The U.S. will require vaccination for visitors to enter the country by air.
The Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines will count for entry. Prior infection plus a single dose of Pfizer or Moderna will not – even though a single dose of an mRNA vaccine is likely more effective than Sinovac, and prior infection and one vaccine dose produces the greatest level of immunity to infection.
However he U.S. is far from the only country whose travel requirements aren’t entirely consistent with science, or internally consistent.
Austria welcomes visitors fully vaccinated with Sinovac’s Coronavac vaccine but will not treat these vaccinations as eligible to check into hotels. (HT: C.K.)
Vaccine Certificate
The following vaccines (including mix-and-match vaccines) are recognised: BioNtech/Pfizer, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria and Covishield), Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinovac, and Sinopharm. (Please be aware that this only applies to entering the country. Sinovac/Sinopharm are not valid for entering hotels, restaurants etc. within Austria.)
Hundreds of millions of doses of Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines have been ordered, but recipients of these vaccines – while eligible to enter Austria on the basis of their vaccination – cannot check into a hotel without a negative Covid-19 test.
On the other hand, restricting recognition of these vaccines may make more sense than the U.S. policy.
Similar story in Netherlands. You need a QR Vaccine Passport to get into any indoor places (gyms, hotel, restaurants). Small issue though, they only accept EU vaccinations so if you are American or UK expat (not in the EU anymore), you are out of luck even though you received the same Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The Dutch solution to this problem is to require a negative Covid test EVERY 24 HOURS if you don’t have the QR Vaccine Passport. So if are a vaccinated American, you can enter the EU but still need to get tested daily in Netherlands lol.
@Mike, thanks for the update. I have (now: had) a flight booked into AMS next week, will have to change that to BER.
The required dosage for the Moderna and Pfizer is two doses. The US isn’t going to enact a policy that may be interpreted as not requiring a full dose of the vaccine. While that may not meet someone’s idea of science, it seems reasonable to me as a policy.
It’s fascinating the number of people who still haven’t figured out the experimental gene therapies are an abject failure. The evidence is clear and overwhelming.
Given the low efficacy of Chinese (and Russian) vaccines, it should surprise no one that not everyone considers them effective. Some countries have refused to accept them as ‘gifts’ from China, in favor of other vaccines.
Don’t forget the forced contact tracing app for the Middle East “ Enteraz” which, in addition to requiring Bluetooth and GPS always on, you need to grant permission for access to call logs, messages, contact list (which has zero to do with contact tracing for Covid) all photos and video …the list goes on and on and includes granting access to altering you data on the phone. All info is also then stored on their servers
When will vaccination be enough? I am not travelling as long as there is a chance I could be stranded out of the Country due to a positive test. In Tahiti, that could be an additional 10 day stay at 2,500 per day).
What business wants to take that risk letting their employees travel abroad?
@James N – Not even wrong. Nonsense in every word, including “is”, “and”, and “the”.
@James N. How typical for an anti-vaxxer like yourself to make a 100% incorrect statement, say that the evidence is clear, yet offer absolutely no such evidence… because of course there is no such “evidence”. Go troll some other site.
Nobody can accuse the U.S. officials of being scientific or consistent when it comes to their travel rules. But I’m glad to see a gradual shift toward an emphasis on vaccination. We need to get rid of those deadly words, “regardless of vaccination status” and replace them with “proof of vaccination required.” We are now seeing that when vaccination is mandated, some people whine and make threats, but most go ahead and get it. I’m all for requiring vaccination for domestic travel. There are too many people who believe absurd nonsense (even on this blog’s comment section) and will remain a threat unless they are excluded from places they are likeliest to spread disease.
Nobody can accuse the U.S. officials of being scientific or consistent when it comes to their travel rules. But I’m glad to see a gradual shift toward an emphasis on vaccination. We need to get rid of those deadly words, “regardless of vaccination status,” and replace them with “proof of vaccination required.” We are now seeing that when vaccination is mandated, some people whine and make threats, but most go ahead and get it. I’m all for requiring vaccination for domestic travel. There are too many people who believe absurd nonsense (even in this blog’s comment section) and will remain a threat unless they are excluded from places they are likeliest to spread disease.
@Mike: It’s possible in some countries (France, Germany at least) to turn your US vaccination card into an EU Digital Vaccination Passport that will work across the EU.
The process for France is documented here and can be done online: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coronavirus-advice-for-foreign-nationals-in-france/coronavirus-statements/article/applying-for-a-covid-certificate-if-you-were-vaccinated-abroad-procedure-for
In Germany, you can stop in a pharmacy with your card and they will assist you; this may require visiting a few pharmacies as it’s not a common process.
@Mike. I was in Netherlands last month and my CDC card was never an issue anywhere there. Actually, very few places in The Netherlands even cared or checked, unlike in Austria and Germany where I had to present it everywhere. Even the Hyatt in AMS, when I presented my card to the check-in person, looked at me funny and said, “Oh, that’s not required here, not to worry.”
Pro Vaxxers bleat “SCIENCE! Lord Fauci said so last week… wait…what did he say this week? What? the science changed again?”
Don’t you people realize that James N is actually a Gary Leff pseudonym?
He’s trying to create clicks.
CLICKS= CASH$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Japan as of now will not accept Johnson and Johnson.
If the WHO had any true global credibility, many of these inconsistencies many never have become issues. My 2 centavos.
@Frank, the efficacy of the Russian flagship vaccine (Sputnik) is excellent. The problem is not the efficacy but quality control which, at least in the past, wasn’t always consistent.
@Andy Shuman, the British Medical Journal has published various articles on how the Sputnik V vaccine efficacy data is phony boloney. It turns out that the Russian vaccine data used for their own state ‘approval’ is highly suspect. And for whatever reason, about half of the population of Russia refuses to get this vaccine.
“Comrade, there is no COVID in Russia!”
@woketh one
Yeah, and we are supposed to believe you!
@Frank, suspect – yes, phony-baloney – no. Here is a recent Lancet article based on a real-life study in Argentina. Apparently, Sputnik’s high efficacy rates found in laboratory studies this winter have been mostly confirmed.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00406-5/fulltext