International Travel 6/3/22
International Travel 6/3/22
What to bring and how to test for COVID before your flight home.
International Air Travel Summary:
These recommendations are up to date as of 6/3/22, but they may change. Please check with the CDC website and your airline for the latest guidelines.
Before you leave on your trip:
Check the U.S. Embassy or Consulate of the countries that you will visit to see if there are any special tests or identification that you will need to bring like your vaccine card.
In some countries, you may need to fill out an online application before you leave verifying your vaccination status in order to go inside restaurants or museums.
Make sure that you bring with you in case you get COVID symptoms or are exposed:
COVID rapid antigen tests
Specially approved COVID tests and an appointment for telemedicine proctored tests to do the day before you return to the United States if you choose to go that route. (See below.)
eMed telehealth
Azova telehealth
Qured televisit
High quality KN95 or N95 masks. You can buy reliable masks at ProjectN95.
Oxygen saturation monitor and batteries, Thermometer.
Cough and cold medicine, Diarrhea medicine for kids, Enteric coated baby aspirin to help prevent blood clots possibly. Clorox or alcohol wipes.
Paxlovid if you are at high risk.
***An extra 2 week supply of your regular medications in case you need to isolate for 2 weeks.
Health insurance cards. Vaccine cards (keep a copy at home).
Buy travel insurance that covers air and hotel delays specifically in case of COVID. (See: Best Covid-19 Travel Insurance Plans Of June 2022)
Medical insurance if yours won’t cover health costs in another country.
Travel: Medical Insurance Providers for Overseas Coverage https://buff.ly/3a4R0aL
Returning to the United States by air:
As of May 2022, all air passengers age 2 and older must have a negative COVID test taken within 1 day of departure in order to enter the United States if flying.
Non U.S. citizens who do not have a Green Card and are not lawful permanent residents will need to show proof of vaccination as well. https://buff.ly/3zbhXUA
COVID-19 Tests within 1 day of return:
You can either test locally in the country you are departing from, or you can bring a special COVID antigen test from the United States to use while proctored by a telemedicine health professional online.
Test at a local pharmacy or clinic or hotel in the country that you are visiting.
You need to have the results to bring to the airport with you.
Tests need to be done within 1 day, so this may be difficult for a Monday flight in some countries like France where most pharmacies are closed on Sundays.
Check with the local U.S. Embassy to see what clinics and pharmacies can do the COVID-19 testing for travel. Hotels may offer official tests as well.
List of U.S. Embassies and Consulates https://buff.ly/3gbUq9Q
2. Telemedicine (eMed, Azova, Qured):
Make an appointment for a telemedicine proctored test before you leave on your trip if possible and bring with you the correct test kit.
Note the HOURS that the telehealth provider is available in each time zone.
Bring an extra test for each person with you in case it is “inconclusive” or in case your flight is cancelled or delayed.
Each person in your party will need both an approved test and a separate appointment with the telehealth provider.
You will need a reliable WiFi connection for this method.
Telemedicine providers for COVID tests to fly to the United States:
Uses special BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card home test compatible with the Navica app, not the BinaxNOW Self test.
Buy these tests online at eMed or at Optum Store:
$70: Two tests via Optum https://buff.ly/3MfjsDT
$100: Three tests via Optum https://buff.ly/3ziic0h
$70: Two tests via eMed https://buff.ly/3wZG9qo
$150: Six tests via eMed https://buff.ly/3zbdz7U
__________________________________
eMed tests and tele visit: https://buff.ly/3Nf4cs8
Download the Navica app for the BinaxNOW Ag test.
For more information, visit https://www.emed.com/airline-travel.
2. Azova Telemedicine + COVID-19 test you bring from home:
COVID tests that are supported by Azova:
(844) 692–9682 or chat online on lower right of Azova website
Another option is Azova Concierge testing:
Azova will send someone out to you to do a test (available in the Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico and the United States) https://www.azova.com/traveltesting/concierge.html
3. Qured
Purchase tests online at least 2 to 5 days before you leave at https://www.qured.us/shop/products
(British Airways, American Airlines)
Video calls available 7 days a week, 9am-9pm GMT, (4am - 4pm EDT, 1am - 1pm PDT.)
If you test positive for COVID-19 while abroad:
If you test positive for COVID-19, you will need to delay your flight and you will need to stay in that country and isolate at a hotel or other accommodation at your expense.
HotelTonight or Expedia may have last minute hotels available near you.
Some places, like Montreal, have special COVID hotels near the airport for people who must quarantine. Meals are dropped off 3 times each day.
Wear a high quality KN95 or N95 mask around family members.
Check the website of your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate for more information for your specific location.
Before returning to the United States, you will need either an official negative COVID test or the positive test plus a signed letter from a healthcare provider or a public health official that states you have been cleared for travel according to CDC’s travel guidance.
If you met the criteria to travel.
Be patient. With Omicron, 80% of symptomatic people at day five were still positive and a third of symptomatic people were still positive at 10 days on antigen test. If you test positive on an antigen test, you are still contagious and should isolate even if you no longer have symptoms or you may infect others. See: https://buff.ly/3GVXWmU
It may be somewhat challenging to reschedule your flight home. Since mask mandates for airplane flights were removed, airlines have been canceling flights because flight attendants and pilots are getting sick with COVID themselves. Hopefully this will get better soon.
References:
NY Times: I’m Overseas and I’ve Tested Positive. What Now? https://buff.ly/3x0P1x3
The Points Guy: Your guide to at-home COVID-19 tests for international travel https://buff.ly/303fDzS
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel/
Study shows people are recovering from COVID in a week but testing positive on antigen test for over 10 days with Omicron https://buff.ly/3GVXWmU
Other links above