Travel After Vaccination : Millions of people around the world have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 with a vaccine that promises to return to their former life
Millions of people around the world have already been vaccinated against COVID-19, with a vaccine that promises to return to their old lives. But what does this mean in practice?
The injection offers protection and certain benefits, such as avoiding some of the quarantine requirements, but experts say we won’t be able to take off our masks anytime soon.
On the travel side, several countries have adopted the concept of vaccine passports, waiver of quarantine, and even testing requirements for fully vaccinated individuals (defined as two weeks after someone’s last shot). At the same time, many of the habits acquired during the pandemic era, such as social distancing and the wearing of masks, persist.
Dr. Scott Weisenberg, director of the travel medicine program at NYU Langone Health (USA), expressed his opinion about what vaccinated people can and should do while traveling and what they should abstain for now.
Can I travel after vaccination?
This is a million dollar question for people who have been imprisoned for over a year. But the answer is complex and has a lot to do with personal risk tolerance.
“All vaccines are great at reducing the risk of dying from the disease, but you can still get sick – the likelihood of someone getting sick will still depend on their age and other risk factors,” Weisenberg said. “If you chose to travel while continuing to wear masks, social distancing … that’s what people can do to reduce risk.”
Do I have to wear a mask if I am vaccinated?
The short answer is yes – at least for now.
Experts continue to recommend that vaccinated individuals wear a mask in public and high-risk areas, including if they attend a meeting with “unvaccinated people from more than one household” and if they visit unvaccinated people who are at risk of serious illness … …
Do I still need to distance myself from others if I am vaccinated?
“Social distancing certainly lowers your risk,” Weisenberg said, but there is a better side: “The fewer viruses in a community, the more likely you are to avoid getting sick.”
Can I travel with friends or family?
Experts believe that fully vaccinated people can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people and masks are not required. In addition, vaccinated people can get together for a mask-free meeting in a room with unvaccinated people from another family.
Do I need quarantine if I am vaccinated?
Some countries have lifted quarantines for vaccinated travelers, but some remain. New York City, for example, no longer requires domestic travelers to be quarantined on arrival, but it does for international travelers.
Travel After Vaccination
Should I be worried about the spread of new strains?
The answer is (disappointing) – we don’t know yet.
“The key factors now are how quickly people get the vaccines and how well these vaccines work against new strains,” Weisenberg said, but the added vaccines “will be our ticket to get back to normal.”
“It won’t be a risk-free situation, but there will be things people can do to identify the risk and learn how to change it,” he said. “And vaccines are part of that.”
