Fully vaccinated people can travel again, according to new CDC COVID-19 guidelines

NEW YORK – Add travel to activities that vaccinated Americans can safely enjoy again, according to new U.S. guidelines released Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated their guidelines to say that fully vaccinated people can travel to the United States without getting tested for the coronavirus or going into quarantine afterwards.

Still, CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky called for caution and said she would “argue against travel in general” given the growing number of infections.

“If you are vaccinated the risk is lower,” she said.

According to the CDC, more than 100 million people in the United States – 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.

The agency said it would update its guidelines on what activities are allowed for people vaccinated as more people receive the vaccines and evidence shows the protection they provide.

Outside a San Francisco convention center, Kara Roche, a consultant at a tech company, greeted the news after receiving her second photo from Pfizer.

“I am delighted that this summer we have the opportunity to go somewhere,” she said.

Roche said she normally travels abroad for vacation at least twice a year. Since the start of the pandemic, she has only traveled to Utah and Texas for work.

“I’ll always be careful. I’m not looking to go on a cruise. I’m not looking to be in a massive crowd and I probably won’t go overseas,” she said. “But absolutely, if it’s open and the CDC says we can do it, I can’t wait to go somewhere in the United States.”

For people who haven’t been fully immunized, the CDC is sticking to its recommendation to avoid unnecessary travel. If they are traveling, the agency says to get tested one to three days before the trip, and three to five days after. People are also expected to stay at home and self-quarantine for seven days after travel, even if their COVID-19 test is negative, according to the agency.

According to data up to Thursday from Johns Hopkins University, the United States is recording an average of 66,000 new cases a day last week, up from 55,000 two weeks ago.

The new guide says:

– Fully vaccinated people can travel to the United States without getting tested for the coronavirus or quarantine. People should always wear a mask, get away socially and avoid crowds, the agency says.

– For international travel, the agency says those vaccinated do not need to take a COVID-19 test before leaving, unless the destination country requires it.

– For travelers arriving in the United States, those vaccinated should always test negative for COVID-19 before boarding a flight and be tested three to five days after arrival. They don’t need to quarantine. The agency noted the potential introduction of virus variants and differences in vaccine coverage across the world for the cautious advice on overseas travel.

Already, air travel to the United States has resumed. Although traffic remains down almost half from a year ago, more than one million travelers per day have passed through U.S. airports in recent weeks.

“I was surprised our flight was pretty full,” said Telva Aguilar, after arriving at Oakland Airport from Southern California to visit her grandchildren on Friday.

Aguilar works in a hospital and has been vaccinated, but said she was still cautious.

Airlines do not require COVID-19 tests or proof of vaccination to travel to the United States; a few states have testing or quarantine rules for travelers.

The CDC cited recent research on the real effects of vaccines for its updated advice. Last month, the agency said fully vaccinated people could visit each other indoors without wearing masks or social distancing. He also said that vaccinated people can visit unvaccinated people in the same household under similar conditions, provided that unvaccinated people are at low risk of serious illness if infected.

The United States began its vaccine deployment in mid-December. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses given a few weeks apart. A one-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson received the green light from regulators in late February.

Despite receiving his second shot at Pfizer on Friday, Mick Peacock, a fire inspector in San Francisco, has no plans to travel anytime soon. If he and his wife travel this year, he said they would rent a motorhome and hit the road.

“I think we all want a beach vacation right now, but I don’t think it’s safe,” he said. “I don’t look at the numbers anymore, because we’ve all been looking at them for too long.”

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AP reporters Olga R. Rodriguez in San Francisco, Terry Chea in Oakland, Calif., Dave Koenig in Dallas, and Carla K. Johnson in Washington state contributed.