In this post we will be talking about the Vaccine Expiration Date for Travel for people who are planning to visit to Europe for their next vacation.
You should keep COVID-19 in mind before you book your next trip. How long ago was your last vaccine?
So far, at least two countries are saying it must be less than 270 days since a traveler received his or her second shot to be considered fully vaccinated. More people are talking about or considering imposing expiration dates on vaccine credentials
It used to be the case that travelers had to worry about passport expiration dates and COVID-19 tests before international travel. Now, there’s even more confusion.
The expiration dates on some vaccines is likely to make it quite a bit more difficult to travel all they want in the near future. Even with some countries opening up again for tourism, they are doing so with many restrictions in place. These new regulations will try to limit the highly transmissible delta variant
While countries introducing vaccine expirations for travel is a new development, putting expiration dates on vaccination credentials is not.New York state said the Excelsior Pass vaccine passport is currently valid for 365 days, but this date can be changed if necessary.
You are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the United States if it’s been 14 days since the final dose. Unfortunately, even having the the appropriate credentials might not be enough to travel abroad if you were vaccinated too long ago.
It is crucial to check your vaccine expiration dates before travelling abroad.
Austria and Croatia have just introduced new quarantine rules that limit the validity of COVID-19 safe vaccines. So ideally they are checking your Vaccine Expiration Dates in order to allow you to enter the country.
The new requirements could make travel planning even more difficult. Some establishments will only allow entry to people that have been vaccinated, and if your destination country disagrees with the vaccine it may still not be accepted.
And those vaccinated in clinical trials or ineligible for a booster shot (yet considered fully vaccinated in the U.S.) may have a more challenging time proving their status for travel.
Croatian authorities have begun requiring citizens to have a vaccine credential that is no older than 270 days or just under nine months before they can enter into their country.
Austria: The vaccine certificate is valid for 270 days after the second dose for two-dose vaccines.The rules are slightly different for people inoculated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is valid after the 22nd day for 270 days.
Under the rules, fully vaccinated travelers — even those eligible to enter other EU countries — would be treated as if they were unvaccinated unless they also got tested upon arrival.
For the virus, it will be important for travelers to know exactly when they got their shot. Going back through there immunization records, time will help determine if they are still fully vaccinated.
According to The New York Times, more than 4.6 million shots were administered on April 10, the highest reported in one single day. If you were one of the millions vaccinated on that date, you would still be covered under the 270-day time frame through at least early January 2022. The first vaccines were rolled out to health care professionals in December 2020, so even those people would be covered through the beginning of September without a booster.
But don’t worry: You can still enter Austria or Croatia even if the clock has run out on your vaccine credential. Travelers entering either country from the U.S. only have to show a negative COVID-19 test, a vaccine card or proof of past infection. However, the expenses involved with testing abroad can be high and it might get pricey if you’re a family on a holiday.
If you’re still worried that you may be affected by a vaccine expiration date, there are at least a few options no matter what your vaccination history is.
Ads Starting
Post Continues
Tips for your future Travel to Europe
- Schedule your Booster shots if available as soon as possible.
- Got your Booster shots, Awesome, now get your vaccine passport updated with that.
- Book a cancellable or reschudulable flight in case of unforseen situation.
- Get a Travel Insurance which will support you in case of cancellation.
- Check the country government website to know the recent rules, as the rules are changing overnight these days.
Long Story Short –
You have to be prepared for sudden changes and a few more restrictions when traveling during the pandemic. Some destinations, for example, have vaccines with a short shelf life.
U.S. travelers, who have likely never had to keep track of so many credentials to enter a country before, may find themselves in one of the most logistically challenging situations during the pande You can avoid some stress by keeping track of when you received your final COVID-19 vaccine dose, scheduling a booster shot as soon as possible, and, most importantly, checking the entry requirements for your destination before you leave.
