What precautions should vaccinated travelers take to limit the risk of transmission to those still unvaccinated?
What precautions should vaccinated travelers take to limit the risk of transmission to those still unvaccinated?
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SciLine reaches out to our network of scientific experts and poses commonly asked questions about newsworthy topics. Reporters can use these responses in news stories, with attribution to the expert.
SciLine reaches out to our network of scientific experts and poses commonly asked questions about newsworthy topics. Reporters can use these responses in news stories, with attribution to the expert.
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Expert Comments:
Ashish K. Jha, PhD
The CDC recently released guidance for fully vaccinated travelers, suggesting that fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested or self-quarantine before or after domestic travel. However, to limit risk, travelers should wear masks on the flight, exercise caution around those from separate households, and wash hands. International travelers may require a negative test at their destination. While the CDC does not require it, getting tested before your travel will help to make sure that you are not carrying the disease.
Rachael Lee, MD, MSPH
I recommend reviewing the rates of COVID-19 in the area you are traveling prior to planning. Currently, the CDC has identified multiple countries at very high and high risk levels given their high rates of COVID-19. Travelers who are fully vaccinated should continue to wear masks, distance, and eat outdoors where possible to reduce risk of exposure to COVID-19 variants that may not be covered by vaccines.
Stephen S. Morse, PhD
It’s too soon to declare victory. We all have ‘mask fatigue,’ but this is the time to be especially cautious because the virus is still out there, all over the world. Some of the best-known variants are more transmissible, meaning easier to catch, so this is a dangerous time for complacency.
I’d recommend the now familiar precautions—mask, hand hygiene, distancing when possible—for travel, just because we don’t know what variants are out there. The vaccines work for most of them, but there are unknowns so I think it’s best to be cautious. The vaccine does give a large measure of safety, however.
