Get 2nd dose of COVID vaccine in the US as a tourist

Question

I recently got my 1st dose of (Pfizer) COVID vaccine in Canada and might have to wait 2-4 months (likely 2) for my 2nd dose.

I don't want to get into the debate about whether this is acceptable from a medical point of view. Let's just say - I want to do whatever I can to follow the manufacturer's guidelines and get the 2nd dose within a 3-6 week window.

To this end, I plan to travel to Dallas to get my 2nd dose.

My main question is this: What do I tell the border agent? Just that I am there to get a 2nd shot? I think this may not be good because an agent may not like it even if there is no law that says I can't visit for this purpose (lot of Canadians travel for cancer treatment for example).

Should I just not mention vaccines and say that I am there to visit friends? I do actually have friends in Dallas that I would like to see in a socially distanced/outdoor setting.

I chose Dallas, because this is the only direct flight from Toronto to a US state where it is explicitly stated that vaccines have no residency or citizenship requirements. So this seems the least risky option in terms of time spent in planes and airports.

I plan to stay in an airport hotel, take the vaccine and PCR test (for return to Canada) at the nearest pharmacy on the same day, have 1 day to recover and fly back to Canada on day 3.

Of course, I plan to double mask anytime I am indoors and follow all the protocols. Having a few weeks' time after the 1st shot should give me some protection too.

From what I can see, the uptake of vaccines has reduced drastically in Texas. On Dallas forums, I read about mass vaccination sites closing down and there are endless open appointments on pharmacy websites. So I feel that I am not really depriving an American of a vaccine. Also, spending thousands of dollars on an American hotel, American airline, rental car company, PCR test lab etc. should make up for me taking a free dose.

Update: Of course, I will quarantine when I get back to Canada as well and hopefully reduce the wait for a 2nd dose for someone else.

Answer 1

While this page "does not apply to entry into the United States from Canada via air" it still offers some valuable insight.

Visiting friends would be:

The following categories do not fall within the definition of “essential travel:” Individuals traveling for tourism purposes, such as sightseeing, recreation, gambling, or attending cultural events in the United States.

However:

Who is considered an “essential” traveler

Individuals traveling for medical purposes (e.g., to receive medical treatment in the United States).

Therefore the simplest is to tell the truth: state you are seeking medical treatment not available in Canada. This would be accepted even on a land border. On further enquire, if there is one, I do not see why stating you are there for the vaccine would be a problem. This is always the best tactic with border control: never lie and never offer information unasked for.

This https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/vaccine-tourism-canadians-fly-south-for-shot-as-u-s-demand-falls-1.5416756 article offers stories where people openly went for the vaccine.

Answer 2

Well, this is all probably moot for Canadians now, but in case anyone is interested, I can share my experience.

I found a legitimate reason for me to be in the States (I don't want to share it) and the CBP officer had no issues with that. I took the vaccine in a Dallas CVS.

I got a CDC card with just the 2nd dose written on it and also an online receipt from CVS with the lot number and my details. Upon my return to Canada (post July 5), the physical card was accepted as proof of my vaccination (along with my 1st dose receipt that I received in Canada). I was able to avoid quarantine.

What is more interesting is that I overheard other officers actively encouraging other Canadians to get their 2nd shot in the US, even though the travelers didn't ask.

I hope people from other countries go and take their vaccines, wherever they can get it.