Is It Safe to Travel Yet?

Is it safe to travel yet?

This question is on the minds of many baby boomer travelers.

Let’s explore the latest information from the CDC:

Safe Travel: What You Can Start to Do

If you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You can resume activities that you did before the pandemic.
• You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
• You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
  • You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
  • You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
  • You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
  • You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
• If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
  • However, if you live or work in a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

Safe Travel: What You Should Keep Doing

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You will still need to follow the guidance at your workplace and local businesses.
• If you travel, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others. You will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the United States are still required to get tested within 3 days of their flight (or show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months). They should still get tested 3-5 days after their trip.
• You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
• People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system should talk to their healthcare provider to discuss their activities. They may need to keep taking all precautions to prevent COVID-19.

Confusion Abounds

Just yesterday, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing face masks and go about their lives, with just a few exceptions.

Nonetheless, a few inconsistencies remain:

1. Level 4 Do Not Travel Warnings: As of May 10, 2021, the CDC has a Level 4 Do Not Travel Warning on most of the world. Yet, if you are fully vaccinated, we’re told that we can’t catch the virus, can’t spread the virus, and we can remove our masks and go about our lives.
2. Avoid Cruises: Despite everything we’ve shared above, the CDC is still recommending that “all people avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide.  This makes no sense as all cruise lines currently require passengers and crew to be fully vaccinated.  And if fully vaccinated, we go on with our lives.  Right?

So, what to do?

For what it’s worth, Carol and I (as fully vaccinated people) are planning to travel.  While we’ll bring along our masks and maintain a healthy handwashing regimen, we feel safe.

From my lips to God’s ears!

Additional Reading: Where Can We Travel Now?

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