis A virus infection in the United States: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2020;69(5):1–38.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of a Modified Preexposure Prophylaxis Vaccination Schedule to Prevent Human Rabies: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022;71:619–27.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yellow fever vaccine: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2015;64(23):647–50.

Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Public health emergency status: IHR public health emergency of international concern. Temporary recommendations to reduce international spread of poliovirus. Geneva: Global Polio Eradication Initiative; 2021. Available from: https://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-now/public-health-emergency-status .

Jackson BR, Iqbal S, Mahon B; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updated recommendations for the use of typhoid vaccine—Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;64(11):305–8.

Kimberlin DW, Barnett E, Lynfield R, Sawyer MH, editors. Red Book 2021–2024. Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases, 32nd edition. Elk Grove Village (IL): American Academy of Pediatrics; 2021.

Paz-Bailey G, Adams L, Wong JM, Poehling KA, Chen WH, McNally V, et al. Dengue vaccine: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2021. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(6);1–16.

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Following Measles Outbreaks, Officials Grow Wary of Renewed Threat

Cases this year have already topped the total in 2023. Unvaccinated travelers account for most infections.

A close-up view of an MMR vaccine dose on a tray in a clinic.

By Apoorva Mandavilli

Measles, a highly contagious but preventable disease, is resurging in pockets of the United States, a warning of the dangers of the strengthening anti-vaccine movement.

Listen to this article with reporter commentary

Open this article in the New York Times Audio app on iOS.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded more cases this year than the 58 tallied in all of 2023, although the agency is not expected to release exact numbers until Friday. On Monday, the agency advised health care providers to ensure that unvaccinated patients, especially those traveling internationally, stay updated on their immunizations.

The number of cases is likely to keep rising because of a sharp spike in measles worldwide, along with spring travel to some regions with outbreaks, including Britain, said Dr. Manisha Patel, chief medical officer at the C.D.C.’s respiratory disease division.

Nearly all the cases in the United States so far are related to unvaccinated travelers. “We’re not going to see widespread measles cases going throughout the country,” Dr. Patel said. “But we do expect additional cases and outbreaks to happen.”

Measles is among the most contagious of diseases; each infected person can spread the virus to as many as 18 others. The virus is airborne and can stay aloft up to two hours after an infected person has left the room, spreading rapidly through homes, schools and child care facilities.

In Chicago, one case of measles at a migrant shelter has grown to 13 , prompting the C.D.C. to send a team to help contain the outbreak. (Two additional cases in the city appear to be unrelated.)

In Florida, seven students at an elementary school contracted measles even as the state’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, left it to parents to decide whether unvaccinated children should attend school.

In southwest Washington, officials identified measles in six unvaccinated adult members of a family living in two counties. And in Arizona, an international traveler infected with measles dined at a restaurant and transmitted the virus to at least two others .

Measles was eliminated in the United States in 2000, and American children generally must be immunized to attend school. Yet sporadic cases lead to larger outbreaks every few years. But now a drop in vaccination rates, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, has experts worried about a resurgence.

When vaccinations lag, “the first disease to appear is measles, because it’s highly infectious,” said Dr. Saad Omer, dean of the O’Donnell School of Public Health at U.T. Southwestern in Dallas.

Nine of 10 unvaccinated people in close contact with a measles patient will become infected, according to the C.D.C.

Measles is far less deadly in countries with high immunization rates and good medical care. Fewer than three of every 1,000 American children with measles will die as a result of severe complications like pneumonia or encephalitis, the swelling of the brain.

Still, about one in five people with measles may end up in a hospital.

Because widespread measles outbreaks have been rare, most Americans, including doctors, may not recognize the vibrant red rash that accompanies respiratory symptoms in a measles infection. They may have forgotten the impact of the disease on individuals and communities.

“Most of our local health department folks have never seen a measles outbreak,” said Dr. Christine Hahn, state epidemiologist of Idaho, which contained a small cluster of cases last year.

“It’s going to be a big challenge to us to respond if and when we get our next outbreak,” she said.

Before the first measles vaccine was introduced in the 1960s, the disease killed an estimated 2.6 million people worldwide each year. But its full impact may have been much greater.

Measles cripples the immune system, allowing other pathogens easier entry into the body. A 2015 study estimated that measles may have accounted for as many as half of all infectious disease deaths in children.

For about a month after the acute illness, measles can stun the body’s first response to other bacteria and viruses, said Dr. Michael Mina, chief science officer of the digital health company eMed and formerly an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

That leaves patients “massively susceptible to bacterial pneumonias and other things,” said Dr. Mina, who was the lead author on the 2015 study.

“It’s very risky for people in those first few weeks post measles,” he added.

The virus also induces a sort of immune-system amnesia. Normally the body “remembers” the bacteria and viruses it has fought before. Dr. Mina and his colleagues showed in 2019 that people who have measles lose between 11 and 73 percent of their hard-won immune repertoire, a loss that can last for years.

That does not mean the body no longer recognizes those pathogens at all, but it does shrink the arsenal of weapons available to fight them.

“People should be aware that if they’re choosing not to vaccinate, that’s the position they’re putting themselves and their family in,” Dr. Mina said.

The C.D.C. recommends receiving the first dose of the measles vaccine after 12 months of age, and a second between ages 4 and 6. Even a single dose of the vaccine is 93 percent effective. Measles vaccination averted 56 million deaths between 2000 and 2021, according to the World Health Organization.

Vaccination rates in the United States have shown a distinct, if small, dip to 93 percent in the 2022-23 school year from 95 percent in 2019-20 — the level required to protect everyone in the community. Rates of vaccination exemptions increased in 40 states and the District of Columbia.

In a survey last year , just over half of Republicans said that public schools should require measles vaccinations, compared with about 80 percent before the pandemic. (Support for vaccines among Democrats held steady.)

While national or state-level vaccination rates may be high, there may be pockets of low immunization that provide tinder for the measles virus, Dr. Omer said.

If there are enough unvaccinated cases to sustain an outbreak, even those who are vaccinated but whose immunity may have waned are vulnerable, he said.

In Idaho, 12 percent of kindergarten-age children do not have a record of vaccination. Some of the gap results from parents unable or unwilling to share records with the schools, and not because their children are not immunized, Dr. Hahn said.

Still, online schools, which proliferated through the pandemic and remain popular in the state, have some of the highest rates of vaccine exemptions, she said.

In September, a young Idaho man brought measles back after international travel and became ill enough to be hospitalized . Along the way, he exposed fellow passengers on two flights, dozens of health care workers and patients, and nine unvaccinated family members. All nine developed measles.

Idaho got “very lucky” with the outbreak because the family lived in a remote area, Dr. Hahn said. But there are most likely many other areas in the state where an outbreak would be difficult to contain.

“We’ve got plenty of tinder, if you will,” she added.

Some large outbreaks in recent years exploded among huge clusters of unvaccinated people, including the Amish in Ohio and the Orthodox Jewish community in New York City.

In September 2018, one unvaccinated child returned to New York City from Israel, ferrying measles virus picked up during an outbreak in that country.

Even though the city maintains high vaccination rates, that single case set off an outbreak that raged for nearly 10 months, the largest in the country in decades. The city declared a public health emergency for the first time in more than 100 years.

“We had more than 100 chains of transmission,” said Dr. Oxiris Barbot, the city’s health commissioner at the time, and now the president and chief executive of United Hospital Fund.

“Keeping all of that straight was a challenge,” she recalled. “And to have to investigate over 20,000 exposures like that, that was huge.”

Working with community leaders, city officials hurriedly administered about 200,000 doses of vaccine. More than 550 city staff members were involved in the response, and the final cost to the city’s health department topped $8 million.

The C.D.C. is working with state and local health departments to identify pockets of low vaccination and prepare them for outbreaks, Dr. Patel said. The agency is also training health care providers to recognize measles symptoms, particularly in patients with a history of international travel.

Measles is a slippery adversary, but public health is intimately familiar with the tools needed to contain it: screening, tracing contacts and vaccinating the susceptible.

“We’re not helpless bystanders,” Dr. Omer said. “The focus needs to be on meat-and-potatoes public health.”

Audio produced by Tally Abecassis .

Apoorva Mandavilli is a reporter focused on science and global health. She was a part of the team that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for coverage of the pandemic. More about Apoorva Mandavilli

Watch CBS News

JetBlue is cutting unprofitable routes and leaving 5 cities

By Megan Cerullo

Edited By Anne Marie Lee, Aimee Picchi

Updated on: March 21, 2024 / 9:57 AM EDT / CBS News

JetBlue Airways is eliminating a number of unprofitable routes to destinations in the U.S. and overseas as it moves to cut costs after a  judge blocked its $3.8 billion bid  for Spirit Airlines earlier this year.

The airline will also completely exit Kansas City, Missouri, and Newburgh, New York.

In a statement to CBS News, the JetBlue said its removal of certain routes will reduce "the chance of delays for our customers." The cuts will also free up aircraft to operate more flights on its most profitable routes. 

JetBlue also cited limited aircraft as a driver of the route cuts. About a dozen Airbus aircraft remain grounded over issues with their Pratt & Whitney engines, which are currently undergoing inspection.

"These moves will allow us to redeploy our fleet to increase frequencies on well-performing routes from JetBlue's focus cities while continuing to increase crucial ground time for our aircraft, reducing the chance of delays for our customers," Dave Jehn, JetBlue's vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, said in an internal memo viewed by CBS News. 

He added, "The changes will also help us during a time when aircraft availability is limited — particularly with some of our aircraft grounded due to Pratt & Whitney GTF engine inspections."

In addition to exiting two U.S. cities, the airline will also leave Bogotá, Colombia; Quito, Ecuador; and Lima, Peru.

"With less aircraft time available and the need to improve our financial performance, more than ever, every route has to earn its right to stay in the network," Jehn added.

JetBlue is trimming its route network after scrapping its proposed deal for Spirit earlier this month following pushback by federal antitrust enforcers. A federal judge in January ruled that the acquisition would weaken competition by eliminating a major discount airline, potentially leading to higher airfares for travelers. 

That setback thwarted JetBlue's plans to expand service in key hubs, according to Jehn. In Los Angeles, for instance, JetBlue now plans to pare back to 24 flights per day, down from roughly 34, he noted in his memo. "[W]ithout aircraft time and gates available to grow organically, we need to refocus," he wrote.

The airline added that post-Covid changes in consumer travel interests have made eliminating routes necessary.

Here are the routes JetBlue is cutting in June

  • Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, to Tampa, Fla.
  • Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Atlanta, Ga.
  • Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Austin, Texas
  • Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Nashville, Tenn.
  • Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to New Orleans, La.
  • Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,  to Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Los Angeles to Cancun, Mexico
  • Los Angeles to Las Vegas
  • Los Angeles to Liberia
  • Los Angeles to Miami
  • Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  • Los Angeles to Reno, Nev.
  • Los Angeles to San Francisco
  • Los Angeles to Seattle 
  • New York/JFK to Detroit  
  • Orlando to Salt Lake City, Utah

img-6153.jpg

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News Streaming to discuss her reporting.

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JetBlue is cutting 20 routes and abandoning 5 cities as it scrambles to slash costs amid its failed Spirit merger — see the list

  • JetBlue Airways is cutting 20 routes this summer across the US and Latin America.
  • This will result in the airline exiting five cities altogether.
  • JetBlue is trying to cut costs amid its failed Spirit merger and the grounding of some Airbus jets.

Insider Today

JetBlue Airways is taking an ax to its network as it works to cut costs and improve on-time performance.

In an internal memo sent to employees Wednesday and shared with Business Insider, JetBlue's vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, Dave Jehn, said the airline would leave five cities, effective June 13. He listed an additional 16 route cuts.

The changes will allow a shuffling of aircraft to serve better-performing routes from JetBlue's focus cities , as well as increase its planes' time on the ground to reduce the chance for delays, he said.

The five market exits are:

Bogotá, Colombia.

Quito, Ecuador.

Lima, Peru.

Kansas City, Missouri.

Newburgh, New York, which JetBlue suspended service to during the pandemic and has decided not to return to.

The airline currently flies to Bogotá, Lima, and Quito from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and serves Kansas City from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to the aviation-data provider Cirium.

"These markets are unprofitable, and our aircraft time can be better utilized elsewhere," Jehn wrote in the memo.

Related stories

Among the 16 extra cuts, Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale are the most affected, according to the memo. Both are losing eight routes.

The losses in Fort Lauderdale, however, will be made up for with additional frequencies to "top-performing" destinations in the Northeast and across the Caribbean, like Buffalo, New York; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cancún, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Jehn said.

Meanwhile, he said that instead of operating underperforming shorter flights that hop around the West Coast, the airline's focus in the "very crowded" Los Angeles market would shift to cross-country and Mint routes .

According to Jehn, the reduction in LA is mostly due to JetBlue's failed $3.8 billion merger with the low-cost giant Spirit Airlines . A judge ruled in January the move would hurt customers because of decreased competition.

"Without Spirit, and without aircraft time and gates available to grow organically, we need to refocus," Jehn wrote in the memo.

The failure to combine with Spirit is not the only reason JetBlue has found itself in this position.

A partnership between JetBlue and American Airlines in July 2020, which the two dubbed the Northeast Alliance, ended last year. Similar antitrust laws that derailed the Spirit merger led to the alliance's demise.

"We were counting on the merger with Spirit and the NEA to help us be relevant and support growth," Jehn wrote, adding that changes in demand in certain markets since the pandemic started also hurt performance.

Another factor plaguing the airline is the issues with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines equipped on seven of the airline's nearly all-Airbus fleet, which has caused a shortage of planes. That number is expected to affect up to 15 A320neos by the end of this year, Reuters reported.

Moreover, JetBlue, which just appointed a new CEO, Joanna Geraghty, in February, has historically poor punctuality , which has negatively influenced its operational costs and brand reputation.

JetBlue ranked last for on-time performance in 2023 , according to data from The Wall Street Journal.

Here's the list of 20 route cuts customers can expect this summer, according to JetBlue:

Between Fort Lauderdale and Bogotá, Lima, Quito, Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, New Orleans, and Salt Lake City.

Between Los Angeles and Cancún; Las Vegas; Miami; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Reno, Nevada; San Francisco; Seattle; and Liberia, Costa Rica.

Between New York's JFK and Detroit.

Between Orlando and Salt Lake City.

Between Tampa, Florida, and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

Between Kansas City and JFK.

Watch: Thousands of bags pile up at US airports after flight cancellations

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COMMENTS

  1. JetBlue Airways CDC ContactTracing

    United States of America CDC Contact Tracing Form. Find your booking. JetBlue confirmation code: * Look for the 6-letter JetBlue confirmation code on your booking confirmation or tickets. Traveler last name: * Flight departure date: * Enter the code shown below: Submit

  2. COVID-19 Info Hub

    The vast majority of our crewmembers have already received the COVID-19 vaccine. Breathe easy. The air inside our planes is completely changed about every 3 minutes with approximately 50% fresh air and 50% HEPA-filtered air. Plus, hospital-grade HEPA filters remove 99.97% or more of particles, bacteria and viruses. More travel, less touch.

  3. Travelers' Health

    See the full list of Travel Health Notices, including: CDC Travelers' Health Branch provides updated travel information, notices, and vaccine requirements to inform international travelers and provide guidance to the clinicians who serve them.

  4. Order: Requirement for Airlines and Operators to Collect Contact

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an Order on October 25, 2021 requiring airlines and other aircraft operators to collect contact information for passengers before their arrival into the United States from a foreign country, retain the information for 30 days, and transmit the information to CDC upon request.

  5. Safety from the Ground Up

    The vast majority of our crewmembers have already received the COVID-19 vaccine. Breathe easy. The air inside our planes is completely changed about every 3 minutes with approximately 50% fresh air and 50% HEPA-filtered air. Plus, hospital-grade HEPA filters remove 99.97% or more of particles, bacteria and viruses. More travel, less touch.

  6. JetBlue Is Changing Its Flight Boarding Policy

    JetBlue passengers will instead board in groups like they did before COVID-19. ... Alison Fox is a Travel + Leisure ... (CDC), all travelers are required to wear masks on all forms of public ...

  7. PDF Airline Checklist: How to Confirm Proof of COVID-19 ...

    Purpose: To help airlines confirm noncitizen nonimmigrant passengers' COVID-19 vaccination (as applicable) before they board flights to the United States, as required by Presidential Proclamation and CDC's Order*. Testing Order: Beginning January 5, at 12:01AM ET, there are new requirements for air passengers 2 years of age and older ...

  8. JetBlue to Require All Passengers to Wear Face Masks on ...

    Published on April 28, 2020. JetBlue will require all passengers to wear face masks when traveling in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. "Wearing a face covering isn't about protecting ...

  9. CDC Releases Air Travel Guidance For Fully Vaccinated People ...

    Guidance released Friday allows fully vaccinated people to travel domestically without getting tested or self-quarantining, but advises them to keep practicing mitigation measures to protect others.

  10. COVID-19

    Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. The virus spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets and small particles produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. The virus spreads easily in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor settings.

  11. Face masks for passengers now required on all JetBlue flights

    JetBlue Airways on Monday became the first U.S. airline to announce that all passengers will have to wear a face covering on flights. Starting May 4, passengers will be required to wear a mask ...

  12. PDF Travel: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

    Travelers should additionally follow any requirements at their destination. CDC also recommends that you get tested 3-5 days after international air travel AND stay home for 7 days. Even if you test negative, stay home for the full 7 days. If you don't get tested, it's safest to stay home for 10 days after travel.

  13. COVID tests for travel: What to know about new CDC international rules

    What international travelers need to know about CDC's new COVID-19 test rule. Question: Does the testing requirement apply to U.S. citizens? Answer: Yes, it applies to all airline passengers ages ...

  14. COVID tests for US flights not feasible, fair or needed, airlines say

    Despite talk of new testing to help fight the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the CDC and the U.S. State Department have a more urgent message for Americans: don't travel at all.

  15. JetBlue Is Ending Its Back-to-Front Boarding Policy

    Mar 10, 2021, 12:04 PM PST. JetBlue Airways' first Airbus A220-300 aircraft. JetBlue Airways. JetBlue is ending its back-to-front boarding policy for travelers. Delta and United airlines will keep ...

  16. Help

    Find entry/documentation requirements. Travel Bank Credits. Delays and Cancellations. Refundable Fares. Checked Bags. Travel Certificates. Boarding Pass Help. Manage Your Trip Online. Rebooking a Cancelled Flight.

  17. International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)

    International Health Regulations (IHR) allow countries to require arriving travelers 1 to provide proof of vaccination against certain diseases. The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), also referred to as the "yellow card," is the official, internationally recognized document that travelers use to document proof of vaccination for diseases included under the IHR.

  18. Before You Travel

    Know Your Health Status. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider or a travel health specialist that takes place at least one month before you leave. They can help you get destination-specific vaccines, medicines, and information. Discussing your health concerns, itinerary, and planned activities with your provider allows them to give ...

  19. International Travel

    JetBlue is currently piloting a paperless and deviceless biometric self-boarding process on select international flights from New York (JFK), Boston, Washington, DC (DCA) and Fort Lauderdale, utilizing Customs & Border Protection's secure Traveler Verification Service (TVS). Biometric boarding will arrive in more cities in 2024.

  20. JetBlue cancels nearly 1,300 flights into January due to omicron

    JetBlue 'proactively' cancels nearly 1,300 flights into mid-January as sick calls surge from omicron. It's still December, but JetBlue already "proactively" canceled nearly 1,300 flights into the ...

  21. CDC Yellow Book 2024

    It compiles the US government's most current travel health guidelines, including pretravel vaccine recommendations, destination-specific health advice, and easy-to-reference maps, tables, and charts. Order a print copy of CDC Yellow Book 2024 from Oxford University Press and other major online booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

  22. JetBlue

    JetBlue offers flights to 90+ destinations with free inflight entertainment, free brand-name snacks and drinks, lots of legroom and award-winning service. ... Earn 60,000 bonus TrueBlue points (that's worth at least $600 in award travel) with the JetBlue Plus Card. Apply now. Terms apply. Opens in a new window. Fly deals.

  23. See MIA travelers get tested as part of new CDC program

    The CDC's goal is to test travelers 18 and older to help public health officials get a better grip on what germs are coming into the U.S. so they can make more informed public health decisions.

  24. Going abroad? Time to check if you're up to date on measles immunity

    CDC recommends all travelers are fully vaccinated against measles when traveling to any international destination," the agency says. It is not clear what prompted the CDC's new measles guidance ...

  25. Mexico

    Dengue in the Americas February 28, 2024 Dengue is a risk in many parts of Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Some countries are reporting increased numbers of cases of the disease. Travelers to the Americas can protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites. Destination List: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, French ...

  26. Vaccine Recommendations for Infants & Children

    Refer to the CDC Travelers' Health website destination pages for current polio vaccine recommendations. Ensure that travelers complete the recommended age-appropriate polio vaccine series and receive a single lifetime booster dose, if necessary. Infants and children should receive an accelerated schedule to complete the routine series.

  27. Measles: CDC urges vaccination amid rise in cases in the US and ...

    Travelers who get sick with a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes should seek medical attention, but the CDC advises giving the clinic some advance notice before you go, so ...

  28. Following Measles Outbreaks, Officials Grow Wary of Renewed Threat

    The number of cases is likely to keep rising because of a sharp spike in measles worldwide, along with spring travel to some regions with outbreaks, including Britain, said Dr. Manisha Patel ...

  29. JetBlue is cutting unprofitable routes and leaving 5 cities

    Talking Travel: JetBlue-Spirit merger blocked; Boeing door plug problems 03:59. In addition to exiting two U.S. cities, the airline will also leave Bogotá, Colombia; Quito, Ecuador; and Lima, Peru.

  30. JetBlue Is Cutting 20 Routes and Leaving 5 Cities Entirely: Full List

    Bogotá, Colombia. Quito, Ecuador. Lima, Peru. Kansas City, Missouri. Newburgh, New York, which JetBlue suspended service to during the pandemic and has decided not to return to.