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Recently, the CDC issued an order requiring that all passengers arriving on flights to the U.S. show proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours of flight departure time. The order includes everyone over the age of 2. And yes, it also applies to U.S. citizens returning from vacations abroad.
Tests can be rapid or PCR. If you have had Covid within the past 3 months, you can show proof of your diagnosis and a letter from a doctor clearing you to travel instead of a negative Covid test. Currently, people who have been vaccinated still have to show a negative test.
This new requirement goes into effect on January 26, 2021. Based on the chatter I’m seeing on social media, this new order is throwing a wrench into people’s travel decisions.
Cost and Availability of Tests
Depending on the country, the cost and availability of the tests could be problematic. Some hotels in the Cancun area are planning to offer free tests on-site to guests. However, others are charging extra for the service.
My family currently has a trip to Mexico planned for this summer. So far, our resort has only announced on-site testing for $150 a person. That’s an extra $750 for my family! That certainly gives me pause.
Aside from cost, there could be issues finding availability of testing. With a large chunk of American and Canadian tourists needing a test, supply could be low. Scheduling a test before leaving is just a potential stressor that many don’t want to deal with on vacation.
The Realization that Quarantining Could Happen
For some people, reading about this requirement just brings to mind the possibility of testing positive and having to quarantine or receive medical care in a foreign country. Of course, this was always a possibility, even before this new testing requirement was announced. But now that visitors can’t board a plane without a negative test, the potential danger of the whole situation becomes more real.
Quarantining at home is one thing. Many people can simply work from home. But quarantining in Mexico or another country? That adds a bundle of hotel and food costs as well as the possibility of missing school or work.
Stay Tuned
Things with the pandemic are constantly changing, so this order may go away or be modified. Personally, I hope that people with proof of the vaccine will be exempted. I’m sure that countries with a large percentage of U.S. tourists (like Mexico) will figure out how to make the tests cheap and plentiful to continue to attract tourists.
In the short term, I feel that this testing requirement will hurt the travel industry. People don’t want an extra hurdle to go on vacation. But in the long term, stopping the spread of this virus will help the travel industry get back in its feet.
What are your thoughts on this new CDC requirement for international travelers?
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Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
I don’t love this but let’s be realistic here, it’s a global pandemic. There are no really good choices, so you try to pick the least bad. Has anyone come up with a practical alternative?
@Christian Nope, just the vaccine rollout.
Hey Joey, did you get this email?
Good Days Sirs:
May you enjoy your upcoming return flight to the United States. My name is Dr. Prince Irribbee Akim and I run a Covid 19 rapid testing clinic in my small home village in Nigeria. We will be able to perform the test through the Internet using our new special virus detecting software available for download. We are looking for kind souls to participate in atesting our software. We would be pleased you to kindly download our free software to test. If our software does not detect Covid 19 then we would please to issue a certified clean bill of helth certifcate for you to air travel for a small $25 cash donation to our most beloved clinic.
May you spread peace eternal on your flight.
Come on, Dave. Sterotyping and racism in a single set of comments? Couldn’t you have picked just one?
I couldn’t agree more with this article. I think it’s a little too late for this as we are a year in to the pandemic and the other more contagious strains are already in the US. For me personally it’s calling into question trips I had planned to open countries later this year simply because none of them were very long trips. I was planning a trip to the 4S Costa Rica which will do test on site but its $150 for the test and up to $150 transport fee as they send it to San Jose and they only do it on certain days and charge extra for setting up a private appointment which is what id need.
I would hope they would open up people who have the vaccine don’t need since good chance most will have it by August when im scheduled to go, but I doubt it. I also kinda find it hard that they can legally ban US citizens from returning since thats essentially what they are saying. For me personally the trip to Costa Rica would be a tight turnaround for a test which risk not getting it back in time and then it not being in the 72 hour window meaning a second test and hotel/food expense while we wait.
Most ironic part of all this is no go for international but hey I can go to Seattle, Miami or Phoenix with no problem and most are pretty open with what you can do compared to some of these international destinations that have strict measures in place.
@Steve Those short trips could be problematic with test result turnaround for sure. We are only staying 3 nights in Cancun, so we would need to test right after we arrived.
I would think the resorts might need to offer free or low cost testing to avoid massive cancellations. On Monday I had just decided to book a trip to Cancun in the next month or two Now I am thinking I better change that to somewhere within the US! Yes the thought of being stuck there for 2 extra weeks is a big deterrent! Extra money, extra time off work, and being stuck inside a hotel room is no fun, even in paradise.
@Clyn6 Hopefully the resorts are working on free/cheaper options. I hope you find a good option for your upcoming trip!
I actually wouldn’t be surprised if illegal or counterfeit or fake test results will be more common. :/
There is a risk for that. Since a lot of these destinations popular with tourists have illegal or other shady stuff going on — illegal drug sales and prostitution can be part of the scene at some resort destinations — it should not be a surprise if there are also illegal/fake test results in some resort marketplace where testing demand is high.
@Joey I wouldn’t be surprised either.