CDC updates travel guidelines for vaccinated people

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its travel guidelines for individuals fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), publishing its latest recommendations late last week.

The guidelines say fully vaccinated people can travel safely within the United States. Individuals should take steps to protect themselves when traveling, including wearing a mask, avoiding crowds and social distancing, and washing hands or using hand sanitizer. After travel, the CDC says individuals should self-monitor for symptoms, and isolate and get tested if symptoms develop.

People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. If someone does not meet these requirements, they are not fully vaccinated and should take all precautions until they are fully vaccinated.

The CDC did stipulate that travel is still not recommended due to the rising number of cases in the United States and globally.

Editor's note: Click here for more information and ongoing COVID-19 updates for integrative healthcare professionals.