The CDC’s change in direction should be a shot in the arm for the travel industry, which is still struggling with falling passenger numbers since the pandemic began in 2020.
But CDC director Rochelle Walensky told reporters that despite the new orientation for vaccinated people, it was not yet a good time to take a trip.
“We know that we now have an increasing number of cases. I would advocate against travel in general in general,” she said. “We are not recommending travel at this time, especially for non-vaccinated individuals.”
The CDC had avoided changing its travel orientation, even with the increase in vaccinations, irritating the travel industry.
His new orientation on Friday appeared to be an attempt to recognize that vaccines make travel significantly safer, while trying to prevent a big increase until more people get their vaccines.
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Airlines for America, a group representing major US airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines Southwest Airlines and other commercial groups, urged the CDC on March 22 to immediately update its guidance to say that ” vaccinated individuals can travel safely “.
Air travel still remains 43% below pre-COVID levels and business and international travel remains even more affected.
The airline group praised the CDC’s “updated travel guidance” that facilitates “travel restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals”.
Roger Dow, chief executive of the US Travel Association, said that the “new travel orientation is a big step in the right direction that is supported by science and will take the brakes off the industry that has been hit hardest by the consequences of COVID from afar. “
The government is not removing restrictions that prevent the majority of non-American citizens of the United States who have recently been to China, Brazil, South Africa and most of Europe. It also maintains the requirement that almost all international visitors to the United States obtain a negative COVID-19 test before traveling to the United States.
A US official informed on the matter said that the Biden government is beginning to have talks about how and when it can end these travel restrictions, but no change is imminent. The United States also still maintains restrictions on the Canadian and Mexican borders that prohibit non-essential visitors.
The new CDC guideline says that fully vaccinated people do not need COVID-19 tests before international travel, unless required by the international destination and vaccinated people returning from a trip abroad do not need to be quarantined after returning to their country. United States, unless required by state or local authorities.
The CDC has repeatedly refused in recent weeks to change direction and repeated that it was still discouraging all non-essential travel because of a concern for new variants.
Many Americans have not heard the CDC’s advice.
The Transportation Security Administration screened 1.56 million people at US airports on Thursday, just below Sunday’s 1.57 million, which was the highest daily total since March 2020. The last time the number of airport passengers screened was less than 1 million was on March 10.
The Biden government has taken steps to reduce international travel and mandatory masks on almost all forms of public transport. Management is not eliminating any masking rules.
The administration is meeting its goal that all adults will be eligible for vaccines in the coming weeks. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters that studies have shown that children could also be vaccinated.
“There are studies underway in children ranging from six months to 11 years old. And by the end of this year, we should have enough information to be able to safely vaccinate children of almost any age, ”he said.