ORLANDO, Fla. — Some Central Florida families are rejoicing now that the Centers for Disease Control says those who have been fully vaccinated can travel safely again.
What You Need To Know
- People fully vaccinated for COVID can travel safely, CDC says
- The news has families like Orlando's Modestos ready to go to graduations, etc.
- The rising number of COVID cases may be cause for caution, though, CDC says
- Modestos say they are eager to mark family milestones once again
For the Modesto family in Orlando, it has been a while since they took a trip.
“It was Christmas 2019,” Amy Modesto said. “We spent it with my son in Colorado.”
She and her daughter Ashley were hoping they would get to fly to Dallas in May to attend the graduation of Amy’s niece.
“She’s graduating with a master’s degree in counseling, so I’m very proud of her,” Amy said.
As the date for their trip draws near, though, Amy has felt hesitant about traveling.
“I’m not gonna lie, I was a little frightened, you know because it’s getting closer, and I was really contemplating that trip and the airport and, you know, coming across all these people and getting out in Dallas,” she said.
That is, she was until she heard the CDC’s announcement Friday.
“We state that fully vaccinated people can resume travel at low risk to themselves,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said.
Both Amy and Ashley have gotten their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Amy gets her second dose Saturday.
“I just feel so grateful, so grateful,” Amy said. “Thank God that we were able to get these vaccines.”
People who are fully vaccinated don’t have to get a COVID-19 test before getting on a plane, and they don’t have to self-quarantine after landing, the CDC announced.
The updated guidelines don’t mean everyone should book a flight now, however, according to Walensky.
“While we believe that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves, CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the rising number of cases,” she said.
But Ashley Modesto says they’ve already had to miss many important family events, including a funeral for her cousin who passed away last year.
“It's hurtful...a funeral should never be done via Zoom,” Ashley said.
So they say now that they’ve gotten that reassurance from the CDC, there’s no way they’ll miss another family milestone.
“I feel like it just brings life back into the world,” Ashley said.
For those traveling internationally, you still don’t have to get a COVID-19 test, Walensky said, but those traveling to the United States from other countries do still need to have a negative test before boarding the plane.