So confused about Covid travel requirements

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. I am confused as well. I understand that you need a negative covid test 1 day prior to re-entry into US. What happens if you test positive on the day before your flight? How long do you need to wait to fly home if asymptomatic? It could take weeks to get a negative test.

You have a 10 day period before you can travel again, then two consecutive negative tests are required. My husband’s coworker tested positive on a work trip and is stuck in the UK until at least next week. Luckily his work is picking up costs. If you are traveling as a family and one person tests positive then you are supposed to quarantine as a group but it is not enforced. I believe you can also get a doctor to override the waiting period with cause or to retest and challenge results but the language is vague about how often or for what reasons that is allowed.

A lot of this is incorrect or mixing of recommendations and actual requirements. Here are your options to be able to board a plane from outside the US to get back:

1. A negative test, observed by someone else, with printed/emailed results with your name, date,test, etc, taken no more than one calendar day before your flight. It doesn't matter how many positive tests you have had before, or if you have had positive tests for 3 days or however long. If you can produce a proctored negative test, you can get on the plane.

OR

2. Evidence of a positive test within the last 3 months, along with a doctor's certificate of recovery, which basically says your name, date of birth, etc, and that you tested positive on X date, and that as of at least 10 days later you no longer have symptoms.

That's it. One of those two things. You can see the details here. There is nothing there about needing two negative tests after a positive, or about "retest and challenge results"

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

Pp was asking what happens if they test positive, not the requirements for the initial test protocol

If you test positive, you stay in whatever country you are until you can meet one of the above requirements.

It's not been my experience that if you test positive you are banned from the US entry until you test negative.
A member of our traveling party tested positive in London. The nurse practitioner who took her test said she could return to the US 5 days after her symptoms started. In her case, she needed to stay in UK for 3 additional days. I realize this raises questions, but that's been my very recent experience.

In that case the person used the Recovery Certificate option, which apparently the NP was willing to give after 5 days. Maybe in the UK they have a 5 day standard for recovery? Generally US-based doctors will give it after 10 days.

It is confusing and seems inconsistent.
I think the policy should always been vaxxed to enter OR negative test -- but no one asked my opinion.

[Anonymous]

I am also concerned. I am going to Portugal this summer. I do not understand if a negative PCR in addition to being vaccinated.

I had Covid recently in terms of when I will be traveling, and I am planning to get the 90 day letter to return to the US without testing. It seems Portugal also has a recent exemption, but I am unsure if it is only for European travelers, because it seems reference a European recovery certificate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you need an antigen test to come home to the US.

Have a plan for what happens if one of you catches covid.

We don't have kids, but we have a pet to get home to. So we travel with our own tests from Emed.com and we bring work laptops. If one of us is negative, that person will depart and get back home. We also get Trawick covid travel insurance as a backup, pretty cheap for what you get.

It looks like Trawick are based out of Alabama. I will not be sending them my money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you need an antigen test to come home to the US.

Have a plan for what happens if one of you catches covid.

We don't have kids, but we have a pet to get home to. So we travel with our own tests from Emed.com and we bring work laptops. If one of us is negative, that person will depart and get back home. We also get Trawick covid travel insurance as a backup, pretty cheap for what you get.

It looks like Trawick are based out of Alabama. I will not be sending them my money.

Idiot. Do you also not by corn or wheat from Iowa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you need an antigen test to come home to the US.

Have a plan for what happens if one of you catches covid.

We don't have kids, but we have a pet to get home to. So we travel with our own tests from Emed.com and we bring work laptops. If one of us is negative, that person will depart and get back home. We also get Trawick covid travel insurance as a backup, pretty cheap for what you get.

It looks like Trawick are based out of Alabama. I will not be sending them my money.

Is this a joke?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. I am confused as well. I understand that you need a negative covid test 1 day prior to re-entry into US. What happens if you test positive on the day before your flight? How long do you need to wait to fly home if asymptomatic? It could take weeks to get a negative test.

You have a 10 day period before you can travel again, then two consecutive negative tests are required. My husband’s coworker tested positive on a work trip and is stuck in the UK until at least next week. Luckily his work is picking up costs. If you are traveling as a family and one person tests positive then you are supposed to quarantine as a group but it is not enforced. I believe you can also get a doctor to override the waiting period with cause or to retest and challenge results but the language is vague about how often or for what reasons that is allowed.

A lot of this is incorrect or mixing of recommendations and actual requirements. Here are your options to be able to board a plane from outside the US to get back:

1. A negative test, observed by someone else, with printed/emailed results with your name, date,test, etc, taken no more than one calendar day before your flight. It doesn't matter how many positive tests you have had before, or if you have had positive tests for 3 days or however long. If you can produce a proctored negative test, you can get on the plane.

OR

2. Evidence of a positive test within the last 3 months, along with a doctor's certificate of recovery, which basically says your name, date of birth, etc, and that you tested positive on X date, and that as of at least 10 days later you no longer have symptoms.

That's it. One of those two things. You can see the details here. There is nothing there about needing two negative tests after a positive, or about "retest and challenge results"

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

Pp was asking what happens if they test positive, not the requirements for the initial test protocol

If you test positive, you stay in whatever country you are until you can meet one of the above requirements.

It's not been my experience that if you test positive you are banned from the US entry until you test negative.
A member of our traveling party tested positive in London. The nurse practitioner who took her test said she could return to the US 5 days after her symptoms started. In her case, she needed to stay in UK for 3 additional days. I realize this raises questions, but that's been my very recent experience.

In that case the person used the Recovery Certificate option, which apparently the NP was willing to give after 5 days. Maybe in the UK they have a 5 day standard for recovery? Generally US-based doctors will give it after 10 days.

It is confusing and seems inconsistent.
I think the policy should always been vaxxed to enter OR negative test -- but no one asked my opinion.

Totally agree.
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on where you’re going. At this point, you’ll need a negative test to re-enter the US.

Yes, or go to Canada or Mexico and enter the US at a land crossing- no test is required for any of that for vaccinated travelers.

Can anyone tell me if they have done this? Its not ideal but curious if it actually works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on where you’re going. At this point, you’ll need a negative test to re-enter the US.

Yes, or go to Canada or Mexico and enter the US at a land crossing- no test is required for any of that for vaccinated travelers.

Can anyone tell me if they have done this? Its not ideal but curious if it actually works.

I have a friend who did this, was returning to California. Flew to Tijuana airport, which has a border crossing bridge right outside the airport (the airport is directly on the border). Crossed via that crossing on foot, then took Uber to San Diego and continued trip from there.

Some NHL hockey teams are also consistently doing this to ensure they are able to have their teams intact for the playoffs.

https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2022/05/07/teams-get-creative-crossing-us-canada-border-in-nhl-playoffs/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on where you’re going. At this point, you’ll need a negative test to re-enter the US.

Yes, or go to Canada or Mexico and enter the US at a land crossing- no test is required for any of that for vaccinated travelers.

Can anyone tell me if they have done this? Its not ideal but curious if it actually works.

I have a friend who did this, was returning to California. Flew to Tijuana airport, which has a border crossing bridge right outside the airport (the airport is directly on the border). Crossed via that crossing on foot, then took Uber to San Diego and continued trip from there.

Some NHL hockey teams are also consistently doing this to ensure they are able to have their teams intact for the playoffs.

https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2022/05/07/teams-get-creative-crossing-us-canada-border-in-nhl-playoffs/

For the east coast, easiest option is to fly to Toronto and take a bus to Buffalo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on where you’re going. At this point, you’ll need a negative test to re-enter the US.

Yes, or go to Canada or Mexico and enter the US at a land crossing- no test is required for any of that for vaccinated travelers.

Can anyone tell me if they have done this? Its not ideal but curious if it actually works.

I have a friend who did this, was returning to California. Flew to Tijuana airport, which has a border crossing bridge right outside the airport (the airport is directly on the border). Crossed via that crossing on foot, then took Uber to San Diego and continued trip from there.

Some NHL hockey teams are also consistently doing this to ensure they are able to have their teams intact for the playoffs.

https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2022/05/07/teams-get-creative-crossing-us-canada-border-in-nhl-playoffs/

For the east coast, easiest option is to fly to Toronto and take a bus to Buffalo.

I am confused. I thought Canada required a negative covid test if you were flying into their border.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on where you’re going. At this point, you’ll need a negative test to re-enter the US.

Yes, or go to Canada or Mexico and enter the US at a land crossing- no test is required for any of that for vaccinated travelers.

Can anyone tell me if they have done this? Its not ideal but curious if it actually works.

I have a friend who did this, was returning to California. Flew to Tijuana airport, which has a border crossing bridge right outside the airport (the airport is directly on the border). Crossed via that crossing on foot, then took Uber to San Diego and continued trip from there.

Some NHL hockey teams are also consistently doing this to ensure they are able to have their teams intact for the playoffs.

https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2022/05/07/teams-get-creative-crossing-us-canada-border-in-nhl-playoffs/

For the east coast, easiest option is to fly to Toronto and take a bus to Buffalo.

I am confused. I thought Canada required a negative covid test if you were flying into their border.

Not anymore. We're the only dumbasses wit hthe requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on where you’re going. At this point, you’ll need a negative test to re-enter the US.

Yes, or go to Canada or Mexico and enter the US at a land crossing- no test is required for any of that for vaccinated travelers.

Can anyone tell me if they have done this? Its not ideal but curious if it actually works.

An acquaintance tested positive before coming back from a ski trip in British Columbia. They rented a car, drove across the border and took a flight home from Seattle. A little bit of a hassle, but less trouble and expense than staying in Whistler or Vancouver until they tested negative.

[Anonymous]

this was a trump policy before vaccines were available, right? why would Biden keep this requirement rather than just require vax OR negative test?

[Anonymous]

It's such a dumb requirement. My brother, sister-in-law, and nephew went to Spain this past March. SIL tested positive and had to stay for 10 days in Madrid. Brother and nephew flew home because they had work and school. My brother tested positive the next day. Does anyone think he wasn't contagious on the airplane?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this was a trump policy before vaccines were available, right? why would Biden keep this requirement rather than just require vax OR negative test?

It was put in place about a week before Trump's term ended. Vaccines were available by then, but were still pretty limited. That was when the Alpha surge was happening in the UK, which then arrived shortly after in the US.

In early December 2021 the CDC shortened the testing timeframe to one calendar day from three, as Omicron was becoming more apparent.