Need two weeks between booster and travel?
Apr 23, 2022, 2:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Bham, AL
Programs: Marriott Gold, AmEx Plat, Agnostic on Airline Programs
Posts: 394
Need two weeks between booster and travel?
Hi all--
Quick question for anyone in the know: wife and I are heading to Germany before the South Caucasus in a couple weeks, but we also qualify to get a second booster. I think I remember reading here that that some countries required two weeks between booster and travel to be considered fully vaccinated. Obviously won't matter for Georgia or Armenia, but I worry about Germany. Am I correct in my memory, or do I have this wrong? Thanks for any help.
Quick question for anyone in the know: wife and I are heading to Germany before the South Caucasus in a couple weeks, but we also qualify to get a second booster. I think I remember reading here that that some countries required two weeks between booster and travel to be considered fully vaccinated. Obviously won't matter for Georgia or Armenia, but I worry about Germany. Am I correct in my memory, or do I have this wrong? Thanks for any help.
Apr 23, 2022, 4:04 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 641
I don’t think it matters if it’s your second booster.
Apr 23, 2022, 4:59 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA MM, AA EXP; OW Emerald, EK silver
Posts: 928
Think it's only for the first booster, the effectiveness of the second one is still somewhat controversal.
Apr 24, 2022, 12:43 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Minutes from ATL
Programs: DL
Posts: 436
With a 3.5x reduction in severe COVID for over 60s it does make a difference. The controversy is timing and optimizing cost-benefit because, like the flu vaccine, the optimal time to take it may be before major winter holidays when past outbreaks have happened rather than on the tail end of the last wave in the spring.
Apr 24, 2022, 4:00 am
#5
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
Programs: COdbaUA 1K MM, AA EXP, Bonbon Gold, GHA Titanium, Hertz PC, NEXUS and GE
Posts: 5,839
Second booster isn't relevant to getting any sort of vaccination pass in Europe, for those places that still require such.
Apr 24, 2022, 5:05 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Germany doesn’t require US passport-using visitors to have four Covid-19 shots to enter Germany from the US. I have been going in and out using a two-shot vaccine card since Q2 2021 and never even pulled out any third shot stuff for entering the Schengen zone from the US.
Apr 24, 2022, 6:26 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Bham, AL
Programs: Marriott Gold, AmEx Plat, Agnostic on Airline Programs
Posts: 394
I'm sorry, I must haven't been clear. I know that the second booster is not required for entry. I just didn't know if we opt to get one if it needs to be spaced two weeks--it sounds like it doesn't matter. Thanks for the help, everyone!
Apr 24, 2022, 8:10 am
#8
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 261
I think it depends on whether your second vaccine was more than 270 days ago. If your second shot was within that limit then your booster doesn’t count, it can be any time. However if you have exceeded that limit, then your booster is now the final shot and the rule says it must be at least 14 days before entry. This is just my interpretation, I do not know if it is correct.
Apr 24, 2022, 8:24 am
#9
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 261
Also, on the issue of a second booster, being 71 and having received the first booster in October, I chose to get the second booster this week. The second booster reaches maximum effectiveness after 4 weeks, which will be right in the middle of my trip to Germany.
Apr 24, 2022, 1:00 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
Programs: COdbaUA 1K MM, AA EXP, Bonbon Gold, GHA Titanium, Hertz PC, NEXUS and GE
Posts: 5,839
I think it depends on whether your second vaccine was more than 270 days ago. If your second shot was within that limit then your booster doesn’t count, it can be any time. However if you have exceeded that limit, then your booster is now the final shot and the rule says it must be at least 14 days before entry. This is just my interpretation, I do not know if it is correct.
Apr 26, 2022, 8:49 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1
Effectiveness is the key. My Dr. told me to get my second booster two weeks before my trip to Israel. I am 72. I have since heard that the effectiveness drops pretty much after six weeks.
Apr 30, 2022, 12:04 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2018
Location: FRA
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 1,505
Germany recognises boosters from the day of the jab, no delay.
But right now only the two original jabs are required to be "fully vaccinated".
Later this year (Oct 1st) a booster requirement will come into force but that is only for a first booster, not a second one.
But right now only the two original jabs are required to be "fully vaccinated".
Later this year (Oct 1st) a booster requirement will come into force but that is only for a first booster, not a second one.
May 2, 2022, 1:01 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards (SE), Virgin America Elevate, Hyatt Gold Passport (Platinum), VIA Preference
Posts: 3,134
It's only controversial as far as necessity among younger folks. The fact that standards and timeline for administration are so different, however, makes applying such a standard problematic.