4 Latin American countries at high risk for covid-19, according to the CDC 0:49
(CNN) --
New year, new perspectives, new travel plans.
Now is the time that many people tend to plan the year's getaways around school calendars and family events and good weather and big festivals and exhibitions and concerts.
And, once again, covid-19 did not receive notice.
As we enter the third year of the global pandemic as the omicron variant of coronavirus spreads across the world, there are still plenty of variables to consider.
Can we make travel plans right now?
Yes, definitely, says Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst.
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The easiest way to travel without problems
In fact, those with some added immunity to covid might be in a very good position to see the world.
"Those who are vaccinated and recently infected with omicron are unlikely to be re-infected so soon. It would be entirely reasonable for someone in that situation to plan a trip," Wen said, with a reminder to be cautious when returning and to self-quarantine. and get tested before seeing someone medically vulnerable.
No, you should not try to infect yourself on purpose.
Here's why.
Fortunately, those who are vaccinated and boosted are also fit to travel, said Wen, who is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has long advised people to delay travel until fully vaccinated.
Although the agency hasn't added the booster to its definition of "fully vaccinated," it recommends doing so if you're eligible.
Travel consultant Dave Hershberger recommends it too, for another reason.
More and more destinations include booster vaccinations in their travel regulations.
In Austria, for example, visitors need a booster test or a negative PCR test in addition to proof of vaccination.
The Czech Republic allows vaccinated travelers not to have to undergo a test on arrival.
Getting vaccinated is "the first box to check if you're going to be traveling right now," says Hershberger, owner of Prestige Travel in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Despite the ongoing disruptions and complications of travel right now, the landscape is completely different from a year ago, when vaccines had only just been rolled out.
"Travel now, if you're vaccinated, it probably won't get you into the hospital," Hershberger said.
Travelers who have had booster shots can avoid screening to enter the Czech Republic, where Prague is one of the main attractions.
Credit: Michal Cizek/AFP via Getty Images
The essentials: research and testing
Travel restrictions change, change and change again.
And there have been some significant disruptions to air travel, which you can learn more about here.
According to Hershberger, it takes two to three times longer for travel advisors than before the pandemic to organize the same trips.
Getting professional help can save you a lot of time.
Whether you use an advisor or do it yourself, patience is key.
"This is not traveling in 2019. This is different, and probably will be for a while, and so you need to be flexible, you need to do your research."
What should I do if my flight is canceled or delayed?
You need to know exactly what the destinations you plan to visit require.
CNN Travel has compiled a list of resources to help travelers find out.
We also have a number of Unlocking the World destination-specific guides.
“And if you check it a month in advance, you have to check it again two weeks before you travel and you have to check it again a week in advance,” says Hershberger.
Even before the omicron variant, Ashley Les, a travel consultant for Protravel International, steered cautious travelers toward direct flights to places that required pre-trip testing.
In this way, almost all the passengers on the flight had tested negative for covid-19, as explained to CNN Travel before the holidays.
That certainty is not achieved by flying within the United States, he said.
Now he suggests that more tests be done.
"Even if your destination doesn't require a test, do it!" Les said this week by email.
"This way you will know that you travel without covid".
Les also suggests minimizing interactions with other people a week before the trip.
Packing a couple of rapid tests to "calm down" if you start to feel unwell is also a good idea, Hershberger said.
What you do when you arrive at your destination is just as important as the precautions you take during the trip.
Credit: Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images
The other safeguard: insurance
For travelers in the United States and many other countries, testing to return home after international travel has become commonplace.
And it has become quite easy in many places, Hershberger said.
"It's not a terribly difficult thing to do. If you're in a tourist area, it's very easy to do. If you're on a cruise ship, they'll do it for you," he said.
Here are all the details from the CDC about acceptable tests to enter the United States.
The real challenge comes if you test positive, which is not uncommon with the omicron variant in vaccinated people.
6 recommendations to become a better traveler in 2022
You will then have to prolong your trip and quarantine for some time, often at your own expense, unless you have travel insurance.
"I wouldn't dream of traveling without some kind of travel insurance to help me with something like that," Hershberger said, specifically about international travel.
Hershberger was recently in Argentina, where visitors who test positive are required to quarantine for seven to 10 days in a state-approved hotel "for $400 a day, in addition to paying for the visit." of a doctor."
So travelers could spend an additional $4,000 or more to extend their trip.
The appropriate insurance policy from a provider such as Travel Guard, Allianz or Travel Insured International would cover it.
SquareMouth.com allows users to compare travel insurance quotes from different providers.
Les agrees that "travel insurance is always essential."
El Chalten, Argentina
How to choose a destination
With more than 100 destinations currently listed as "very high" risk for covid-19 by the CDC, it would seem that much of the world is off limits.
The CDC adds 22 new destinations, including several in Latin America, to its list of trips with higher risk for covid-19
But we know that people regularly travel to and from nations that constantly move up and down in risk level based on their number of COVID cases.
Wen calls the CDC classifications "a useful tool."
"The transmission rates are a benchmark," Wen said.
"Another is what precautions are required and followed where you're going, and the third is what you plan to do once you're there."
"Do you plan to visit a lot of attractions and go to closed bars? That's very different than going to a place where you plan to lie on the beach all day and not interact with anyone else. That's very different. Those are very different levels of risk."
And the precautions of the places you go to are also important.
A place that requires proof of vaccination for restaurants or sports venues is making those types of activities safer for you.
conclusion
Of course, standard safety precautions still apply: wear a high-quality N95, KN95, or KF94 mask when traveling by plane and when you're indoors with many people, and follow the rules stipulated at the destination.
The CDC updates its information on masks.
these are the best
Coping with the unexpected is the way of life in a pandemic, and travel is no exception.
"If you're the kind of person who can't stand changes, last-minute changes, I would suggest staying home for a while," Hershberger said.
"You have to be able to go with the flow."
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