Fully vaccinated people may travel within the U.S. without getting tested or going into quarantine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week.
According to the Associated Press, the CDC issued the updated guidance on the coronavirus pandemic Friday but urged caution.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said she would “advocate against general travel overall,” but “if you are vaccinated, it is a lower risk.”
A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required immunization.
Across the country, more than 100 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The updated guidance comes just over a year after the pandemic sent the country into a lockdown.
“I’m thrilled that this summer there might be opportunities for us to go somewhere,” said Kara Roche, a consultant with a tech company who received her second shot last week in San Francisco.
“I’ll still be cautious. I’m not looking to go on a cruise. I’m not looking to be in mass crowds, and I’ll probably not go overseas,” she said. “But absolutely, if it’s open and the CDC says we can do it, I’m looking forward to going somewhere in the states.”
Airlines do not require COVID-19 tests or proof of vaccination for travel in the country, but some states do have testing or quarantine rules for travelers.
According to the CDC, people who are not fully vaccinated should avoid unnecessary travel, and if they do travel, test for coronavirus one to three days before the trip and then test again three to five days after the trip. Finally, the CDC recommends that people stay home and quarantine for a week after travel even if they receive a negative test result.
Last month, the CDC announced guidance that also said fully vaccinated people could visit with each other indoors without masks or social distancing.
The U.S. is averaging 66,000 new cases of COVID-19 each day. Two weeks ago, that number was 55,000 daily new cases.
Photo courtesy: ©Kayla Koslosky
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.