New York State, which used to mandate a vacation-unfriendly quarantine period of 14 days, has changed its entry requirements.
The shift brings the state's system in line with what many countries are now requiring: Show a negative test when you enter, and show another a few days later.
Visitors must obtain negative test results no more than three days before arriving in New York. Then, all visitors must quarantine—but only for three days.
On the fourth day, you will need to test again, and if that's negative, it's your ticket out of quarantine.
If you're coming from a state that borders New York, you're exempt from the mandate.
Three days in quarantine is a lot more doable than two weeks—and if you can find a good deal on a room at one of Manhattan's luxury hotels, which are hurting for business, those three days might actually be a welcome break.
The essentials of the new protocol are outlined on New York State's official site.
Last year, more than 66 million visitors flooded New York, and a significant chunk of them came to see New York City's world-famous holiday decorations, such as at Rockefeller Center, pictured above in a past season.
This year, with international travel all but cut off, the city is searching for new ways to attract income, including by turning Manhattan's sidewalks into a veritable outdoor shopping bazaar.
