CDC Relaxes Travel Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated Americans
WASHINGTON- Americans who are traveling now face relaxed rules if they are fully vaccinated, according to federal guidelines released on Friday.
Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to have a negative coronavirus test when leaving the United States or to self-quarantine upon arriving in the country, say new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC’s relaxed guidelines provide specific travel benefits to those who are fully vaccinated, something the federal government has been questioned about for some time. Previously, the CDC had said that fully vaccinated people could meet indoors without masks.
This latest guideline comes as the CDC reports that nearly 158 million doses have been administered in the country. Their data shows that about 17.5% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, which is almost 58 million people.
A person is considered “fully vaccinated” by the CDC two weeks after a Food and Drug Administration-approved single-dose vaccine, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine, or two weeks after the second dose of a two-shot vaccine, the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
However, the CDC still recommends adhering to its travel safety guidelines, such as masking and social distancing, and warns that international travelers still provide an increased risk for getting and spreading coronavirus.
They also recommend that fully vaccinated travelers get tested three to five days after traveling.
