CDC Has Updated Travel Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People

Today the CDC released new guidance for travel for fully vaccinated people. There are recommendations for both domestic and international travel.

For domestic travel they say:

Fully vaccinated people can travel within the United States and do not need COVID-19 testing or post-travel self-quarantine as long as they continue to take COVID-19 precautions while traveling – wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.

 For international travel, fully vaccinated people don't need testing before departing (unless required by the destination country) and do not need to quarantine after returning to the US. They do need to be tested 3-5 days before their return flight and 3-5 days after returning, and are required to take standard precautions while traveling.

However, in a statement during a White House briefing today, CDC Director Rachel Walensky hedged, saying "We haven't changed our guidance for nonessential travel at all. We are not recommending travel at this time, especially for unvaccinated people." 

So there's a mixed-message for you!

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

Popular posts from this blog

Another One Bites the Dust

Image
Hi all. Stepping out of retirement for a moment to say that the day has finally arrived. After four years of successfully avoiding COVID-19 infection I had a positive test yesterday. Symptoms are very mild—I've had worse colds. The provider at urgent care said almost all the cases they are seeing are the same. Mild symptoms may also be due to the fact that I had the original vaccine then the two boosters. All this time I thought I might be a NOVID —one of those people who never get the bug. But no, it must have been my assiduous mask wearing and avoidance of high-risk situations when things were bad. So here's double middle fingers to all the kooks who think masks don't work (I've not been wearing masks for months now). I don't know what variant I have but it's likely JN.1. It is said to be extraordinarily contagious and accounts for 60% of cases worldwide . It also tends to produce mild infections like the one I have.  This article claims that right now every...
Read more

AZ Pandemic Numbers for the Week Ending August 14—Is the Curve Flattening?

Image
  Here are the Arizona pandemic summary numbers for the week just ended: There are some encouraging signs here, for a change.  Maricopa County cases were up, but only by a fraction.  Statewide new cases were level, and the positive test percentage actually declined.  It's all about Delta in State 48 right now.  Hospital beds increase by about the same percentage as over the last few weeks, so it's encouraging that this number is not spiking along with the cases. Could this mean Arizona's third surge is leveling out?  It's not a good idea to be hasty with conclusions like this but there is at least some reason the be hopeful.  Here is a graph of the 7-day trailing average of cases statewide over the last month and a half (data from ASU dasboard): It sure looks like something changed about a week ago.  Let's hope it holds up! On the vaccination front, more disappointment.  Here's the accelerometer: We did a little better than the last two week,...
Read more

AZ Pandemic Numbers Summary for the Seven Days Ending May 10: This is the Last of These Updates

Image
  Here are the Arizona pandemic numbers and graph of statewide cases for the seven day period ending Wednesday: Everything is looking good, except a 29% increase in COVID-19 hospital beds. That is still within what has been normal variation since the beginning of the year, so nothing to get too excited about.  Deaths are up, but those numbers from from AzHDS, which  as we know  does not have reliable reporting practices. Given all of this, and given that the COVID-19 public health emergency ended yesterday , this is a good time to end these updates and retire the blog. I will continue to keep an eye on numbers and restart if it looks like a new wave is brewing, but I hope that is not necessary. Some of you have posted comments on the AZ Coronavirus  subreddit  saying you found these updates helpful for knowing when to take precautions. I'm happy to know this, because it has taken some work!   If you want to monitor things on your own going forward...
Read more