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The CDC issued new instructions Today for travel after vaccination. Note that “Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19”. But director Rochelle Walensky also noted that just because you can travel you shouldn’t.
“I would speak out against general travel altogether,” she said said in a briefing at the White House. “Our guidelines do not recommend recommending or not recommending travel to fully vaccinated individuals. Our instructions speak for safety. “
As with the advice on visiting friends, the guidelines for traveling are based on the idea that if you are vaccinated, you will be minimally risky to travel. You have very little risk of infecting yourself and very little risk of spreading the coronavirus to others. Neither risk is zero, and you still need to be aware of the risks unvaccinated individuals face along the way.
If you are traveling within the United States
According to the CDC, people fully vaccinated with an FDA-cleared COVID shot (two weeks after their last dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine with two doses) can travel. ” for sure.”
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“You don’t need to get tested or quarantine yourself if you’ve been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months,” the CDC guidelines read. There are other recommendations you need to follow, such as: Wearing a mask on public transport, and you should still avoid the crowds and wash your hands often.
Unvaccinated travelers should have a viral COVID test one to three days before departure and then self-quarantine for 10 days or seven days if they received a negative test.
Everyone should monitor themselves for symptoms after traveling. If you get symptoms of COVID, whether or not you are vaccinated, get a test and appropriate medical care. Stay at home to avoid spreading the virus to others.
When you travel to another country
The CDC has one page with specific travel recommendations for each country. Check this out if you are planning international travel. They do not recommend traveling internationally at all unless you are fully vaccinated.
You don’t need to get a COVID test prior to your trip unless your destination requires it. However, you should get a COVID test within three to five days of traveling. You don’t need to quarantine.
If you are traveling to the United States from another country
For the return trip home, the US requires everyone, including those who are fully vaccinated, to have a negative COVID test within three days of departure. The only exception is if you have recovered from COVID within the last three months and have documentation (such as medical records) to prove it. Upon return, vaccinated US travelers do not need to be quarantined. However, you should get a virus test within three to five days.