Author: Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY

Thinking about making a trip to Central or South America soon? You may want to get familiar with the countries’ COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The U.S. new testing requirements for international air travel went into effect Monday. From masks to testing time frames here’s what you need to know.

Some at-home tests can be purchased at local retailers and pharmacies, and results can often be processed within minutes.

This will be the third extension to the federal mask mandate since it was first implemented on Feb. 1.

The CDC is tightening testing requirements for international travelers and ordering airlines to share data to combat the omicron COVID-19 variant.

Poland, Niger, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago were moved to the CDC’s “level 4” COVID-19 advisory list.

While Lyft and Uber expect prices to drop as the pandemic ebbs, industry experts say costs will remain elevated throughout the holiday travel season.

New Zealand is set to reopen to foreign travelers in April, more than two years after the country first imposed COVID-19-related entry restrictions.

“If you must travel to these destinations, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel,” the CDC says on its website.