AFS strongly advises that participants, host families and volunteers follow CDC guidance related to the COVID-19 vaccine and booster but does not require the COVID-19 vaccine as a requirement to be involved with the organization.
Any COVID-19 vaccination and booster requirements for our hosted participants would come from the federal, state, local governments or the school, not from AFS.
Further, AFS does not require individuals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or booster to serve as a host or volunteer with AFS. The decision and ability of AFS to mandate vaccinations implicate operational and legal challenges which pose significant burdens and risks that AFS-USA is not equipped to handle and to take on.
We do strongly encourage participants and their parent(s)/guardian(s) to follow CDC recommendations, and participants must meet the school vaccines requirements. However, we defer to the recommendations of the participant’s physician, in consultation with the parent(s)/guardian(s), for any medical related decisions.
Given the fluidity of COVID testing and vaccine related travel requirements, please, consult the CDC website for the most up to date information related to entry requirements for the USA. As of this writing, travelers to the US under the age of 18 are exempt from the requirement to show proof of vaccination.