Travelling while vaccinated: What we know

The only reason you should be getting a third COVID vaccine dose right now is if you are travelling somewhere that doesn’t recognize the vaccines you have.

That’s according to Laveena Tratch, the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s vaccine chief for Regina’s Integrated Health Incident Command.

“These are for individuals who are travelling or intending to travel to other jurisdictions that don’t recognise mixing and matching, or AstraZeneca as viable,” Tratch said on the Greg Morgan Morning Show Thursday. “These vaccines are not booster doses.”

On Tuesday, the Saskatchewan government announced it would now allow people to get additional COVID-19 vaccinations if they need one.

This decision from the provincial government comes after some countries are reportedly requiring proof of vaccination with specific vaccines before visitors will be allowed into the country. The most common requirement is that people need two doses of the same mRNA vaccine, like Pfizer or Moderna.

“You need to check the travel websites to where you’re travelling, some countries will accept a Pfizer and Moderna while others will not,” Tratch said. “It’s important for you to know where you’re travelling to check their requirements and then we can work with you to make sure that you have what you need if you’re going to be travelling.

“We are really considering these shots for travel purposes.”

Just like getting your second shot, you need to wait 28 days from the time you got your first vaccine in order to get the additional shot you require.

“If you’ve had two doses of AstraZeneca, most places will require you to have two additional doses of an mRNA vaccine,” Tratch said. “These shots were very popular yesterday, absolutely.”

Travel agency provides information

Terry Kaszas from CAA Travel says people are starting to plan their flights for around the winter holidays.

“There is a traffic light system for different countries around the world,” Kaszas said. “Currently we’re on an amber, so red has different restrictions than amber.

“Just to go to the United Kingdom right now, we’re still on a numbered list, so my wife had to go through — or will have to go through — just to get in otherwise it’s a 10-day current quarantine.”

Kaszas says there is still some travel hesitancy as people figure out where exactly they can go, and what they need to do in order to get there.

Despite that, he says places like Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican have been popular destinations for people to plan holidays.