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Travelers wearing protective face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) claim their luggage at the Denver airport, Colorado, USA, November 24, 2020. REUTERS / Kevin Mohatt / File photo
WASHINGTON – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely travel with “low risk,” but they still discouraged Americans. to do so due to high coronavirus cases across the country.
The CDC’s reorientation should be a shot in the arm for the travel industry, which is still struggling with the drop in passengers since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
But CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters that despite the new guidance for vaccinated people, now is not a good time to take a trip.
“We know that right now we have a growing number of cases. I would advocate against general travel in general, ”he said. “We do not recommend traveling at this time, especially for unvaccinated people.”
The CDC had refrained from changing its travel guide even as vaccinations increased, upsetting the travel industry.
His new guidance on Friday appeared to be an attempt to thread a needle to acknowledge that vaccines made travel significantly safer as they sought to thwart a large increase until more people have received their injections.
The new guide gave the green light to vaccinated grandparents getting on planes to see their grandchildren, for example, and says COVID-19 testing and quarantine are not necessary before or after the trip, as long as precautions are taken. like wearing masks and maintaining social distance.
A group representing major American airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air lines, United Airlines Southwest Airlines, and other business groups, urged the CDC on March 22 to immediately update its guidance to say that “vaccinated individuals may travel in a safe way”. Air travel is still 43% below pre-COVID levels and business and international travel continues to be further affected.
Roger Dow, executive director of the Travel Association of America, said that “the new travel guide is an important step in the right direction that is backed by science and that will take the brakes off the industry that has been most affected by the consequences of COVID by far. “
The administration is not lifting restrictions that bar entry to the United States for most non-US citizens who have recently been to China, Brazil, South Africa and most of Europe. It also maintains the requirements that nearly all U.S. international air visitors obtain a negative COVID-19 test before traveling to the United States.
A U.S. official briefed on the matter said the Biden administration is beginning to have talks about how and when it might eventually lift those travel restrictions, but no changes are imminent. The United States also maintains restrictions on the borders of Canada and Mexico that prohibit non-essential visitors.
New CDC guidance says that fully vaccinated people do not need COVID-19 testing prior to international travel unless required by the international destination and vaccinated individuals returning from a foreign trip do not need to self-quarantine afterward. to return to the United States, unless required by state or local authorities.
The CDC had repeatedly refused in recent weeks to change the guide, repeating that it continued to discourage all non-essential travel due to concerns about new variants.
Many Americans have not heeded the CDC’s advice.
The Transportation Security Administration screened 1.56 million people at U.S. airports on Thursday, just down from 1.57 million on Sunday, which was the highest daily total since March 2020. The last time the number of airport passengers tested was less than 1 million was on March 10.
The Biden administration has taken steps to reduce international travel and mandatory masks on nearly all forms of public transportation. The administration is not removing any rules on masks.
The administration is sticking to its goal of all adults being eligible for vaccinations in the coming weeks. Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters that studies showed that children could also be vaccinated.
“There are ongoing studies in children ranging from six months to 11 years. And by the end of this year we should have enough information to be able to safely vaccinate children of virtually any age, “he said.
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