CDC says vaccinated people can travel but should wear masks

If you’ve had your shots, you can pack your bags.

Americans who are fully vaccinated can travel domestically and internationally at “a low risk” to themselves as long as they mask up and avoid crowds, federal health officials said Friday.

US residents who have had their shots don’t need to quarantine or be tested for the coronavirus before or after traveling within the US, according to updated guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vaccinated Americans don’t need to get a COVID-19 test before boarding an international flight — unless the country requires it — but should get one before returning to the US, according to CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

“The new guidance today speaks to travel. We state that fully vaccinated people can resume travel at low risk to themselves,” Walensky said at a White House press briefing Friday.

“For example, fully vaccinated grandparents can fly [domestically] to visit their healthy grandchildren without getting a  COVID-19 test or self-quarantining.”

“However, fully vaccinated people should get tested and have a negative test result before they board an international flight back into the United States,” she said.

Travelers flying to other countries should still be tested three to five days after arrival in the US, she said.

But she warned that now is not a good time to travel due to a recent surge in infections.

“While we believe fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves, CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the rising number of cases,” she said.

The agency previously warned against unnecessary travel even for vaccinated people, but said it would update its guidelines as more people got the jabs.

“Every day you get more data, and you change your guidance based on the existing data,” said Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the University of Nebraska’s College of Public Health.

With Post wires