Unraveling vaccination and booster timing rules for international travelers

Israel’s policy is currently the closest to that of Switzerland’s, but it is likely to change again. Second or third shot is only valid for six months, so under those rules, people who get a booster shot in December won’t be able to participate in June or July unless a fourth shot is given. But according to Tourist Israel, a tour provider closely follow the rules, the country is expected to drop the time limit on boosters in March. (Exceptions are now made for those who can show a certificate of recovery from Covid.)

How do vaccines with different expiration dates affect travelers?

In some cases – for example, in France and Estonia – there is a time limit on the effectiveness of full vaccination without booster vaccination (nine months for France and one year for Estonia). Because these countries ban travelers from the United States and certain other countries from visiting if they are not fully vaccinated, that means a traveler who received a second Moderna shot before May 17 cannot enter France unless they get their first booster shot. Having a booster makes things easier when it comes to time constraints as these places treat a booster as a kind of supplement that doesn’t expire.

Ireland and the Czech Republic treat anyone who received a second dose more than nine months ago as if they had not been vaccinated. Croatia also adopted a similar approach but lasted more than a year. But their government does not ban unvaccinated American travelers from entering. A traveler who shot their second Moderna before May 17 can take the test or get a boost to enter these countries.

Are there any countries that require accelerated entry?

Not now.

For example, Austria does not consider someone fully vaccinated unless they have been given a booster shot. But travelers who do not meet that requirement can still enter the country after receiving a negative PCR test result.

Why do countries impose these time limits?

One reason, says Bonga, is to encourage people to use health-promoting drugs.

There are also some evidence that the coronavirus vaccine stops providing as much protection as possible over time.

What if different entities and websites provide me with conflicting information?

This can happen. For example, getting an answer to Mr. Henretta’s question about traveling to Switzerland was not easy at all. The fact that the last shot of the vaccine expired after 270 days is clear, but some sources disagree on whether unvaccinated Americans will be able to enter the country. A representative for The country’s information line for tourists suggest that they can; in that case, Mr. Henretta could simply issue a negative test result. Swiss International Air Lines initially gave a similar response on its website and via email. But the State Secretariat for Migration, two representatives from the Swiss tourism office, and the official Swiss Entry Tool There was a different position: Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated US tourists were not allowed to enter. Finally, a representative for Swiss International Air Lines clarified that although unvaccinated travelers from some countries can enter with a screening, unvaccinated Americans cannot because The United States is currently classify is a high-risk country.

In the end, almost everyone agreed in the end: Mr. Henretta couldn’t take a long-booked flight unless there was a fourth hit or the rules changed, which happens quite often.