CDC eases some vaccine rules for international travelers

COLUMBIA, S.C. (CNN)— The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is easing up on vaccine requirements for international travelers.

Those boarding flights to the United States will now be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after getting a single dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna MRNA vaccine any time after August 16, 2022 when bivalent formulations first became available.

The updated travel guidance was posted on the agency’s website on Thursday.

The travel requirements don’t apply to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or immigrants.

This aligns with the CDC’s recently simplified vaccine guidance for Americans– those who were unvaccinated are now considered fully vaccinated after a single dose of a bivalent vaccine, which protects against more strains of the virus than the original shot.