Task force clears the way for vaccinated feds to travel

The Safer Federal Workforce taskforce released guidance on June 25 on official business travel for feds. The policies differ based on COVID-19 vaccination status.

For fully vaccinated feds, there are no longer any government-wide limits on official travel, the FAQ states. They should follow agency travel policy, which may be subject to collective bargaining obligations before changes can be cemented.

Although inoculated feds don't need to get tested or self-quarantine before or after traveling unless they're required to do so by their destination, they should look out for symptoms, wear a mask on public transportation and indoors at transport hubs like airports, the guidance states.

Vaccinated feds will also still be required to have a negative test within three days before their international flight to board, or prove that they recovered from infection within 90 days, per policy that currently applies to all air passengers coming into the United States from abroad.

For feds who aren't fully vaccinated, official domestic travel "is limited to mission critical trips," and "international travel should also be avoided if at all possible, unless it's mission critical," the guidance states. It lists military deployments, diplomatic travel or COVID-19 response activities as examples of mission critical work.

The guidance references directions from the Centers for Disease Control regarding traveling while unvaccinated. The CDC recommends pre- and post-travel testing, and directs unvaccinated people to follow masking and social distancing requirements.