Vaccine requirements aren’t exactly a new thing in travel, but they are when it comes to indoor dining, gyms, concerts, office buildings, and more. Vaccine mandates for entry into establishments vary from country to country, state to state, and even city to city which can make travelling for work a little more intimidating than usual right now. So, here’s a quick rundown on what’s going on in the world when it comes to vaccine requirements that will help answer some of your questions about what to expect once you’re outside your current hometown.
Federal Vaccine Mandate
There isn’t a federal vaccine passport in the United States right now and fully-vaccinated status is not required for domestic air travel. As of the end of September 2021, most rules and requirements surrounding the vaccine in the United States are based around employment. The newest US rules mandate all employers with over 100 workers to require all staff to be vaccinated or test for COVID weekly (at this time, the rule does not apply to remote workers and is not being actively enforced by OSHA). New rules also require that workers at medical facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid must be vaccinated.
Businesses Requiring Vaccination
While not yet mandated by law to do so in the US, businesses all over the country (and world) are making the decision to require vaccination for service. Many tour groups, cruises, restaurants, gyms, theatres, and more have started requiring proof of vaccination for entry or service. The Biden Administration is currently contemplating requiring it for entry into national parks and federal buildings like courthouses and post offices.
Possible Vaccine Mandate for Air Travel
The US government is also considering requiring vaccination for both domestic and international air travel. Dr. Anthony Fauci says, “I would support that if you want to get on a plane and travel with other people, that you should be vaccinated.” In fact, the Australian airline, Qantas, already requires vaccination for all international passengers and many airlines have set deadlines for employee vaccination. However, in the US, the national air travel vaccine mandate remains very much up in the air, largely due to the logistics of such an endeavor. As Delta CEO Ed Bastian said, it “would be quite a logistical snafu.”
Vaccine Mandates in Education
Numerous universities already mandated the vaccine for all in-person students and faculty this fall. California just announced that once the vaccine is FDA approved for children between the ages of 12 and 15, vaccination will be required for all 7th-12th graders at both public and private schools. Gov. Gavin Newsom says the requirement will most likely go into effect on July 1. The state also intends to mandate the vaccine for all kindergarten-6th graders as well once the vaccine is FDA approved for them too.
Vaccine Exemptions
Of course, people will still have the option to get a religious or medical exemption, but it’s looking like they will be hard to come by. Even staff with religious exemptions at United Airlines were put on unpaid leave.
However, some states, like Florida and Texas, have banned businesses from requiring proof of vaccination for entry, so it’s likely that there won’t be any consistent state-to-state vaccine rules anytime in the near future unless there is a federal order.
Gant’s Health Pass
With requirements differing across the globe, having easy access to proof of vaccination or a recent negative test is going to be paramount to stress-free business travel. We’ve added a digital health pass to the Gant Gateway (currently available on desktop version and just waiting for approval on the mobile app update). The Gant Covid Health Passport allows you to store your immunization records in the Gateway as well as your Covid test result documentation.
Location Specific Vaccine Mandates and Health Passports
Overwhelmed yet? You’re not alone. These rules are confusing and vaccine requirements vary from country to country, state to state, and even city to city. That’s why we did a little deep dive on some of the most popular places with vaccine mandates, so you won’t get blindsided on your next business or leisure trip.
Hawaii: Maui and Oahu
As of September 13, Certain businesses in Oahu and Maui will start requiring proof of vaccination for access. Businesses enacting the change include restaurants, bars, and indoor venues. With the “Hawaii SMART Health Card” system, the state’s immunization records are linked to the digital database allowing it to quickly confirm immunization status.
However, only those who received their vaccine in the state of Hawaii are eligible for the program as it only has access to state information. Anyone who was vaccinated outside of Hawaii needs to bring their paper CDC card or a picture of it.
New York: New York City
New York City was the first city in the United States to require proof of at least one dose of the vaccine for entry into indoor dining, gyms, and performances on August 16, starting the “Key to NYC” Program. Enforcement of the program began on September 13. To enter indoor establishments, people must use the Excelsior app or their paper CDC vaccination card. Children under the age of 12 are excluded from the policy as they are too young to get vaccinated.
California: San Francisco
As of August 20, San Francisco requires vaccine cards for entry into indoor bars, restaurants, gyms, and other spaces. The city doesn’t have a single pass, so people must show their CDC-issued vaccination cards. While NYC only requires patrons to have one dose of the vaccine to enter establishments, San Francisco establishments require both doses.
Louisiana: New Orleans
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell implemented a city-wide vaccine mandate for entry into restaurants, bars, gyms, fitness classes, pool halls, arcades, skating rinks, indoor playgrounds and entertainment spaces, and certain large outdoor events as of August 16. The mandate also includes the Superdome, concerts, centers, music halls, event spaces, and performance venues. This is in addition to the indoor mask mandate she issued on July 30. People must show proof of one vaccine shot or have a negative covid test within the past 72 hours to enter these establishments. CDC-issued vaccine cards, photos of the card, or a digital copy on the LA Wallet App are all acceptable forms of proof of vaccination.
Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada will be introducing a national standard for vaccine requirements required for both international and domestic travel. The proof of vaccination standard features a QR code and official federal government logos as well as the recipient’s province or territory. The passport will be available both digitally and in hard copy. Canada will begin enforcing the requirements for anyone aged 12 or above traveling domestically by air, rail, or cruise ship on October 30th. Negative tests will be accepted until November 30th, but after that, all travelers will need to present proof of vaccination to travel domestically.
France
France requires proof of vaccination for entry into restaurants, cafes, museums, theaters, and sports museums. To enter these establishments, patrons must present their “pass sanitaire” or “health pass,” which is an app that shows proof of either vaccination, a negative Covid test, or recovery from Covid through QR codes. While only adults are required to use the pass sanitaire, those between the ages of 12 and 17 may require them starting September 30. The fine for presenting a false pass is $158. The new vaccine requirements began on August 9. Since then, the policy has helped boost vaccination rates in France as 74% of the population has received the first dose of the vaccine and 64% have received both. In fact, as of September 15, 81.7% of the French population over the age of 12 is vaccinated.
Starting September 22, all French health workers must have received at least one dose of the vaccine to continue working or go on leave without pay.
Italy
Italy introduced the Green Pass over the summer and by August 6 it was required for entry into restaurants, museums, theatres, cinemas, gyms, swimming pools, amusement parks, spas, wellness centers, festivals, fairs, casinos, bingo halls, and sports stadium for everyone ages 12 and older. The Ministry of Health issues certificates based on health data and the pass is available digitally, but people can also use a print version. The document certifies that a person has either been vaccinated, recently recovered from Covid, or tested negative.
In addition, Italy is the first country in the EU to make a health pass mandatory for all workers. 73% of Italians are vaccinated, but starting in mid-October, any worker who does not have a valid health pass will face suspension and their pay could be terminated after five days.
Israel
Israel starting their Green Pass in February and ever since March 10, they have been required for entry into certain establishments. Green passes are valid for six months after the last vaccine dose. Possible places include culture and sports events, conferences and exhibitions, hotels, gyms, fitness studios, country clubs, pools, houses of worship with gatherings of over 50 people, event venues and gardens, festivals, restaurants, bars, dining rooms, cafes, museums, libraries, amusement parks, tourist attractions, and universities. When going places that comply with the green pass, patrons must present their pass along with their valid ID. If patrons are under the age of 18, they can present a photo of their parent or guardian’s ID. Alternatively, those who don’t have a green pass can present a negative antigen test taken within the last 24 hours.
UK: England
The US uses the NHS Covid Pass to show a person’s vaccination status or test results. It confirms users are fully vaccinated, have a negative PCR or rapid test within 48 hours, or a positive PCR test within the last six months and proof of recovery. The pass is available in the NHS app or in print, but it’s only available in England at the moment. The NHS Covid Pass is not mandatory but recommended for high-risk settings like concerts and nightclubs.
Long story short– vaccine requirements for COVID are gaining popularity around the world as travel rebounds. It’s important to check the local policies wherever you’re traveling ahead of time if you are not vaccinated. If you are vaccinated, be sure to look into acquiring the local pass or bring your CDC issued vaccination card with you.
