Guam Will Vaccinate You If You Come for Vacation with Its New 'Air V&V' Program
A Little R&R and J&J all in one.
Guam wants to help you kill two birds with one post-pandemic stone: To go on a vacation and to get vaccinated all at once.
The US territory located in the South Pacific recently announced its new Air V&V program (short for vaccination and vacation), which provides tourists with a COVID-19 vaccine during their stay. According to the Guam Visitors Bureau, the program aims to boost travel to the beautiful island while bolstering vaccination rates in neighboring countries.
“This program captures a unique demographic of travelers around the world that are tired of waiting to get vaccinated in this pandemic," Carl T.C. Gutierrez, the president and CEO of the visitor’s bureau, shared in a statement. "This will give a shot in the arm to our tourism industry through this unique and valuable service, offering more opportunities to put our people back to work and get our economy roaring again.”
To take part in the program, visitors must first book a package at a participating hotel. The hotel will then assist guests in scheduling their PCR appointments to ensure they are COVID-free before receiving their vaccinations right in their hotel room. If a guest chooses to have the Moderna or Pfizer shot, the hotel will also schedule the second dose. But remember: With these vaccines, you must wait at least three weeks between doses, so make sure to plan for an extended stay if you choose this path.
In total, packages include transportation to and from the airport, three COVID-19 tests, the administration of the vaccine, health monitoring, and digital vaccination records.
To travel to Guam, all international travelers must still provide a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of boarding their flight. Guests must also adhere to a strict seven-day quarantine at an approved hotel starting on arrival. On day six of their stay, however, guests can take a PCR test and be released from quarantine should it be negative.
Anyone aged 12 or older is eligible to take part in the program. See all the rules and participating hotels on the Air V&V website now.