NEW YORK (AP) – Add travel to the activities vaccinated Americans can enjoy again, according to new US guidelines released Friday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their guidelines to say that fully vaccinated people can travel within the US without being tested for the coronavirus or going into quarantine afterward.
Previously, the agency had warned against unnecessary travel, even for vaccinated people, but noted it would update its guidelines as more people were vaccinated and evidence gathered about the protection the shots provide.
“Every day you get more data, and you change your guidelines based on the existing data,” said Dr. Ali Khan, Dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska.
Khan said the update strengthens the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines and is another incentive for people to get vaccinated.
According to the CDC, nearly 100 million people in the US – or about 30% of the population – have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine.
Unvaccinated people are still advised to avoid unnecessary travel.
The new directive says:
– Fully vaccinated people can travel within the US without being tested for the coronavirus or placed in quarantine. People should still wear masks, distance themselves socially, and avoid crowds, the agency says.
– For international travel, the agency says vaccinated people do not need to undergo a COVID-19 test before they depart, although this may be required for some destinations.
– Vaccinated people must still have a negative COVID-19 test before boarding a flight to the US and be tested 3 to 5 days after return. They do not need to be quarantined. The agency pointed to the potential introduction of virus variants and differences in vaccine coverage around the world for the prudent guidance when traveling abroad.
The CDC cited recent research on the real-world effects of the vaccines for its updated guidelines. The agency had already said that fully vaccinated people could visit each other indoors without wearing masks or social distancing. It also said vaccinated people could visit unvaccinated people from a single household under similar circumstances, as long as the unvaccinated individuals were at low risk of serious illness if infected.
The US started rolling out vaccines in mid-December. The first vaccines – from Pfizer and Moderna – require two doses taken a few weeks apart. A one-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson was given the green light by regulators in late February.
The Associated Press Department of Health and Science is supported by the Science Education Department of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The AP is solely responsible for all content.