The rumors about travel in our COVID-plagued world continue to worry those who are hurting to get out there again. Do I need a COVID-19 test to get on a plane? What is a health passport? Can’t I just take my vaccine card with me? If I do not, does that mean I can not travel? Should I just sit in my basement?
We will first answer the last question: No, do not try to sit in your basement, partly because most homes in California do not have basements.
Those hoping to travel to the US or visit another country may need new documents and new responsibilities. Here are the answers to some common questions.
Do I need a negative COVID-19 test to get on a domestic flight? Mostly no. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention briefly discussed the idea last month before rejecting it. But the agency recommends that you be tested three to five days after the trip and stay home for a week.
One type of exception is Hawaii, which requires you to do a negative test before you arrive or plan to quarantine the first ten days you are there. Your test must come from a list of designated test sites (bit.ly/hawaiitestsites).
Do I need a negative test to fly home to a foreign destination?? Yes. It does not matter if you are a citizen; the CDC says that you must take a negative test within three days of your departure.
What if I had the vaccine? In some cases, it may not end up in a country.
You may have completed your shots, but you will not be allowed in Australia or Belgium. You can use the Canada Restrictions Wizard to see if your circumstances allow you to enter.
For example, I plugged in that I’m a stranger, have no COVID symptoms and come from the US for a wedding. Answer: No, not allowed. There is some wrapping space in some categories. If you want to die someone who dies, you can get in, but the person you are visiting must be a Canadian and you must apply for “merciful access”. If the person is not a Canadian resident, the answer is no.
Will proof of a vaccine or a negative test be the key to traveling to some countries? Probably, and this is why you’re starting to hear about ‘health passports’, programs that allow you to carry proof of your vaccination or a negative test on your smart device.
Who creates it? Various organizations, including the World Economic Forum and the Commons Project Foundation (CommonPass); IBM (Digital Health Pass); and the International Air Transport Assn. (Travel Pass, which will be integrated into some airline programs).
Some countries are developing their own, including Bahrain and Malaysia. Airlines are joining forces with companies like VeriFly to speed up the security / identity issues that are at the heart of the travel experience.
Why are more of these not ready to go? Because it’s more complicated than it seems at first glance. The challenge is not just health-related travel considerations. Instead, it’s about creating a secure, digital and comprehensive system, says Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president, airport, passenger, cargo and security.
People are understandably nervous about the security of their information. “From our perspective as a data industry,” said Rob Shavell, a privacy expert and CEO of Abine, “it is very difficult to protect information once it is there.”
Some organizations say that they will leave the data with you – that is, on your phone so that you have control over it. But, Shavell said, ‘It’s much safer that all data stays on the phone … [But] the programs themselves may have security issues. ”
For digital, check your documentation if you have had the COVID-19 vaccination. Chances are you have a small white card. The name I received was blank. I could have written in any name. Furthermore, it was paper. If 60% of LA County residents get the vaccine, it’s 5.7 million records if your children under 5 drop out, based on a July 2019 census population.
The LA County Department of Public Health said these records are being digitized. ‘We send out electronic digital records of vaccination with the date and type (Moderna / Pfizer / J & J), so [recipients] can store it in their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and always get it from their phone, ”a spokesman said in an email.
But, Careen said, the process of digitization is going to “require governments to think retrospectively.”
Then there is the digital standard. Should the vaccination records, not just those in the US, match? Alas, yes. The standards are still being studied, although recommendations are expected in the next few weeks, perhaps earlier, he said.
Some people will be deprived of their rights because they do not have computer skills or accessibility. Airlines should still have the ability to look at paper records. But, Careen said, “If we verify everyone’s paper, you will never get a plane off the ground, nor can you solve an operational problem.”
Why would a proof of vaccination be accepted if those who have been vaccinated can still spread the virus? Much is still unknown about the spread of COVID-19 by people who have been vaccinated, but it appears that the vaccine reduces the chance of infecting someone else.
“Transmission occurs when enough viral particles of an infected person end up in the body of an uninfected person,” said microbiologist Deborah Fuller of the University of Washington’s School of Medicine in an interview with the World Economic Forum, which is to develop the CommonPass.
‘Theoretically, anyone infected with the coronavirus could possibly transmit it. But a vaccine will reduce the chance of that happening.
‘In general, if vaccination does not completely prevent infection, it will significantly reduce the amount of virus coming out of your nose and mouth, and reduce the time you shed. This is a big deal. A person who spills less virus is less likely to transmit it to someone else. ‘
Because it is not 100%, social distance, vigilance and care are still a good idea, she said.
Countries are also concerned about travelers getting COVID-19 and having to be hospitalized, which is why many people want proof of vaccination and health insurance. They do not want their health systems to be burdened by foreigners with valuable resources that should be reserved for citizens.
Each country has its own conditions for access. The countries of the European Union, for example, have opened their borders to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and China (but with conditions for retroactivity from China). Note which country is not on the list.
Maybe you can try Iceland or Italy. Nope. Iceland is not a member of the European Union, but follows its guidelines, just like EU member Italy. So far, U.S. citizens have been banned from traveling to or from other countries.
Change is constant, so the website of the destination or its embassy will be useful. Also look at IATA’s open-ended map, which places rules and right for visits to different countries.
If it looks messy, unformed and a little out of control, it’s because it’s so. No one has planned on this, but organizations try to get out before it is possible.
In the future, Careen says his job is to make it ‘less chaotic’.
“We owe it to the industry. … We owe it to consumers. ”
Do you have a travel problem or question? Write to [email protected]. We regret that we cannot answer every question.