# International travel for the Covid vaccine **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [April 24, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664 "2021-04-24T02:35:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/1 "2021-04-24T02:35:48Z")
Let’s say there is a specific Covid vaccine available in Canada and the UK that is not currently available in the US. Is there any reason, either legal or logistical, that would prevent me from traveling to that country to get the vaccine then again 2 weeks later for the second shot? Would there be any problem getting my “vaccine passport”? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/2 "2021-04-24T02:40:49Z")
Currently, you cannot travel from the U.S. to Canada for “non-essential travel,” and I would suspect that “I want that particular vaccine” would not qualify as “essential travel.” If it were a case of “I cannot get _any_ vaccine in the U.S., but can get one in Canada,” that might, I suppose, qualify under the “public health” exception listed in the order below, but in your hypothetical, I would be surprised if it’d be an allowed reason. This ban has been in place since last March, and is still currently planned to be in place until May 21st. [https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1596?language=en\_US](https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1596?language=en_US) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/3 "2021-04-24T02:48:33Z")
And, two days ago, the U.S. State Department issued a “Do Not Travel” advisory regarding the United Kingdom, due to both COVID-19, as well as an increased threat of terrorism. It does not appear that this is a “travel is legally prohibited” thing (as with Canada), so much as “you should not go there” advisory. The second link below, from the U.S. Embassy, says that travel to the U.K. is allowed, with a negative COVID test. [https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/united-kingdom-travel-advisory.html](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/united-kingdom-travel-advisory.html) > **[COVID-19 Information](https://uk.usembassy.gov/covid-19-coronavirus-information/)** > > Last updated January 5, 2023 at 11:00 GMT. The CDC’s Order requiring proof of vaccination for non-U.S. citizen nonimmigrants to travel to the United ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/4 "2021-04-24T08:00:58Z")
I am an American living in Switzerland. I know several Americans who have travelled, or will travel, from Switzerland to the U.S. to visit relatives and get their vaccine shots. Of course these are people who are citizens of the target country. They just have to get a negative test before traveling and do quarantine when they land. And I never imagined that Switzerland would end up in the same Travel Advisory Level as Afghanistan. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/5 "2021-04-24T15:46:17Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > … Would there be any problem getting my “vaccine passport”? There’s no such thing as a “vaccine passport”. There might be some day. But not now. And certainly not a worldwide standardized one like the conventional passports we’re used to. As to travel restrictions, your question has a different answer for every pair of countries you might care to ask about. And the answers change every couple of weeks. The other larger challenge is whether country B will even let you receive a vaccine as a visitor from country A once you do successfully show up in country B. They may well be managing their supplies such that visitors can’t even get an appointment. Again, every country on Earth is doing this differently. And for big countries, they’re doing it differently in each of their states / provinces / whatevers as well. And all this stuff also changes every few weeks. So, what concrete question do you really want answered? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/6 "2021-04-24T20:18:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > So, what concrete question do you really want answered? Pretty much exactly what I asked. I want to get the Novavax vaccine not the ones currently available\*. It should be available in Canada and the UK soon and maybe but not definitely the US by then. The vaccine passport was due to the EU reportedly introducing a vaccine passport in June. . . . \*The reason I didn’t put this in originally is I didn’t want the thread to focus on how I’m worse than Hitler for not running out right f’n now to get vaccinated as quickly as I can or everyone piles on and explains to the retarded OP that the mRNA vaccines are fundamentally the same only better than the traditional (Novavax) ones. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/7 "2021-04-24T20:51:48Z")
Well, if you won’t get what’s available, then good for you for trying to get the one you want sooner. Of course I think you should reconsider, but best of luck getting vaccinated as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/8 "2021-04-24T20:54:11Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > Well, if you won’t get what’s available, > > Of course I think you should reconsider, These were the sort of judgemental responses I was hoping to avoid. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/9 "2021-04-24T21:02:25Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Pretty much exactly what I asked. I want to get the Novavax vaccine … Cool. Thanks. I’ll see what I can dig up. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/10 "2021-04-24T21:06:57Z")
If you happen to be on the YYZ to DEN run, I think I can swing a few bucks your way if you can … Note to mods: I’m just kidding. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/11 "2021-04-25T01:37:40Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > explains to the retarded OP You actually are the poster slinging around obnoxious labels. Bigoted, judgmental, discriminatory labels at that. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/12 "2021-04-25T05:02:21Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Is there any reason, either legal or logistical, that would prevent me from traveling to that country to get the vaccine then again 2 weeks later for the second shot? Aside from travel restrictions, what would prevent you from doing this in Ontario – and I presume other Canadian provinces – is that a valid health card is required. In fact for the government mass vaccination clinics, you need an authenticated health card number and matching personal information just to book an appointment. The (photo ID) card is also used for identity verification at several points in the vaccination process. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-travel-for-the-covid-vaccine/940664/13 "2021-04-25T13:53:13Z")
Some fresh news on Novavax implying it may well be available in the US by this summer. > **[J&J and AstraZeneca's Vaccine Woes Push Novavax Cautiously Into the Light ...](https://www.biospace.com/article/j-and-j-and-astrazeneca-s-covid-19-vaccine-problems-may-be-of-benefit-to-novavax/)** > > Novavax is plugging along to get their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373, through late-stage clinical trials and authorized in the U.S. and elsewhere. Ref @wolfpup above, it seems clear that the OP would need to go to a country that has commercial distribution of the vax, not solely government distribution. Because it’s real unlikely any government would be much interested in vaccinating visitors and thereby encouraging even more people from less well-equipped countries to flood in seeking those free-to-the-user vaccinations.