Covid-19 has been testing all of us for more than a year now. Never have the lives of all the people from around the world been affected at this scale of speed, at least not in the 21st century.
With news of multiple vaccines getting authorization and an accelerated vaccination rate among European countries and the United States, many people are reflecting on the next step. Will it bring a positive impact on the tourism sector?
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine- The Light At the End of The Tunnel?
Since we are only a few months away from the first administered vaccines, it is too early to state so. Nonetheless, the 98.9% efficiency in preventing hospitalizations and death reported by Israel after the administered BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine brings real hopes that we’re moving in the right direction. The country eased its restrictions, reopened stores, libraries, museums, shopping malls, and plans to revive its economy in the nearest future.
Will We Be Able To Travel Once Vaccinated?
That is the plan, yet the situation is a bit more complicated to answer “Yes.” Medical experts continue to encourage caution for the next few weeks after getting the vaccine. Recommended and imposed CDC restrictions will still be in place for most countries.
There is no much information on the virus transmission after the immunization, as well as there is no actual proof that the vaccine is 100% effective. Weeks shall pass from the moment of the second vaccination so that the numbers could bring an honest answer.
The information above seems a bit discouraging, huh? Do not give your hopes up; the medical staff also claim the freedom of traveling internally and internationally will increase compared to the past year.
Travel experts and journalists are also forecasting that travel will start recovering again this summer.
It is the herd immunity that may have the answer to a “normal” life, and the results of the SARS-CoV-2 infection battle shall be monitored more closely for the next 3 to 6 months in order to make a conclusion on the general situation of tourism.
If Covid-19 Becomes Endemic, What Will it Mean For Travel?
We must not neglect the possibility of Covid becoming endemic. Like Varicella and Malaria, the virus could stay permanent, meaning it will not be entirely eradicated.
Still, this does not mean we will have to wait for everyone to get vaccinated to resume travel. As long as the number of immunized persons will grow, more and more people will be able to travel again.
Vaccination Passports, Will We Need Them?
Many debates and discussions are centered around this topic lately. The European Union has already announced some of its vaccination passport plans earlier this March. Based on the documentation released by now, 27 countries from the European Union are working on a vaccine-certification system for more accessible cross-border travel.
The system will be decentralized, entrusting health authorities to release certificates proving a specific person has received Covid-19 vaccination or has antibodies.
Some countries and states are already experimenting with vaccine passports, including Hawaii, New York, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, and Australia.
Others, like Belize, Georgia, Greece, Iceland, Seychelles, and Lebanon, confirm they will allow entering their borders and waive off some of the restrictions once proved that both doses of the vaccine had been administered.
Shall We Make Travel Plans For When We're Immunized?
If you plan to get the vaccine anytime soon, you will do no wrong with planning your vacation ahead. Please ensure you verify your destination's official statement to confirm it allows travel for vaccinated tourists.
Do not know when you may be allowed to travel again? Try making some approximate calculations using the timeline below.
Suppose the general public gets access to the vaccine by the beginning of May month, and you are scheduled to take the first dose on May 5th. In that case, by the end of the same month, you will supposedly be administered the second dose since there has to be a timeframe distance from one vaccine to another of 21-28 days.
Give the vaccines at least 7-14 days to do their job; during this period, your body will learn how to defeat coronavirus. By the middle of June (June 7-14th), you will have solid immunity against the virus and will be permitted to travel.
Can We Go On Vacation Without Taking The Vaccine?
Governments are doing their best to provide their country’s residents with both vaccine doses. However, with all the efforts combined, the vaccination is still going to take time.
Meanwhile, summer is quickly approaching, and with it, our desire to travel grows as well. Many of us would accept visiting another country without being immunized by following the imposed measures in preventing COVID-19 transmission, so the question is, “will it be possible”?
Without a doubt, it will, in fact, already is. Multiple countries have already announced they are open for tourists; some require negative coronavirus tests to be provided, impose quarantine, or have health screening procedures at the airport.
Albania, The Bahamas, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt, and Turkey are among the countries allowing the US residents to enter their borders for leisure.
