Vaccine Tourism | Smart Medicine Reshaping the Touristry
Have you ever imagined a fun-filled holiday cum medical treatment? Well, you may not have because a holiday is something opposite of dealing with a health-related matter. However, in the present circumstances of the pandemic, such holidays are emerging. You might be surprised about the connection of COVID-19 with holidays and tourism. Keep reading as we dive deeper into this new concept of “vaccine tourism.”
You must have come across the restrictions by state lines, or foreign lines, during the present pandemic. In most cases, the state lines will only facilitate you if you have a negative report for COVID-19. But recently, several people used COVID vaccine tourism to get the vaccination and enjoy their holiday. When we say vaccine tourism, it applies to the traveler’s approach, where they fly abroad to reach COVID-19 vaccination. The good news is that number of tour operators are offering this vaccine tourism. Do you want to fly to other states using the state line? So, there are no worries. Vaccine tourism is here to protect you from COVID-19.
Are you excited to explore more about this new type of tourism? We hope if you are concerned about your health, then you must be. Therefore, sit a bit and enjoy reading about emergent tourism as we tell you the details.
What Led Us to COVID Vaccine Tourism?
Reshaping the International Travelling
COVID-19 is an ongoing global health issue. However, medical practitioners and experts are adopting smart approaches in tackling it. Vaccine tourism is an example of these smart approaches. If the vaccines are not available in your region, then COVID vaccine tourism can get you to other destinations where you can protect yourself from COVID and also enjoy the beautiful beaches. Perhaps, you must have missed those pre-COVID holidays.
You may ask what circumstances made up to adopt the approach of COVID vaccine tourism. Well, the simple answer to this the availability issues of COVID-19 vaccines. Availability of COVID-19 vaccines has remained somewhat difficult in different countries. Vaccine for COVID-19 is not fully available on a global scale yet. Even if we don’t mention the third world countries, the availability might be zero to minimal. Even in the U.S.A. and other developed countries, the COVID-19 vaccine is provided on a priority basis. For example, if you are a senior citizen or medical worker, you will be given priority.
May 2021’s Vaccine Tourism Scenario
Different people have been using different state lines to get vaccine shots. If we don’t go to a few months back but in the last 10 days, we saw a crowd of vaccine tourists at Miami Beach in Florida. Dozens of vaccine tourists used the state lines and came here from Latin America – Venezuela, Ecuador, and El Salvador. Not just U.S.A, but tour operators in other countries are also offering it. For example, the government of Maldives is supporting COVID-19 vaccine tourism. In fact, Abdulla Mausoom, tourism minister in the Maldives, gave the clues of starting the vaccine tourism.
Vaccine Tourism Vs. Conventional Tourism
Vaccine tourism is a kind of medical tourism. Before COVID-19, you must have seen people flying off to other countries for medical treatment. This is an exclusive form of medical tourism. However, vaccine tourism now means flying off to another country to get your COVID-19 vaccine jab. While, in the case of normal tourism, there is no concept of getting your vaccine shots.
Also, the COVID vaccine tourism is unlike the older medical tourism in which people fly abroad for different types of medical treatments. You must have seen your friends, family, and colleagues, etc., traveling abroad for IVF to different types of implants. In simple words, the COVID vaccine you are looking for is not available in your home country? Then you need to cater to your health and opt for vaccine tourism. Vaccine tourism is gaining interest because there is a shortage of vaccines in different countries.
Vaccine Tourism | the Smart Approach
COVID-19 is a medical issue, but it has affected all domains of human life. Among other domains, traveling and tourism are noteworthy. International travel bans are imposed to control the global pandemic situation. Restricting people to their hometown is done to stop the control of COVID-19. However, using tourism to combat COVID-19 is a smart approach. Yes, combining medical conditions with tourism can have fruitful results. International travelers across the globe are making rules to allow individuals with negative results for COVID-19. So, you may have to delay travel plans until you are vaccinated. Or you may go for vaccine tourism.
Vaccine Tourists from Different Countries
You must have seen Canadian natives struggling to get their vaccine shots. Despite the fact, they are rolled out, Canadian residents are facing issues. Therefore, they are permitted to get their vaccine shots wherever they can afford and have access to. Since Canadian authorities desire more vaccinated residents. Therefore, several Canadians are flying to the U.S. to get the vaccine. This further strengthens the new concept of COVID vaccine tourism. However, again you must consult your immigration expert before deciding to become a vaccine tourist.
In this regard, we have a piece of good news for the Indians residing in the U.S. with valid 10-year US visas. If you fulfill this condition, then you must contact an Indian travel agency for your registration. They will give you a four-day trip. The trip will be from Mumbai to New York City. It will also include a COVID vaccine shot. You can get this shot for $2,000, as NBC News reported. Also, other travel agencies working in India supported this idea. They shared the good news that they may form new packages. They will facilitate the Indian citizens to get their COVID-19 shots from other countries like U.K. and Russia in addition to the U.S. So, now you can protect yourself by using state lines or foreign lines.
Governmental Response towards Vaccine Tourism
Different news is surrounding us regarding vaccines, and now vaccine tourism since COVID-19 hit the world. You must be curious about government-level interest in vaccine tourism. So, nothing to worry about. We are here with all the details you are expecting to know, and you need to know about COVID vaccine tourism. Please keep reading as we inform you about all the relevant details.
Russia’s Sputnik V & Vaccine Tourism
There is a governmental involvement in vaccine tourism. That is why you must have heard about Russia’s Sputnik V becoming part of the vaccine tourism program. In fact, Russia’s Sputnik V is said to be at the center of this program. There is news about the start of this program in July 2021. However, the global community is still waiting for the Russian government to confirm this news. So, you will be able to grab this jab allowing you vaccine shot as well as fun-filled holidays.
You must have seen the photographs of Russia’s Sputnik V on their Twitter handle as well. Furthermore, in addition to the U.S., Russia is also planning to offer vaccine tourism. It will start in July 2021. However, the Russian government wants to keep their own citizens as an absolute priority. But they are considering vaccine tourism also. Either way, we look forward to a world getting rid of this pandemic.
Maldives’ 3Vs Strategy | The Smart Strategy
You may wonder why how the Maldives and 3Vs strategy of vaccine tourism is related. Let us help you in understanding this strategy. The Tourism Ministry of Maldives introduced this concept of 3Vs. 3Vs strategy stands for – Visit, Vaccinate, Vacation. Well, this strategy is aimed to make you healthy and protected from COVID-19. However, this is also an effort to revive the tourism industry in the Maldives. Do you imagine yourself sipping a cocktail on a sandy beach of Maldives? Well, now you can see the Maldives supporting the 3Vs strategy.
Are you curious to visit the Maldives but confused about timings? Maldives island is open to all tourists with negative results for COVID-19. However, if you want to benefit from the 3Vs strategy, you must wait for some time. In this regard, the Maldives government is aiming to vaccinate their local population first. Up till now, the Maldives government has succeeded in vaccinating 53% of the population. In this proportion, 90% of individuals represent those front-line workers in tourism.
When you hear the word ‘tourism,’ Dubai is one of the finest options to go for. However, you may be wondering about the Dubai coronavirus travel vaccines since it is one of the visitors’ hotspot. Hold on as we give you details about the fresh status of Dubai coronavirus travel vaccines. Well, like all other countries, Dubai also imposed different types of travel bans. Thanks to the vaccination. In 2021, you will see Dubai accommodating and welcoming tourists and travelers. It’s a piece of good news; now, you can fly to Dubai without getting worried about the global pandemic situation. However, vaccination is a must.
Either you can get vaccinated in your home country before arriving in Dubai. Or you can opt for Dubai coronavirus travel vaccines for protecting yourself. Like all other destinations offering vaccine tourism, you will see Dubai coronavirus travel vaccines playing an active role in reshaping traveling.
We must tell you something more exciting about Dubai coronavirus travel vaccines. Once you get your vaccination shot in Dubai, you can travel to other countries. You will enjoy several incentives after your vaccination shot in Dubai.
Yes, it sounds amazing. So let us tell you those incentives. In January 2021, authorities in Dubai gave the good news to the individuals getting vaccination jabs. This was an exemption from border regulations. Also, vaccinated individuals can enjoy relaxation from quarantine. Furthermore, UAE and the Serbian governments also cooperated by signing MoU. The MoU was about allowing COVID-Free people to enjoy travel without quarantine.
Vaccine Tourism | Legal Considerations
If you are making up your mind to fly abroad for vaccine tourism, you must consider different factors. Therefore we decided to throw light on the legal aspect of COVID vaccine tourism. So, if your question is, is vaccine tourism legal? Then the short answer to this can be YES depending on the situation. It is legal if you can travel to the U.S. and you have a proper visa. However, no one can guarantee if you will get the shot or not. Remember U.S. government is not promising you regarding vaccine tourism.
Though it may sound quite rigid about this, we are saying this in the light of official arrangements. Up till now, you may not see any official progress by foreign authorities. You will not see any foreign authorities assuring vaccine shots for vaccine tourists.
Even if we say it is legal, consider Maldives’ example, but we need to see this from a long-term perspective. That means you may opt for it if you see the Maldives continuing vaccine tourism for many months. Another aspect of vaccine tourism is about the medical ethics of vaccination. If you are affluent, you may easily arrange your holiday in Florida or other states offering vaccine tourism. However, the other decent way is to register and wait for your turn. Well, considering this global health issue, you might want to protect yourself through it, but ethically you should prefer the prior choice.
COVID Vaccine Tourism is an Ethical Act or Not?
If you are a student or practitioner in the health sciences domain, you must know the importance of ethical considerations. Therefore seeing COVID vaccine tourism from an ethical perspective is important. You may have enough resources to fly through state lines or foreign lines to get your vaccine shots. However, what about those who cannot? Because COVID-19 is a global phenomenon. It is not restricted to any race, religion, cast, etc.
If you look at the other side, you may find positivity in vaccine tourism. Yes, indeed, vaccine tourism can be used to end COVID-19. It can be the way we should adopt. But again, the monetary restrictions become a hurdle. For example, in Serbia, you will see the local population has rejected the vaccine tourism jab. It can be due to some misinformation or negligence. Now, where would the surplus doses go? Definitely, they are useful for vaccine tourism. In this case, you see, vaccine tourism is an ethical thing to do, especially when the rest of the world combats the pandemic.
As a medical sciences individual, you must be mindful of the need for fair distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine for the whole world. Only then will we be able to get rid of this pandemic. Let’s hope the efforts of biotechnologists around the world prove fruitful. And once again, we step into the world free of COVID-19.
Efforts for Preventing Vaccine Tourism
On the one side, you may see some tourism operators offering you vaccine tourism. On the other hand, you may see different countries making efforts to prevent this concept. For example, U.K. is actively engaged in this act. Therefore, as you plan to go to the U.K., you will only get your vaccine shot if your doctor offers it. Also, you are required to confirm the appointment shot based on your personal details. That means you can only get a vaccination if you are a resident and have an address to give your doctor.
However, we have good news for you if you are planning to fly to the U.K. The vaccination in the U.K. is completely free of cost. Because National Health Service (NHS) is managing it, you may think if the U.K. is preventing this, then why do you see it across the U.S.? Because in the U.S., vaccination procedure is little lightly monitored. Individual states have the responsibility for this task, and they are managing things their way. Yet, you need to get your vaccination appointments timely if you are not opting for vaccine tourism using state lines offering it.
Wrapping Up on Vaccine Tourism
Vaccine tourism is a smart approach. It is combining the field of medicine with tourism. Vaccine tourism is playing a positive role in the control of the global COVID-19 pandemic. So, now you may fly across the U.S. to get your vaccine shot. As discussed, vaccine tourism is not something illegal to do. For instance, Serbia has a surplus amount of vaccines. It is better to invite tourists to Serbia for vaccine shots instead of wasting them as the expiry date comes. Also, different countries like U.S., Maldives, Dubai, etc., are offering vaccine tourism.
In any case, the major aim of medical practitioners and biotechnologists is to end this pandemic. Therefore, either you are a medical professional or an individual who belongs to any field. You must protect yourself and others from this situation by taking proper care. Get vaccinated and enjoy good health!
Frequently asked questions
Vaccine tourism is similar to conventional tourism?
The simple answer to this question is no. Vaccine tourism is a kind of medical tourism. Before COVID-19, you must have seen people flying off to other countries for medical treatment. This is an exclusive form of medical tourism. However, vaccine tourism now means flying off to another country to get your COVID-19 vaccine jab. While, in the case of normal tourism, there is no concept of getting your vaccine shots.
Which important travel destinations have allowed tourism in 2021?
Several countries announced relaxation in the travel bans for tourists so that the spread of COVID-19 is minimal. However, thanks to the vaccination. Different countries noteworthy in this regard are Nepal, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Romania, Iceland, etc. Nepal opened the borders for tourists and did not impose the condition of a mandatory PCR test. Croatia also adopted this approach and exempted tourists from testing and quarantine. Other countries also relaxed the restrictions.
You can get your vaccination shot in Dubai by making a booking through SEHA clinics. For this purpose, you must call 80050 or visit their website, i.e., www.seha.ae. In the case of other Emirates, you can make direct contact with the relevant hospitals and clinics.
