California lifts 120 mile travel advisory but still wants you to stay home

California lifted the statewide advisory on Thursday that asked pleasure travelers to stay within 120 miles of their homes to curb the spread of COVID-19, according to a press release. However, the California Department of Public Health still discourages travelers from leaving the state or country “until we can achieve higher immunization levels in California and beyond.”

New recommendations for non-essential or leisure travel include testing for COVID-19 before and after your trip, even if you’ve been vaccinated, and quarantine for seven days, even if your test is negative. “Delay the trip and stay home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, even if you are vaccinated,” the Centers for Disease Control guidelines say.

The tests should take place one to three days before your departure and three to five days after your return. If you do not get tested, you must stay home and quarantine yourself for 10 days upon your return. Of course, travelers should wear masks, wash their hands frequently, and continue to distance themselves socially from others. Essential workers entering and leaving the state do not need to quarantine.

The statement also discourages people from other states and countries from traveling to California because they are at risk of transmitting the virus or introducing new strains of the virus. The updated recommendations replace a stricter travel advisory on January 6.

The advice comes as Los Angeles and Orange counties have met requirements to move to the state’s Orange level for reopening, meaning many businesses can reopen or increase capacity levels if they are already. open. Orange level guidelines can begin in LA County as early as April 5.

California reports 3,648,217 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Thursday and nearly 59,000 deaths. In addition, as of Thursday, about 30% of Californians are at least partially vaccinated. The number of cases and hospitalizations continues to decline, although health officials warn parts of the United States could experience a “spring surge.”