Nearly 15 months ago, we made the painful, but necessary decision to indefinitely suspend all travel operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But I remember the 10th of March, 2020 like it was yesterday. Just two weeks earlier, I had returned from what would be my final pre-pandemic photography trip to the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and San Francisco.
Less than 48 hours after the decision to suspend travel, the shit hit the fan. I was watching the Dallas Mavericks play the Denver Nuggets when the NBA suspended its season on 12 March. The next day, the NHL shut down, as did Major League Baseball. Borders closed, the world locked down, and we settled in for our long pandemic nap. So much of our lives have seemed frozen in time since then.
A Major Step in Our Return to Normal
When you shut something down indefinitely, time plays with your mind. By definition, there is literally no end to an indefinite suspension. It just drags on, and on, and on, and on, and on. Thankfully, as the world begins to open back up, we finally have an end date to the travel suspension. On 4 June, 2021, we will be formally lifting the indefinite suspension of all travel operations.
Now, this does not mean I’m going to be getting on a plane on 5 June to jet around the world. In fact, quite the opposite. Travel will resume gradually. Photography adventures will be largely local/regional throughout the summer and into the fall. I have no plans for any national or international travel until at least well into the fall. However, things can change, and I will certainly consider it earlier if, and only if, it’s safe to do so.
So what exactly went into the decision?
I Have Received Both Doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine
It feels great to be vaccinated. You can finally stop playing the world’s biggest game of adult cooties and worry a lot less about contracting a deadly virus every time you step out in public. So why is the 4th of June the magic day? It’s 2 weeks from my second shot and the day I reach my full immunity.
COVID-19 Numbers in the United States are at the Lowest Levels in Nearly a Year
And they’re continuing to drop. The seven day average of new daily cases recently dropped below 30,000 for the first time since mid-June, 2020. With over 60% of Americans having received at least one dose of the vaccine, I feel very confident in the model projections that numbers will continue to drop.
Many US States Have Lifted COVID-19 Restrictions
Across the country, governors, mayors, and other elected officials are lifting mask mandates, capacity limits, and more. And this time, they actually have the data to justify doing so. Even states that have implemented the strictest restrictions are starting to lift them. California is set to fully reopen on 15 June. New York recently lifted its mask mandates and most of its restrictions. Massachusetts is lifting its COVID-19 restrictions on 29 May. As a lifelong Red Sox fan, I am so excited to see Fenway Park at full capacity once again.
COVID-19 Numbers are Dropping in the Countries I May Be Visiting in the Initial Stage of International Travel
Once borders re-open, our initial phase of international travel will keep us pretty close to home. That means sticking to North America and the Caribbean. In Mexico, new daily cases are at their lowest levels since May, 2020. Canada recently passed the US in percentage of population that has received at least one dose of the vaccine. As a result, new daily cases in Canada are plummeting, and are expected to continue plummeting over at least the next two to four weeks.
COVID-19 numbers across the Caribbean are in very good shape, too. Many island nations are opening back up to tourists. Once the European Union fully reopens, there will be many more travel opportunities in the Caribbean.
International Borders are Reopening
Around the world, countries are slowly but surely reopening their borders. The European Union recently announced it would reopen to fully vaccinated visitors this summer. Canada and the US recently started talks about reopening the border, though the border is expected to remain closed until Canada can improve its vaccination rate. The same is true along the US-Mexico border. I’ve heard grumblings that the US-Mexico border could reopen as soon as 22 June, but I wouldn’t hold your breath on that.
International travel will not return overnight. The reopening of borders will be a slow and gradual process. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the occasional re-closure here and there in the event of a flare-up of COVID-19 cases. This is precisely why I do not expect to be doing any international travel until well into the fall at the earliest.
One the US Reaches the Point where it has more vaccine supply than demand, vaccination numbers will increase around the world.
Because the US so badly bungled its response to the pandemic, it has received a disproportionate share of the available vaccines. It is close to, if not past, the point where vaccine supply exceeds demand. Once that happens, the companies that make the vaccines can focus their distribution throughout the rest of the world. In addition, the US will be sending some of its excess vaccine to other countries. As a result, vaccine distribution around the world will get a good shot in the arm (pun fully intended).
As vaccine distribution increases around the world, travel will become easier and safer. Some places will open up before others. You just need to pick and choose those location that have high vaccination rates once they fully reopen.
If you are healthy and vaccinated and stay in lockdown mode, you’re essentially telling yourself that the vaccines don’t work.
I will absolutely continue to practice COVID-19 safety protocols as needed when I’m in public to protect others who may not yet be vaccinated. You should, too. However, the latest CDC guidelines should be all the motivation you need to get the shot. Reaching fully vaccinated status is largely a green light to return to pretty close to normal.
Trust the vaccines. They work. You don’t even need to thumb through reams of complex medical data from the clinical trials to see the proof, either. Just have a look at the new daily deaths in the United States. They’re currently at their lowest point since March, 2020. Notice how sharply they dropped once vaccine distribution really ramped up in February, 2021.
Conclusion
452 days is a long time to have to go without something you love and are passionate about. Over that time, you learn to really cherish those experiences because you never know when they’ll be taken away from you. It feels so great to finally be returning to normal. With a new and revamped mission and bucket list, I can’t wait to see the wonderful experiences that lie ahead. See you out there. Where are you heading first?
Top Photo: A Perfect Summer Day to Start a 3-Country Road Trip
Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico – August, 2019
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