Planning a trip overseas requires more research than usual as you will need to monitor varying rates of vaccination in different countries and possible COVID-19 outbreaks. Even within the European Union, which will gradually reopen to vaccinated American tourists, the timing and the rules for easing those restrictions will vary by country.
Eric Toner, a senior scientist in environmental health and engineering at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, recommends staying away from destinations where the COVID-19 positivity rates are above 5% of the population and where vaccination programs aren't robust.
The CDC offers a country-by-country COVID-19 risk assessment to help you make travel decisions. Visit cdc.gov, and under "Diseases and Conditions," click on "Coronavirus Disease 2019," choose "Travel," and scroll down to select "International Travel During COVID-19."
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
The potential for massive outbreaks of the disease like the one in India this past spring will decline as immunity grows through vaccinations and infections. Still, "it is not impossible since new variants could arise," says Toner, who recommends waiting as long as possible before booking a trip.
-
The $33,000 Retirement: One Man's Surprising Path to Financial Freedom at 61Forget what society tells you, even with less than $1 million, you can be happy in retirement.
-
The Best Aerospace and Defense ETFs to BuyThe best aerospace and defense ETFs can help investors capitalize on higher government defense spending or hedge against the potential of a large-scale conflict.
-
7 Golf Course Destinations to Vacation Away from the CrowdsBeat the growing crowds of new golfers at these golf course destinations off the beaten path.
-
Amazon Resale: Where Amazon Prime Returns Become Your Online BargainsFeature Amazon Resale products may have some imperfections, but that often leads to wildly discounted prices.
-
The United and JetBlue Partnership: Everything We Know About Blue Sky So FarBlue Sky, the United and JetBlue partnership just announced, will give frequent fliers more ways to earn and use miles. Here's what you need to know.
-
Struggling with How to Plan a Trip? These Companies Will HelpTravel Plans Sit back, relax and let the professionals handle the logistics.
-
457 Plan Contribution Limits for 2025Retirement plans There are higher 457 plan contribution limits for state and local government workers in 2025. That's good news for state and local government employees.
-
Medicare Basics: 12 Things You Need to KnowMedicare There's Medicare Part A, Part B, Part D, Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans and so on. We sort out the confusion about signing up for Medicare — and much more.
-
The Seven Worst Assets to Leave Your Kids or Grandkidsinheritance Leaving these assets to your loved ones may be more trouble than it’s worth. Here's how to avoid adding to their grief after you're gone.
-
SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2025SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $70,000 in 2025, up from $69,000 in 2024.
