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'Fully Vaccinated? Know How You Can Travel Internationally And Domestically'

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Published on September 16, 2021. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes

As vaccines are being rolled out in every part of the world, things are slowly starting to return to normalcy. Travelling, albeit with restrictions, has also resumed. For fully vaccinated people wishing to travel from India, there are a set of guidelines in place. Here is a concise travel guide for fully vaccinated travellers.

Definition of vaccinated travellers

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following people are considered “fully vaccinated”:

1. Any person who has completed both doses of a 2-dose vaccine at least 2 weeks back is considered fully vaccinated. Moderna and Pfizer are such vaccines.

2. Any person who has taken their single dose vaccine at least 2 weeks back is considered fully vaccinated. The Janssen vaccine (from Johnson & Johnson) is a single shot vaccine.

In India, people are primarily taking two vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin. Hence, any person 2 weeks post their second shot of either Covishield, Covaxin or any other vaccine approved in India is considered fully vaccinated.

Document requirements

Depending on whether you're travelling domestically or internationally, your document requirements will change.

• For domestic travellers

All fully vaccinated people flying within India are required to produce their Vaccination Certificates. You can download your vaccine certificate either through the CoWIN website or the AarogyaSetu app.

To download your vaccine certificate from the CoWIN website, follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Visit www.cowin.gov.in

Step 2: Click on 'Sign In' and provide your registered mobile number

Step 3: Enter the OTP you received on the registered number

Step 4: Once you log in, you will be able to see the dates when you took your vaccine shots. Click on 'Certificate' tab under your name.

Step 5: Click on 'Download' and save your vaccine certificate.

To download your vaccine certificate from the AarogyaSetu app, do the following:

Step 1: Download the AarogyaSetu app from the Play Store or App Store if you don't have it installed. Open it.

Step 2: If you're new, register with your phone number. Otherwise, you can simply login with your registered mobile number.

Step 3: Enter the OTP sent on your registered phone number.

Step 4: Click on the CoWin tab on top.

Step 5: Select the option for 'Vaccine Certificate'.

Step 6: Enter your 13 digit Beneficiary ID that you received while registering on CoWin.

Step 7: Click on 'Get Certificate' to download it.

• For international travelers

If you're travelling abroad for school, job or business trips, you may need the Covid vaccine certificate linked to your passport. This is only applicable in case you were vaccinated with an ID proof that's not your passport. Here is how to do it.

Step 1: Visit www.cowin.gov.in and login with your registered mobile number and OTP.

Step 2: Go to your dashboard and click on 'Raise an Issue'.

Step 3: Click on 'Add Passport Details' from the options in front of you.

Step 4: Select yourself from the list of your family members.

Step 5: Enter your passport number carefully in the section assigned as "Enter Beneficiary's Passport Number. Do not make any mistakes because this change can only be done once.

Step 6: Check the declaration box and click on 'Submit Request'.

Soon you will receive a message confirming your request. Within a few minutes, you will also receive another message confirming the update.

Step 7: Go back to the website's Account Details page and click on the 'Certificate' link under your name. You can download it successfully.

In most cases, fully vaccinated travellers won't be required to produce a negative RT-PCR test report, unless the destination has a special requirement.

Before You Fly & Check In

Before you fly, make sure to read up on all the requirements that the airline and the state/country has. This is because guidelines and requirements might vary in certain places and not following guidelines might disrupt your travel.

During the Flight

Within the flight, it is mandatory to cover your mouth and nose with a mask at all times. Wearing a face shield is optional but can be a great precaution method. In India, maintaining social distance is also recommended while flying.

When You Arrive

After you arrive at a new place, check for symptoms if any. You might also have to get tested as per the local regulations. In case you get exposed to the Covid-19 virus while travelling, testing and treatment can become quite costly. Hence, it is always a good idea to buy travel insurance online. There are various travel insurance policies provided by HDFC ERGO, which cover medical emergencies, flight cancellations and other such trio disruptions.

Conclusion

Vaccines have made it possible to travel again. But fully vaccinated individuals must be aware of all the requirements and guidelines before flying.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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