I'm vaccinated. Can I start traveling? Here's what the COVID-19 shot means for Pennsylvanians

As more Pennsylvanians are getting the COVID-19 vaccination, the number of emails in my inbox from readers wondering when they can travel again is steadily climbing.

In light of the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about what fully vaccinated people can do, now is a good time to address some of the common questions I'm receiving from Pennsylvanians.

You're probably like me — exhausted with staying home and ready to get on a plane to ... anywhere. I was hopeful that the CDC would provide some encouraging guidance for travelers during its March 8 announcement.

More:Gov. Tom Wolf easing Pa. COVID-19 restrictions on crowds, eliminating travel quarantine

Unfortunately, the advice remains unchanged: In general, travel is not recommended.

I spoke with Dr. Frederic Bushman, co-director of the Penn Center for Research on Coronaviruses and Other Emerging Pathogens, about why that is.

With a background in diagnostics, Bushman has been deeply involved in research on the pandemic. He also has written about COVID-19 myths and spoken about what the end of the pandemic might look like.

"We really need to understand how vaccines are working, what they protect us against and what they don't do," Bushman said. "We still don't know whether they fully protect against getting it and giving it to somebody else, and not everyone is vaccinated yet." 

Questions the CDC is trying to answer in order to shape its travel advice include:

• Is the vaccine effective against coronavirus variants?
• Can those who have been vaccinated asymptomatically spread the virus? Early data suggests no, but more information is needed. 
• How long does the vaccine last? 

"Until we know more about those questions, everyone — even people who’ve had their vaccines — should continue taking basic prevention steps when recommended," the CDC said on its website. 

In addition, Bushman said we're in a race against time to get people vaccinated before mutations spread. Giving the OK for people to travel might defeat the progress made so far. 

And just to be clear, that advice stands despite Pennsylvania eliminating the travel restrictions which called for anyone over the age of 11 to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before entering the commonwealth. The CDC had advised states against loosening restrictions, but Gov. Wolf’s office cited a decline in COVID cases and an increase in vaccinations.

"We don't want to give the mutations any more fuel to get stronger, and nonvaccinated  people who have not have COVID are fuel for these mutations," he said. 

So this is likely why the CDC is hesitant to greenlight travel until more Americans are vaccinated and more is known about how the vaccine performs in real life. 

Still, you may make a personal decision to travel at this point. Here are answers to some common questions: 

STORY CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO.

What are the CDC's latest travel guidelines?

The CDC's current guidance remains the same. 

"Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. CDC recommends that you do not travel at this time. Delay travel and stay home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19," the CDC states on its website. 

Though it does not directly address those who have been fully vaccinated, it does advise under the section on if you must travel: "If you are eligible, get fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Wait 2 weeks after getting your second vaccine dose to travel — it takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination."

When are you fully vaccinated against COVID-19?

You are considered to be fully vaccinated when you are two weeks past your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or two weeks past receiving the  the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

To repeat for emphasis: The CDC says the COVID-19 vaccine not is fully effective until at least TWO WEEKS AFTER your second dose of the two-dose shots and two weeks after the single-dose shot. Your body needs that much time to build up antibodies to the coronavirus. 

Can I travel after I'm fully vaccinated?

The official CDC standpoint is that it's still safer to stay home.

If you decide to travel, it recommends following current advice including getting tested one to three days before your trip and three to five days after you get back, plus a seven-day self-quarantine even if you test negative. The recommended quarantine is 10 days if you do not get tested.

Of course, get tested and stay home if you show symptoms of the virus. 

In Bushman's view, people who have received their final dose and waited two weeks can travel domestically with caution. 

"The key is we're not back to the old world. So can you travel? Yeah. Do you have to take all the cautions that we talked about before you were vaccinated? Pretty much," he said. 

That means wearing a mask, washing your hands and maintaining appropriate distancing. 

Bushman is more hesitant about international travel.

"So, everything I just said but now you have to look at — it needs to be not just the U.S.— but how is that country doing. Is it vaccinating? Where the mutation stands in the other country and what is the (medical) infrastructure," he said. "If you're high risk, I would probably say now is not the time to travel and wait a little while longer." 

Do I have to wear a mask on the plane if I'm vaccinated?

Yes. It is a federal law that people over the age of 2 must wear masks on board aircraft in the United States. 

Can I avoid COVID-19 travel testing if I'm vaccinated?

Not right now. Until the CDC is able to determine whether fully vaccinated people can spread the virus, testing will continue to be a part of travel even for those who are fully vaccinated. 

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