Peter Volney, a retired advertising executive, usually flies more than 100,000 air miles a year with his wife and, in his quest to visit every country in the world, has even been to unusual places, such as North Korea and Tajikistan. Finally fully vaccinated, he decided to make up for his year of pandemic. We’re obviously tired of sitting at home, he said. On the calendar: a five week Greek idyll, an African safari and a jungle tour in Suriname and Guyana. After giving the shot, Mr. Volney said it gave him confidence that I was vaccinated and not afraid of anything.
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After a year of isolation and endless Zoom sessions, many newcomers feel the same way. But it’s not a prison card yet: In Mr. Volny’s case, with the exception of Greece this fall, his trips will not take place until 2022. And this leads to a paradox of vaccine deployment and hope to resume the journey: Much of the world is not yet ready to abolish testing and quarantine requirements for travelers. After all, we are still in the middle of a pandemic and only a small part of the world’s population has been vaccinated.
It may be advisable to laminate the CDC card you receive when you leave the hair removal station so that it does not dissolve in your wallet.
Many countries, including much of Western Europe, are still not open to American tourists. In some areas, the number of cases is increasing; much of Italy, for example, simply turned in on itself after the option reappeared. In the near future, you will need to continue practicing social distancing and masking, especially when you are around people you don’t know.
In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recently relaxed restrictions on small gatherings, continues to recommend travel bans even for vaccinated individuals. That’s because there’s always a risk of Covid-19 getting out and spreading, the agency said. But that opinion may change, an agency spokesman said, as more people get vaccinated and we learn more about how vaccines work in the real world. When travel resumes, many people will want to gradually get on board, says Joe Brancatelli, who runs the road warrior’s website joesentme.com. Here’s something to keep in mind as we get back on the road:
Where can I go?
The rules have not changed in most places. Only a few countries allow U.S. visitors to bypass testing and quarantine requirements if they are vaccinated; these include Belize, Iceland, the Seychelles and Georgia. More countries will be added to the list this year. For example, Thailand has said it will lift mandatory quarantine restrictions in the third quarter of this year for travelers with proof of vaccination. Even if your destination still requires a negative test, vaccination significantly reduces the chances of you testing positive and ending up in quarantine.
What is an immunization record?
The race will be to develop a standardized, universal mobile app that allows you to track your health data, from vaccinations to exams, at the touch of a button. It’s the proverbial Wild West, he said.
Henry Harteveld,
Analyst in the travel industry at Atmosphere Research. None of the available options are better than the others. Most have partnerships with airlines, such as Travel Pass, developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is already being tested by major airlines such as Emirates and Singapore; the app should be available soon, starting with Apple devices, IATA said. Other carriers include Common Pass and Verifly, which are supported by United and American, respectively. They all essentially work the same way and provide you with proof of immunity in digital form, so you don’t have to produce a paper document. But some people may prefer the analog version to have multiple health apps on their smartphones. Others may be reluctant to share health data online. Until these issues are resolved, it is recommended that you laminate the CDC card you receive when you leave the hair removal station so that it does not disintegrate in your wallet.
Where are the offers?
Lot of business in a tough year, right? Not necessary. Cheap bus tickets will be scarce, Brancatelli predicts. Since the number of flights is still down by about 50% compared to the period before the pandemic, it may take some time for airlines to fill their route networks again. But you can still get a good deal, according to a prediction from the site Hopper, which is betting that the window for finding the lowest home prices for the summer will be from the 27th. April to the 7th. May be. According to Adit Damodaran, economist at Hopper, international airfares will be lowest in the last weeks of June and July and in mid to late August.
What if I have been vaccinated, but my children have not?
It’s hard. Currently, there is no license for a vaccine for people under the age of 16. Some tour operators, including some cruise lines, may exempt minors traveling with a parent or guardian from the vaccination requirement if they test negative. The most likely scenario for some time will be for parents traveling with unvaccinated children to be vaccinated, said Misty Belles of the Virtuoso Travel Agents Consortium.
Are there any cruises booked for Vax?
Many cruise lines have their own vaccination requirements. Some say they will ask passengers to show proof of vaccination, as well as the crew. Crystal Cruises, for example, announced in February that guests must provide proof of full vaccination at least 14 days before their cruise. American Queen Steamboat and Saga Cruise have also announced that they will introduce similar requirements. But the industry has again delayed the full recovery of cruises, and some companies are waiting until summer is in full swing, which should allow more people to try their luck.
WHAT’S UP, DOC?
Three doctors who specialize in epidemiology and infectious diseases speak out about when – or if – the vaccine will reset travel, and about their personal vacation plans for the coming year.
Illustration:
John W. Tomack.
Dr. Davey Smith
Head, Department of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego
Is it safe to travel after vaccination? The CDC is a bit conservative in restricting travel for the vaccinated. The data continues to come in to help them make those decisions, so I am confident that the travel restrictions on fully vaccinated people will be lifted soon. And safety is a relative word. Everyone has a different risk assessment. Your risk is not zero, even if you are vaccinated.
Where he’s going this year: Tennessee to visit his family; the Galapagos Islands to celebrate his 50th birthday. Birthday party.
Dr. Jessica Justman
infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at Columbia University
Is it safe to travel after vaccination? We can’t take our foot off the brake and slow down; we have a long way to go before most people are fully vaccinated. You still have to take the same steps and take the same protections that we used to have to take. But we are encouraged by the initial results of the application; the vaccines we have in the United States provide excellent protection against a serious case of covidia. Removing this fear (of serious illness) is great, but we will be wearing masks for a while.
Where she’s going this year: Montana to visit the national parks
Dr. David Aronoff
Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Is it safe to travel after vaccination? Travelers who have been vaccinated in the United States can travel anywhere in the country. We need to monitor disease activity in the United States, but so far it seems to be improving. Of course I would avoid areas with rising infection rates. I am optimistic about the near future. Soon, when a larger portion of the population is vaccinated, we will see the CDC relax its travel restriction guidelines. Since the vaccines may be available to most or all adults in the U.S. within a few months, it will likely be sooner rather than later.
Where he’s going this year: Washington State to visit his mother; Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin to attend colleges with his daughter.
Airports in Paris and Singapore, as well as airlines like United and JetBlue, are experimenting with apps that check travelers for Covid-free status before boarding. The WSJ visits an airport in Rome to see how the digital health passport works. Photo credits: AOKpass
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