LONDON – Frustrated by slow and uncertain vaccination rides around the world, some of the nine million Americans living abroad are coming home to get their Covid-19 injections.
For many, the risks of a long journey home are worth the reward of a vaccine that provides protection and peace of mind. But the trip also comes with the fear and moral ambiguity of leaving friends, co-workers, and even spouses who may not have access to a photo for months because they don’t have a passport to the world’s richest country.
“I’ve definitely seen people talk about vaccine tourism,” said Chloe Zeitounian, a 32-year-old American actor in London who visited the US earlier this month. “That’s actually what I did.”
The US and UK are roughly equal in terms of vaccination coverage, but recent interruptions in supply have slowed Britain’s rollout to young people. The country also relies heavily on a photo developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca PLC. Regulators here have restricted people under 30 from receiving it due to a possible link with rare but potentially serious blood clots. Ms. Zeitounian preferred to avoid the one that is not distributed in the US
While standing in line at a convention center in New Orleans and hearing that it was taking a dose of Moderna Inc.’s dual vaccine. she called her British husband in London. “Is what I’m doing right?” asked Ms. Zeitounian, who was in the US, to apply for a visa. She plans to get her second dose later this year on a business trip in the US unless she gets it in Britain first.