CDC: Fully Vaccinated Americans Can Resume Domestic Travel Without Tests or Quarantines
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on 2 April stated fully vaccinated people can safely travel at “low risk” after the agency had held off for weeks on revising guidance that discouraged all non-essential trips.
The new CDC guidance specifically greenlights vaccinated grandparents getting on aeroplanes to see grandchildren as long as they follow CDC advice for travelling safely.
The new guidance states that fully vaccinated people do not need to get a COVID-19 test before or after travel and do not need to self-quarantine after travel.
A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their last dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. That gives the body enough time to build antibodies against the virus.
The CDC did not revise guidance for non-vaccinated people.
“Vaccines can help us return to the things we love about life, so we encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
International Travel
The Biden administration is not lifting restrictions that bar most-non US citizens from the United States who have recently been in China, Brazil, South Africa and most of Europe.
It is also keeping requirements that nearly all international US air visitors getting a negative COVID-19 test before travelling to the United States.
The CDC's new guidance says fully vaccinated people do not need COVID-19 tests before international travel unless it is required by the international destination and vaccinated people returning from foreign travel do not need to self-quarantine after returning to the United States, unless required by state or local authorities.
The current administration is not eliminating any mask rules.
“Taking preventative measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 is the path out of this pandemic,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky added.
Travel Industry
The travel industry welcomed the news from the CDC.
“The CDC’s official statement, recognizing that those who have been vaccinated are now at a lower risk of transmission when travelling, is an encouraging step and one that we would like to see replicated in other countries around the world,” said Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
“WTTC has been calling for a clear roadmap to reopen international mobility with pre-departure testing for non-vaccinated travellers only, alongside health and hygiene measures. Despite the delay in commenting whether or not the health organization recommends travel, today’s CDC announcement will give a much-needed boost to the sector and will empower U.S. travellers to feel secure in resuming travel.”
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