The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their guidelines for fully vaccinated Americans in April, saying that travel both domestically and internationally is a low risk.
The long-awaited recommendations were issued by federal health officials after a series of studies found that vaccines administered in the United States were robustly effective at preventing infection in real-world conditions.
One is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna shots.
When you decide to travel, you may still have a few questions. Here are the answers.
Do I still have to wear a mask and social distance when I travel?
Yes. Federal law requires masks to be worn at airports in the United States, on board domestic flights, and at all transportation hubs. The CDC says that as long as coronavirus measures are in place in these scenarios, including wearing masks, fully vaccinated Americans can travel domestically without testing or quarantine, although the agency warns that some states and territories Maintain their local travel restrictions and local recommendations.
For those looking to travel internationally, a coronavirus test is not required prior to departing from the United States unless directed by the government of their destination country. Vaccinated travelers must get tested three days before flying to the United States and should have a test three to five days after their return, but do not need to quarantine themselves.
Can i go abroad?
Yes, but only in countries that you have.
More than half of the world’s countries have reopened tourists from the United States, including some European Union countries that recently reopened their borders to vaccinated travelers in anticipation of the summer tourism season.
Other places like Turkey, Croatia, and Montenegro have already welcomed Americans with negative test results. Greece joined this growing list in May, ahead of most European countries, opening up to fully vaccinated tourists and other foreigners with a negative test.
Many Caribbean nations have reopened to American tourists, but each has its own coronavirus protocols and entry requirements.
Here is a full list of the countries Americans can currently travel to.
What about domestic travel? Is it free and clear to cross state borders?
According to the CDC, when you are fully vaccinated, you can travel freely within the United States and do not need to have a test or self-quarantine before or after your trip. However, some states and local governments may choose to maintain travel restrictions, including testing, quarantine, and stay-at-home orders. Hawaii, for example, still has travel restrictions.
Before traveling across state borders, check the current rules at your destination.
How do you check that I am fully vaccinated?
For now, the best way to prove your vaccination is by showing your vaccination card.
Digital vaccination and health certificates showing that people have been vaccinated or tested are at various stages of development around the world and are expected to be used extensively to speed up travel.
The subject of “vaccine passports” is currently one of the most debated topics in the travel industry, with questions about their fair use and health and privacy concerns.
In early April Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order that would prohibit local governments and state-owned companies from requiring proof of vaccination for services.
And in March the European Union approved its own vaccination certificate, but individual European countries are expected to set their own rules for travel requirements later this summer.
But what about my kids? What is the guide to traveling with an unvaccinated person?
The CDC does not recommend traveling unless you have been vaccinated. If you do need to travel, the agency recommends testing one to three days before traveling and following all coronavirus guidelines in your destination.
In May, the FDA extended its emergency approval of the Pfizer BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 15.
All passengers aged two and over entering the United States, including those who are fully vaccinated, must have a negative Covid-19 test result no later than three days prior to boarding their flight.
What is my moral obligation to the places I visit where most people are not vaccinated?
The introduction of vaccinations in the US is among the fastest in the world, but there is a huge gap between their rapid introduction and vaccination programs in different countries. Some countries have not yet reported a single dose.
Many countries are currently seeing a surge in new cases and are implementing strict coronavirus protocols, including masking requirements in public spaces, capacity limits in restaurants and tourist attractions, and other lockdown restrictions.
It is important to check coronavirus case rates, measures, and medical infrastructure before traveling to your destination and not to let you down on arrival. Even if you are fully vaccinated, you may still be able to pass the disease on to local communities that have not yet been vaccinated.
Here you can follow the worldwide introduction of the coronavirus vaccination.
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