The Washington Post just ran a story entitled, Do I need a covid booster shot to travel? 5 things to consider. The story brings up an important factor for people planning their travels, something I’m sure many people haven’t considered before.
We all know that most of Europe, as well as other countries around the world, are either requiring travelers to be fully vaccinated before arrival or are heading in that direction. There will be some destinations that won’t require vaccinations for, at least, the short term but that list is getting shorter and shorter.
New Vaccination Requirements for Travelers
But as scientists and doctors continue to learn about the virus and the effectiveness of the vaccines, a new consideration is arising for travelers: Some countries will start requiring that travelers will either need to have had their second vaccine dose within a certain time frame, or get a booster to enter.
A question that was posed in the article was: Will vaccine mandates eventually include a third dose? Their expert, Patrick Kenney, an infectious-disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital in Florida, said, “It’s hard to say if or when that might happen. But a couple of European countries so far — Austria and Croatia — have said vaccine certificates for entering the country will only be valid for 270 days after the final dose.”
For those calculating like I did, 270 days is 38.5 weeks or 8.8 months (yes, I used a calculator).
It looks like Austria and Croatia aren’t the only two countries putting forth these requirements. After doing a little research, I see Switzerland states, “The vaccine must have been administered in full within the past 12 months.”
I imagine there will be plenty more following suit and if the vaccine only protects people for 6 months, then expect these time frames to decrease.
It’s a whole new world out there so when planning your trips, make sure to find out if the country you’re going to has a requirement, not only if vaccines are required but also when you had to have received your last dose by. There’s now a good chance that travelers will either need to get a booster (if one is offered) or pick a new destination.
KEEP IN MIND: Like everywhere these days, nothing is set in stone. The rules and requirements are constantly changing so continue to keep checking if anything changes leading up to your trip, including the day before.
I love your newsletter, but please remember there is a huge population out there that don’t believe this is a vaccine and that its something we shouldn’t be putting into our bodies based on deeply held beliefs. And we aren’t nuts. So it would be wonderful if you could give information out that also tells us how we can travel freely without having the governments force us to put something toxic into into our bodies. ie., information on religious and health exceptions when traveling.
So you will be able to travel in the United States or whatever country you are from and not travel outside your country of origin. I got the vaccine because I was traveling to Kenya and I am very thankful I did, Kenya like most countries are taking this virus very seriously. I had originally scheduled a flight from US to UK to Kenya but 3 days before the flight, Kenya disallowed anyone flying in from UK so I had to rebook my flights at last minute.
I agree
Yeah Windy I’m in agreement with you totally.
You are entitled to have opinions and take actions that don’t endanger others. I refer you to the first year law case where it’s established that free speech doesn’t entitle you to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater.
I have a right to feel safe from people like you who could kill me(!) by sitting next to me in an airplane or a theater. Therefore, the vast majority of us are advocating for banning you from coming anywhere near us. Your free choice is to self isolate from society.
This is a very healthy post. Thanks.
European countries like aforementioned Austria, Croatia, and Switzerland do not now and have not in the recent past, pandered to baseless anti-scientific beliefs, even among their own citizens, let alone foreigners.
Entry into other nations is a privilege that they alone are able to grant or deny. In this case, they’ve made the rational decision to deny entry to persons who they perceive to be a danger to their citizenry.
You have every right to seek out information to support your worldview and efforts to circumvent those rules, but it would be irresponsible of a travel writer to risk the long term health and recovery of global travel by abetting such selfish and dangerous behaviors; behaviors that have already caused many thousands of needless deaths.
ps – I typically post here under a pseudonym, but I’m using my actual name here because I find your post murderously dangerous. The sort of selfish behaviors you’re advocating are literally killing people and, on a personal note, I hope you’re able to understand that before you waste precious resources and others’ time as a COVID patient or casualty or kill someone else with your arrogant selfishness.
Is this comment geared towards me or a reader? Because I’m pro vaccine and masks.
I believe he is replying to Wendy. And I wholeheartedly agree with both you, and Richard.
Exactly! Well said
Unbelievable that some still trust this Mrna so called “vaccine” which does not stop you from getting covid nor from transmitting it. In fact, it causes you to become a spike protein factory which will result In ongoing variants and can cause blood clots, myocarditis, neurological damage, miscarriage, death to infants resulting from breastfeeding, increase your risk for autoimmune diseases & cancer. There have been a number of young males that have died of cardiac issues following the jab and it is well know that VAERS data captures only a small percentage of the total deaths and injuries. In 1976 when the swine flu vaccine came out and resulted in 50 deaths, it was shut down and this diaster resulting from gain of function research also needs to be shut down.
There is nothing selfish with reluctance or refusal to take a jab and insert new technology, never before used in one’s body when thousands of deaths and adverse side effects have already occurred. Many people have already successfully recovered from covid and have immunity. Viruses have always been with us and this shot isn’t going to change that and, 99.97 % of those under 75 will recover just fine without any medical intervention. It’s around 95% recovery rate without medical intervention for seniors.
I feel like people are killing themselves, that they can walk around mask free because they have been vaccinated. Some people cannot wrap their head around the fact that the variance or what’s causing problems now. It’s no different than an annual flu shot. The experts evaluate and pick the three most likely flu we may get. That’s why some people, even though vaccinated, still get the flu, because it didn’t cover that flu variant. To me, it’s pretty cut and dried. I am following the same precautions now, they were followed when Covid first hit. It’s my responsibility to protect myself and other people around me. I just wish people would think of others, rather than themselves first. Not practicing Covid safe guidelines, is putting other lives, including those who are not following the protocols, at risk. People need to develop some common sense and see things for what they really are.
I would like people to understand that the Covid vaccine, is very much like the flu vaccination that people receive every year. The powers that be research the three most likely flus to be contracted that year, and that’s what’s in the vaccination that you get. But some people still get the flu. Why you ask? Because you contracted a variance that was not covered in that particular annual flu shot. Covid is turning out to be no different, in that we are only covered for a certain period of time. I’m not going to tell people what to do, but I personally, continue the same anti-Covid processes, since it first came our way. I know people are relaxing the Covid protocols, but they are putting the general public in danger. People are kidding themselves if they don’t think many more variance are on their way, because they are. If you decide not to protect yourself with a mask, handwashing, and social distancing, that is your right as a united state resident. We are definitely in a time where people are not banding together to protect each other. So, that’s just my opinion and I’m not attacking anybody for how they choose to live, but I Continue to practice the original Covid protocols.
I am a 65-year-old woman, who fought cancer earlier this year. I Will NEVER get this shot. If I cannot drive to a destination I will not go. Fortunately, I have traveled extensively. I will find other ways to vacation that will not require injecting a substance into my body with unknown outcomes. It has not been tested for its carcinogenic effects.
to all those who are smart enough to know that this is not a vaccine but a depopulation poison,
thank you!
those of you who believe in the poisonous shot, go ahead and keep getting them but stop trying to push your propaganda on those of us who say, “MY BODY, MY CHOICE”
people who have received the poison are now dying because
1. their immune system has been destroyed and cannot fight off ANY virus
2. the poison created blood clots and they died of heart attacks
3. they suffer from the side effects of the poison
educate yourselves and stop trusting this government!
I have Hashimotos , its where our bodies immune system attacks its healthy tissue. I have also had a brain tumor removed at the beginning of Covid. When i found out they put concrete grade paint, wood pulp, rust and poly sealer in my seizure meds, I lost complete faith in FDA. Did not love the 3rd degree burns I got from it. Until they ( big pharma) can back their vaccines with help for those that have horrible life changing effects or death. I will not take the chance on my body. Please remember there are people whom can not take a chance .
As a 70 yr old cancer survivor myself who had to accept whatever chemicals there were in the form of chemotherapy for six months for a very aggressive carcinoma plus other medications during and after several surgeries, I just wanted to express how very very grateful I am to God and the science and scientists whose hard work and dedication made it possible for me to be around to see my adult children thrive and celebrate with my family and friends the last 27 years of being alive.
Congratulations to the lady who just got through the difficult fight! Good luck to you!
Personally I believe in science and have already called to be scheduled for my booster. At this point it seems to me many more people are dying of the virus than they are of the shots…
I wear a mask for me and others too just in case…
I have traveled some but hope and plan to continue to do so and hope to survive the virus just as I did the C with the help of God and science.
This at least is a civilized if not a very well informed discussion. I assume the anti-Vaxers refused their Polio, measles etc. shots with their principles intact. The only difference here is the delivery system using messenger RNA to trick the immune system into producing COVID resisting antibodies. A country doctor (Jenner) did this trick 200 years ago with cowpox virus to give immunity to smallpox – is that against your principles?
You have to balance the risk with all vaccines versus the lives saved; because of antivaxers at least a total of million US people will die by end next year (that’s what 0.3% means) versus a small number of mainly treatable side effects. If you doubt the COVID deaths, have a look at mortality rates and the excess death numbers over 2019 for all causes; they generally equal or exceed the COVID total reported. Flu deaths are very small in comparison. If that doesn’t convince you-volunteer at your local ICU hospital-but do wear a mask-you might kill someone!
What saddens me so is where people are getting their information. The news is not a source of reliable information With exception of those diggin deep into peer reviewed data.. As a daughter of doctors, and my family are also doctors, I know how to do full research. Those that discriminate against the unvaccinated are cruel and evil. You wont get that sick if you’ve been vaccinated and if you are on deaths bed my guess it is because you are inflamed and not metabolically sound in the first place no disrespect to lost loved ones).. I think the stress of the thoughts that they will kill you will be a cause of illness more so – stress of those thoughts lowers immunity. Nothing is more dangerous than segregation. We are lacking in our knowledge of history. America is some kind of special place when it comes to drama. If you are vaccinated, you shouldn’t care what other people are doing otherwise you are saying you don’t trust the very shot you have taken. There are many people who cannot take the V. Those have combo heart issues and clotting factors. And I wont mention all the other questionable underlying issues not tested yet. For those freaking out about unV’d, take your Zinc, D, Quercetin, exercise lightly daily, don’t eat sugar. Your fear is making you a monster. I pray for those who we have lost. I lost my Brother. But more importantly, lets move more into logic than fear. Then we can be more reasonable as you never make good decisions from you amygdala.
You claim to be from a family of doctors but your message indicates that not much medical knowledge has rubbed off on you. I will gladly discriminate against the unvaccinated because that is a condition which they can easily improve. It isn’t like their skin color, country of origin, sexual identity, or any other factor that often results in discrimination. Yes, they are killing people as children who are too young to be vaccinated are dying now. People are dying of other conditions (heart attacks, strokes, accidents) because hospitals are too full and ambulances can’t find a place to take those patients. Medical workers are overworked and frustrated because so much of what they are having to do now is needless when a little stick in the arm would eliminate most of the problems. Then there is the financial cost of all this. You can’t think the insurance companies are going to eat up all the expense of the extensive hospitalizations. Insurance rates are going to go up so all of us will pay for the selfishness of those who refuse to take the simple steps required to bring this pandemic under control. I want to avoid the unvaccinated because though I have had the shots, I might pick up a mild case which I could unknowingly pass along to a child or to someone whose immune system is less robust than mine. I really don’t care if the unvaccinated feel alone and isolated or they have a limited number of places they can go. They have brought that condition on themselves.
Right on Marilyn! I totally agree with your post and others who have posted similar thoughts regarding the covid vaccine and travel. I just received my booster shot Friday. I live in a state that has one of the lowest vaccinated rates in the Nation and our hospitals so overcrowded with unvaccinated patients they are on the verge of of implementing their crisis standard of care procedures. Our overworked dedicated compassionate nurses are struggling with not allowing feelings of anger entering into their thoughts at they provide care to their patients as they fight an easily preventable disease. Like yourself and others, I have absolutely no desire to travel with unvaccinated travelers. To me, while I totally disagree with their stance to not being vaccinated, I also firmly agree that by doing so they’ve automatically accepted the consequences of severely limiting their ability to travel.
Perhaps if everyone concerned themselves with getting their own vaccines and stop obsessing about those who don’t (where’s the obsession re the vaccine exemption for religious reasons?), we wouldn’t be so polarized. As is becoming clear per factual news developments, even the vaccinated can reacquire and die of COVID. And we’re all going to die of something, so perhaps your time might be better spent, vaccinated or not, focused on getting your own things in order (such as your trust, will, executor, health directive, etc, which can take a long time to set in legal place.) Then stop stressing out over COVID, live your own life as best as you can, wear your own mask if you’re unsure of your surroundings or company, and enjoy family love in the times of COVID, instead of near NIMF (not-in-my-family) hatred of the unvaccinated. An alternative would be to “round-em up and lock-em up,” but history tells us that option seldom works well). Keep obsessing about the unvaccinated and you may end up needing mental health services (even if you’re not a stereotyped homeless).