In this article, you will discover if it is possible to travel around the world without a vaccine at the end of 2021.
International travel was stopped in many countries and people are still postponing any smaller trips as part of the world's joint effort to slow the spread of the virus. Yet, it is not necessarily realistic to expect everyone to avoid all travel soon.
With the guidance of health agents and medical experts, it is possible to decide whether a specific trip is worth the risk and take steps to minimize the chances of getting COVID-19 during the trip.
In this article, you will discover if it is possible to travel around the world without a vaccine at the end of 2021.
Should I travel anywhere in the world during the pandemic?
In most cases, the answer is no. The recommendation from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clearly states that the best approach is still to postpone traveling and stay at home.
While there is still a pandemic going on, staying at home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
On the other hand, it is crucial to find a reasonable balance between the risks of exposure to COVID-19 and the necessity to work and survive. Plus, social isolation has its own risks, which also must be taken into consideration.
Is there a safer way to travel if it is utterly necessary?
In this sense, there are many factors to consider when deciding whether traveling is utterly necessary or not. However, the best indicator is the number of people to whom an individual will be exposed during a trip.
Considering a journey by car, a driver will eventually need to stop for food and gas, and maybe get a hotel to sleep in.
Considering a journey by airplane, initial research suggests that commercial airline filtration systems can be significantly effective to minimize the spread of COVID-19. However, any flight involves staying some time at an airport to wait for a flight and spending more time around people.
Regardless, traveling is a type of activity that increases exposure. Hence, it is crucial to prioritize travel options where the exposure to other people is limited.
COVID-19 vs vaccine in 2021 – A realist overview
The arrival of a vaccine against COVID-19 gives hope and encouragement for people who wish to travel again. It is true that things are slowly improving since the launch of the first vaccines, but COVID-19 is still a reality.
Additionally, researchers are still working to understand the full effect of the vaccines against COVID-19. While the vaccine has been demonstrated to reduce the severity of the disease in cases of infection, it is not considered a reliable manner to prevent the infection.
Plus, it is not clear whether vaccinated individuals may feel good for a while, but still being infected to pass the virus on to other individuals.
Regardless, it is essential that everybody traveling, whether vaccinated or not vaccinated, continue to wear protective masks, wash their hands properly and maintain social distancing as much as possible.
New technologies offer innovative solutions to fight against COVID-19
According to industry-leading tech company IBM, blockchain technology will be one of the key factors in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first use case is blockchain-based digital health credentials, a solution that is benefiting a lot of people during the pandemic. Because blockchain tech goes beyond how to buy Bitcoin and invest in crypto markets.
In Singapore, companies have developed the AOKpass, which is a health passport that certifies whether a person has COVID-19 or not. This credential can also be used in other situations, such as working spaces, gyms, religious temples, and other essential activities.
Another huge problem many countries are exposed to during the pandemic is counterfeited vaccines and medicines. In developing countries, it is estimated that between 10% to 30% of all the pharmaceutical drugs sold in the market are counterfeited.
Blockchain technology can help to create a "crypto anchor", which places a unique digital identification in pharmaceutical products, including a set of data and optical signals. Accordingly, counterfeiting would be more difficult and it would be possible to ensure the quality of health inputs.
Besides, governments and private companies could utilize tokens to avoid intermediaries and shorten processes, including mass vaccination and mass distribution of essential resources. In addition, it’d come in handy to invest in cryptocurrencies focused on solving these issues, because such cryptocurrency prices could significantly rise.
Final thoughts
If you need to travel during the pandemic, you will be exposed. Therefore, respect the specific rules of the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in this regard.
Although no travel is recommended while the pandemic is still happening, it is possible to travel without being vaccinated if it is absolutely necessary (e.g., work).
The main precautions when traveling in the pandemic are still to wash your hands frequently, use gel alcohol (clean your hands whenever you feel necessary), avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose, always wear a face mask, and maintain social distance.
