Home » Health » LH Explains: Department of State and CDC share requirements for traveling to the US.

LH Explains: Department of State and CDC share requirements for traveling to the US.

Illustrative photo. The requirements to be able to travel to the United States came into effect as of this Monday, November 8. Photo La Hora / DGAC

Recently, the Biden-Harris administration updated the policy of vaccine requirements to travel to the United States and that came into effect as of this Monday, November 8, so it is necessary to follow the guidelines offered by the authorities, among which the need to attach a negative Covid-19 test and proof of immunization.

In a telephone press conference with media in the region, from the Secretary for Consular Affairs of the Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States (CDC, for its acronym in English), they summarized the main points to enter That country.

WHICH VACCINES ARE ACCEPTED?

In principle, the State Department and the CDC indicated that only foreign travelers who have a complete vaccination against COVID-19 may enter the United States, and that the scheme must be completed with one of the three vaccines approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

– Pfizer / BioNTech (2 doses)
– Modern (2 doses)
– Janssen (1 dose)

Or, the vaccines included in the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use list:

– AstraZeneca
– Covaxin
– Covishield
– BIBP/Sinopharm
– Sinovac

The CDC and the US government consider fully vaccinated people who:

to. They have completed 14 days after the dose of an approved application.
b. 14 days have passed since the second dose applied.
c. Have reached 14 days after receiving the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a clinical trial.
d. Are 14 days old after receiving the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax (or Covavax) (not placebo) in a phase 3 clinical trial.
and. Have reached 14 days after receiving 2 doses of any combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO GET VACCINATED WITH SPUTNIK V?

At the conference it was asked what would proceed for people who got full immunization with the Russian vaccine. The director of the CDC’s Global Migration and Quarantine division, Dr. Marty Cetron, indicated that, as detailed, only immunizations with vaccines approved by the FDA or on the WHO emergency list will be allowed.

However, the kremlin vaccine does not have any of these endorsements.

“Sputnik V does not yet have the authorization of the WHO, therefore, it does not comply with the requirements of the CDC policy. As time goes by, we will continue to analyze the immunization data, but, at this time, it does not meet the requirements, “explained Cetron.

Similarly, the policy could be updated if the WHO includes the Sputnik V vaccine on its emergency use list. Mariângela Simão, deputy general director of the organization, reported in the last week of October that the emergency authorization process for the Russian dose is still continuing.

Simão pointed out that the vaccine has not yet been added to the list because it has not complied with the necessary protocols. In the first instance, he mentioned that manufacturers must send the WHO an evaluation request with certain required data, and then carry out the expert opinion and determine whether the vaccine will be approved or not.

“How quickly vaccines are listed on the emergency use list depends on how quickly the manufacturers submit the data. In some cases we need to carry out inspections at the manufacturers; if the inspection was recent, we don’t have to do it again, ”said the deputy general director for Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Pharmaceutical Products.

The doctor said that the data were sent to the WHO; however, complete documentation was not yet available. Among the pending data, he mentioned the signing of the acceptance of the terms and conditions of the WHO to continue with the evaluation.

THIS IS WHAT YOUR IMMUNIZATION RECORD SHOULD BRING

In addition to having the complete vaccination, a vaccination certificate must be submitted, which can be presented in three formats:

to. Digital or paper registration: this can be a vaccination certificate with a QR code or digital pass in a mobile application.

b. Non-verifiable paper records: These include prints of the COVID-19 vaccination record or a certificate issued nationally, a substantial or authorized vendor such as the CDC.

In Guatemala, citizens can reprint their vaccination certificate from the portal www.vacuna.gob.gt.

c. Non-verifiable digital records: include digital photos of the vaccination card or record, downloaded vaccination record, or vaccination certificate from official source (for example, public health agency, government agency, or other authorized vaccine provider), or an application from mobile phone without QR code 1.

Any of the vaccination vouchers must include personal identification, that is, the full name of the person and at least one other indicator such as the date of birth or passport number that matches the documents of each passenger.

Likewise, the voucher must indicate the official source that issues the registry in Guatemala, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) or the Government of Guatemala; the vaccine manufacturer and vaccination date.

A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST MUST BE ATTACHED

Another essential requirement to travel, according to the US representatives, is the negative coronavirus test. This test, as specified by the CDC, must be performed during the three days prior to traveling to the United States.

The Covid-19 test is mandatory in order to travel. Photo: La Hora / AP

The authorized negative tests are the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), known in Guatemala as “swabbing” and the antigen test.

Those who have recently recovered from COVID-19 can travel with documentation of recovery from the disease, that is, their positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before flight departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed health care provider or public health official stating that you are authorized to travel.

Babies under 2 years of age are exempt from the test. On the other hand, young people between the ages of 2 and 17 who are not fully vaccinated may travel with family members to the United States with a negative COVID-19 test, performed no more than three days prior to departure.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE PROCESS

Among the exceptions to full vaccination as a requirement to travel to the United States are:

– People on a diplomatic or official trip
– Under 18 years old
– People with documented medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
– Participants in certain COVID-19 vaccine trials
– People who received a humanitarian or emergency exception
– People with valid visas [excluidos los visados B-1 (negocios) o B-2 (turismo)] who are citizens of a foreign country with limited availability of COVID-19 vaccines.

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