Anti-Vaxxers Threaten the Travel Rebound

By Robert McGarvey

First I clap with joy.

Then I curse in anger.

This is as I ponder a planned trip to Spain in the early fall of this year and, what had seemed a fantasy idea just four months ago, now seems increasingly realistic. Mainly because the US government has done a remarkable job putting vaccinations into arms.  

About 26% of us are fully vaccinated and half of us have received at least one shot. We need to reach 75%, perhaps as high as 85%, to achieve so called herd immunity but those numbers are within reach.  Theoretically. More on that disclaimer in a bit and understand it extends not just to our immunity levels but also our ability to travel.

First the celebration.  Most of us already are planning summer vacations – which is underwritten in poll after poll.  

In Europe, Greece now has opened to fully vaccinated US citizens and also those who produce a negative Covid test.

In France, Prime Minister Macron has said the country is working towards admitting fully vaccinated US citizens.  That’s not a done deal but indications are that France will move in that direction before June.

Watch other EU nations loosen their restrictions, mainly because tourism is a huge part of the economies of so many of those nations and 2020 was a wipe out and nobody wants a repeat.

Tourism is 10% of the EU’s GDP and in some nations – Greece for instance – it is vastly more important.  Granted, much of that tourism is intra-EU but the US remains vital to many of the Continent’s tourist economies (France, Italy, and Spain to name three) and so a lot of European eyes are anxiously waiting for a relaxing of restrictions that effectively bar most Americans from most of the EU.

But note: although the EU has recommended a travel ban, it has not issued one.  It’s up to member nations to chart their own courses and already Greece has broken ranks, Croatia had beaten Greece in opening the gates to US citizens, and you know at least two or four more EU members are counting the days until Americans return.

That is why I am optimistic that Spain will open its doors to fully vaccinated US citizens, probably by early summer.

Assuming the anti-vaxxers don’t screw this up for the rest of us. Here’s the why for the early disclaimer.

Already we are seeing a flood of counterfeit vaccination cards and anti-vaxxers, faced with vaccination requirements at everything from sporting events to cruise lines, are publicly stating they intend to buy them.

Yes, everybody from the FBI down to local authorities are saying that using a bogus card is a crime but that does not seem to much worry the anti vaxxers who are digging in with their unscientific, indefensible anti vax belief system.

Ordinarily I don’t give much of a hoot about what the anti vax crowd thinks or does but this instance is different.  As word spreads that a lot of purported vaccination cards are in fact fakes confidence in the cards will diminish.  

Which may threaten my ability to go to Spain.

Just as it will threaten the ability of millions of us to cruise, to attend Yankees games, even attend college.

Look, I am not saying everybody has to get vaccinated. Some have legitimate medical issues.  Others just may not want to. Fine.  I am fully vaccinated but I nonetheless practice social distancing and mask wearing, mainly because in Arizona where I live there remain a significant number of anti vaxxers and I have no interest in investing energy in attempting to persuade them. I think their position is idiotic and socially irresponsible but I will not spend breath arguing with them. You can’t win an argument with brick, can you? I will maintain my distance and that will probably be enough to keep me safe.

But if people are showing fake vaccination cards and that may have repercussions that impact my travel plans, this has my attention.

Some 45 state attorneys general have demanded that Twitter, eBay, etc. stop running ads and notifications about the availability of fake paper.  

If the AGs quickly hold a few well publicized trials, this threat likely will vanish.

And I can keep packing for Spain.