- Generally, you do not need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel.
- However, there may be fewer restrictions on travelers who are fully vaccinated.
- Some cruise companies and airlines are increasingly announcing vaccination requirements.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
As more people receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the world is ready for the summer after the pandemic, many are wondering if they should be vaccinated to travel.
At the moment you do not need to be vaccinated to travel in general, but full vaccination provides more doors for travelers, and this may be needed in the future for certain types of travel.
Full vaccination makes travel easier for some
A handful of countries around the world, such as Ecuador and Iceland, have waived access restrictions for travelers who have been fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers, on the other hand, may need to present negative COVID-19 test results and quarantine upon arrival.
This easy, interactive map by travel company Sherpa shows travelers what restrictions apply to them based on their vaccination status and place of departure.
Lines and airlines are increasingly announcing vaccination requirements
Several private companies have also introduced or plan to introduce the vaccination requirements for travelers.
On April 6, Qatar Airlines became the first airline to operate a fully vaccinated flight, with only vaccinated crew and passengers. In March, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told NBC Nightly News that the airline would likely need proof of vaccination on international flights in the future.
And major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean have also announced a fully vaccinated voyage that will start from late spring.
Along the way, governments may require travelers to present digital health certificates or vaccine passports to prove their vaccination status upon arrival.
On February 21, Israel became the first country to launch a digital passport program. This is called the “green pass”. This allows fully vaccinated residents to travel through the country more freely than unconscious residents.
The EU is also currently working on a vaccination passport program that will allow fully vaccinated residents to move freely between member states. It hopes to launch the program by mid-June.
While vaccine passports are not federally mandatory in the U.S., states and businesses may need them.
Last month, New York launched a vaccine passport program called the “Excelsior Pass” that allows fully vaccinated people to attend events, such as concerts and sports events, with more people than the state’s social gathering limit. Florida and Texas, on the other hand, have banned a vaccine passport program.
Whether or not you are fully vaccinated, you should still take precautions such as wearing a face mask and taking social distances wherever you travel, as there is still a chance that people who have been fully vaccinated can COVID-19 catch and distribute.