Proof of COVID-19 Booster Required to Travel to France, Dine in Maui and More

Natasha Dado
·2 min read
1
Maui, Hawaii
Maui, Hawaii

Getty

While making your travel plans for 2022, you might want to add "get a COVID booster shot" to that list.

A number of hot tourist destinations have recently updated requirements for tourists who wish to visit or participate in indoor activities, including Maui and France.

The new restrictions were announced as the highly contagious omicron variant continues to spread.

Beginning Saturday in Maui, travelers will need to show proof of a COVID-19 booster (as soon as they are eligible) or negative coronavirus test results to dine indoors or visit bars, as reported in USA Today, adding travelers who are not vaccinated can still dine outdoors. The same rules apply to travelers planning on visiting gyms in Maui.

"Our rules reflect the changing conditions during this ongoing pandemic, and the need to protect the health and safety of our residents," Mayor Michael Victorino said in a statement last week per USA Today.

RELATED: CDC Reports That COVID Vaccines Are Safe For Children, 'Serious' Side Effects 'Rarely Reported'

And beginning Jan. 15 in France, all travelers 18 and older must show proof of a COVID-19 booster within five to seven months after receiving their previous dose, in order to obtain a French Health Pass, a form of a vaccination certificate that allows entry into musuems, bars and more.

Paris, France
Paris, France

Getty

Similar rules regarding COVID-19 boosters were recently announced in the United Arab Emirates and Netherlands.

The Netherlands has announced the only vaccine certificates that will be accepted beginning February are those showing a traveler has received a booster shot.

(In other parts of Europe all that is required for people to travel is poof of a negative COVID-19 test.)

In the United Arab Emirates, the policy on COVID-19 boosters differs widely; while both foreigners and expats visiting the Gulf state will not be required to get booster, Dubai residents will have to show proof of a COVID-19 booster if they wish to travel outside the country.

RELATED: US Breaks COVID Record at Nearly Half a Million Cases in a Single Day

As part of the battle against the ongoing spread, this week the Centers for Disease Control updated its recommendation for the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine booster to include children 12-17 years of age.

"It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease. Today, I endorsed ACIP's vote to expand eligibility and strengthen our recommendations for booster doses," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday.

"We now recommend that all adolescents aged 12-17 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their primary series. This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC's COVID-19 vaccine recommendations."

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.