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Vacationing With Children In the Time of COVID-19 Vaccines

Where Can US Families Travel With Children in the Western Hemisphere?

By Adam HeathPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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As millions of individuals in the United States continue to receive vaccines, many vaccinated individuals have booked vacations to both international and domestic destinations. Certain countries require vaccine passports, while other geo-political entities are more liberal in their approach. There are many countries currently under a heightened travel advisory and many have heightened travel advisories along with additional protocols to protect from COVID-19 and their variants.

Individuals that have vaccine passports have more flexibility and more countries are opening their borders to vaccinated individuals. However, if parents plan on traveling with children in the summer of 2021, there may be several protocols to jump through for each respective country. Additionally, these protocols are fluid and can change from one month, week or day to the next. While vaccine passports may be required for certain countries in the Eastern Hemisphere, like to enter Japan for the Olympics, other countries do not have the same requirements to enter their political borders.

Where Can American’s Travel Internationally With Children in the Western Hemisphere?

As of late March, 2021 there are additional levels of the protocols that exist for tourists from the United States traveling to popular tourist destinations. While vacationing with children, the amount of protocols may be even more cumbersome than while traveling only with fully vaccinated adults.

Some popular Western Hemisphere destinations that are allowing unvaccinated tourists and children in Spring 2021 include:

Bermuda

Bermuda continues to be a popular tourist destination, and due to its close proximity to the South Eastern region of the United States, it can be reached on several direct flights from many international airports on the Eastern Seaboard.

If a family is flying with children to Bermuda, adult visitors must complete a travel authorization form and pay a fee in the amount of $75. Children traveling with families are mandated to pay a $30 fee and children that are nine years or younger do not have to provide a negative COVID-19 test.

Curacao

If visiting the island nation of Curacao, children under the age of six years old are exempt from providing a negative COVID test and that do not show symptoms of the coronavirus. The parents of children, must however show proof of a negative PCR test in the last seventy-two hours from plane departure.

Mexico

According to the US Embassy & Consulates in Mexico a negative COVID test is not mandatory for entry into Mexico from the United States. However, travel deemed “non-essential” is not allowed until after April 21, 2021.

While a negative COVID test is not necessary to enter Mexico, it is required for access to the United States. Although it is possible that a family can travel to Mexico without showing a negative test to custom officials, a negative COVID-19 test is required for all individuals over the age of two upon embarking to the United States.

While the countries outlined above allow Children to enter their borders, re-entering the United States will require a negative COVID-19 test. Bermuda, Curacao and Mexico are popular destinations for US tourists and safety protocols should be followed. The current regulations should be reviewed frequently before any international travel commences.

Why Are Countries Reserved About International Children Travelers?

Due to the limited amount of research and long-term effects of vaccines on children and adolescence, different countries have different rules and regulations for families that choose to travel with children. Certain countries may allow children to enter freely, while other countries will require a negative test or refuse entry to a child.

Although trials have begun for teenagers and vaccinations in older, children (aged 16 and older), currently no vaccinations have been approved for children. Children have a much lower mortality rate compared to other age groups in this pandemic, but children may still have to wait through the Summer of 2021 and well into the latter parts of 2021 before a vaccine is approved, or individuals under the age of 18 are eligible to receive a vaccine. This delay in vaccination approval may cause some families to delay vacations outside of the United States.

Please remember that these regulations are fluid and can change quickly. It is important to check the local regulations frequently before traveling internationally or domestically within the United States. Remember to bring hand sanitizer and a mask that meets the minimum CDC requirements before embarking on any travel plans during a pandemic.

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About the Creator

Adam Heath

Adam graduated from Chico State with a degree in History and works in the digital marketing sector. An avid fan of baseball, you can find him sitting in Petco Park's bleachers or wolfing down a burrito in his free time.

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