CDC says fully vaccinated people can safely travel

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in new guidance on Friday that fully vaccinated people can safely travel.

The agency further said fully vaccinated people do not need to get tested before or after domestic travel unless the destination requires it. People should still wear a mask while they travel, the agency said, and people should get tested three to five days after international travel, given the increased risk of virus variants internationally.

Unvaccinated people are still advised not to travel, the CDC said.

But the CDC director also issued a general warning on travel: At the same time as the agency issued the guidance, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky still sounded a cautionary note about travel overall at a White House press briefing on Friday.

“We know that right now we have a surging number of cases,” she said when asked to clarify whether the agency was still calling on vaccinated people to avoid travel that is not essential. “I would advocate against general travel overall. Our guidance is silent on recommending or not recommending fully vaccinated people travel. Our guidance speaks to the safety of doing so. If you are vaccinated it is lower risk.”