ith the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s emergency approval of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine on December 11 and the imminent authorization of Moderna’s vaccine on December 17, it seems that international trips may be a realistic thing to start thinking about again.
“Generally, the vaccine gives promise to travel. People are feeling more optimistic,” says Julia Pirrung, founder and president of JetSet World Travel, an agency based in Aspen, Colorado, that plans custom trips. “For people who have a longing to get to places like Europe or elsewhere, there’s definitely some hope for the latter half of 2021.”
The CEO of Australian airlines Qantas has said that all international travelers boarding its flights will be required to demonstrate proof that they’ve taken the vaccine, something no other airline has announced yet. Delta CEO Ed Bastian told Today that the vaccine could be required for international travel, but it will likely be the government rather than the airline that mandates it. So far no countries have stated that a vaccine will be required for entry, but some infectious-disease experts reference the yellow fever vaccine, which is required or recommended for entry into over 100 countries, as an example of what could happen with COVID-19.