Category Archives for Commentary.
Brian Cohen writes The Gate travel blog and has declared that he will not get vaccinated against Covid-19. I want to take his arguments seriously, because vaccine hesitancy – while continuing to decline – remains one of the major barriers to ending the pandemic.
For the past few weeks I’ve been making the case that the science is clear, vaccines protect both the person who is vaccinated and protect others from spread. Despite CDC guidance up until now, it makes sense to travel once you’re vaccinated.
Fortunately the CDC has now come around and revised its guidelines to allow travel once you’re vaccinated.
There’s very little to worry, then, about vaccinated people getting sick or getting others sick. There’s very little to worry, then, about vaccinated people traveling.
Vaccinated people shouldn’t even need to wear masks, except that it’s difficult to tell who is vaccinated and who isn’t, and it’ll be difficult to manage compliance by the unvaccinated up in the air. That’s why the timetable for lifting air travel mask mandates should be when there’s enough vaccine available that everyone who wants a jab can get one.
The Director of the CDC today urged Americans not to travel, claiming it exacerbates the spread of Covid-19.
However she fails to explain how she thinks this happens, makes no distinction between those who have been vaccinated and those who haven’t been, and offers an argument that is simply false based on the CDC’s own data to bolster her case.
With the CDC continuing to recommend against non-essential travel during the pandemic – even for those that have been vaccinated, despite their own science – a reporter asked the White House Press Secretary whether that guidance applies to the President and Vice President.
Jen Psaki said that it does not. Her reasons why are revealing.
We already know that approved vaccines are highly effective protecting you against Covid-19, especially for serious cases. We now have great data showing they protect others from you as well. In other words – if you’re vaccinated you aren’t just preventing yourself from getting sick, you’re preventing yourself from being a carrier of the virus too.
The Biden administration is driving a project to introduce vaccine passports, which could be used not just for travel but also for return-to-work and attending events.
While many countries will require proof of vaccination for entry, it’s entirely unnecessary for domestic use since by the time it’s introduced everyone who wants a shot will already have protection – and the compromises necessary for the passport project will render them next to useless.
What if it’s immoral to travel even though it’s safe? An epidemiology professor argues one reason that the CDC hasn’t changed its guidance to allow vaccinated people to travel is it’s inequitable, it creates haves (vaccinated) and have nots (unvaccinated) and that’s morally wrong. In other words, you shouldn’t take advantage of being vaccinated because you’re privileging yourself over others,
The two week moving average of airline passengers going through TSA security checkpoints has bumped up to 54% of comparable 2019 levels. Passengers hit a pandemic-era single day high of 69% on Sunday, March 21.
Perhaps even more telling U.S. hotel occupancy is way up. It’s the highest it’s been in a year, and down just 15% compared to the same point in 2019. A lot more people are traveling now, vaccine or not.
Adults can get vaccinated and children cannot. You may be able to travel, but what about travel with your kids?
Is it reasonable to travel with children who haven’t been vaccinated? And will countries allow unvaccinated children to enter?
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
