CDC: Fully vaccinated people can travel

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated travel advisories for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to a news release, the CDC says that fully vaccinated people, two weeks after the final dose of the vaccine, can travel at low risk to themselves. These people are free to travel the U.S. without COVID-19 testing or post-travel self-quarantine so long as they continue to take COVID-19 precautions while travelling such as wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and frequent hand washing.

“With millions of Americans getting vaccinated every day, it is important to update the public on the latest science about what fully vaccinated people can do safely, now including guidance on safe travel,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, says in the release.“We continue to encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as it’s their turn, so we can begin to safely take steps back to our everyday lives. 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.”

When it comes to worldwide travel, the CDC recommendations for fully vaccinated people are:

• No COVID-19 tests prior to travel is necessary unless required at the destination
• No need to self-quarantine after returning to the U.S. unless required by a state or local jurisdiction
• Those coming to the U.S. must still have a negative COVID-19 test three to five days before returning and be tested again three to five days after returning
• COVID-19 precautions should still be taken while travelling internationally

Those who are still unvaccinated should still get tested one to three days before domestic travel and again three to five days after travel and should stay home and self-quarantine for seven days after travel or 10 days if they don’t get tested after their trip, the release says.