CDC says fully vaccinated people can safely travel in the US

• The CDC announced on Friday that fully vaccinated people could safely travel in the US.
• Vaccinated travelers or people who've recovered from COVID-19 won't have to quarantine or be tested.
• This is the first time the CDC has said that travel is safe for vaccinated people.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday released new guidance that people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can travel in the US as long as they wear masks.

Vaccinated travelers or people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the previous three months will not have to quarantine or be tested, the CDC said. However, it still recommends that people avoid crowds and wash their hands frequently.

Fully vaccinated travelers looking forward to a vacation abroad will still have to be tested for COVID-19 but will no longer have to quarantine after returning to the US. However, the CDC noted that international travel could still be a risk for vaccinated travelers because of virus variants.

The agency had previously advised against all travel, even for vaccinated people. The announcement on Friday marked a shift toward travel during the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the CDC's previous recommendations, the number of people flying in the US has been on the rise. Tourist hot spots like Miami Beach, Florida, have seen a massive influx in visitors, signaling the start of a summer travel boom due to pent-up demand and a more robust COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

The airline and cruise-line industries have been relying on a strong US vaccine rollout to revive travel demand that was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the CDC is still advising against travel because of rising numbers of cases, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said during a press briefing on Friday.