To test or not to test.

Old Oct 16, 21, 11:26 am
  #31  
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Originally Posted by RhinoDL View Post
Is it pretty easy to find and get a COVID test prior to re-entry into the states?
You can order a set of 6 test kits from emed.com. They are administered by yourself while a company rep watches via video. Work fine for US and some other countries.
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Old Oct 17, 21, 7:17 am
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Originally Posted by TomMM View Post
What location?
France; Bordeaux area and Paris
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Old Oct 17, 21, 8:09 am
  #33  
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Originally Posted by RhinoDL View Post
France; Bordeaux area and Paris

Paris no problem. Not familiar with the rest of France.
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Old Oct 18, 21, 8:56 am
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Originally Posted by Vember View Post
Good to know. Heading to Italy tomorrow! Did you have to show proof of negative test along with your CDC card? I have both, but my 72 hour before arrival window is pretty narrow.
We were coming from madrid (into florence), so a schengen flight. We didn't have to show a thing, was pretty much a joke the rest of our trip. No plf document check, no covid test check, no vaccine check. Just walked off the plane, collected bags and walked away.
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Old Oct 18, 21, 8:59 am
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Originally Posted by RhinoDL View Post
Is it pretty easy to find and get a COVID test prior to re-entry into the states?
was fairly easy in madrid (for test into italy) but limited sites that I could see on google so we had to walk for 30 minutes or so to the place (could have taken a taxi, but it was a nice morning), and italy was super easy for our test back to USA. You can see the white test tents on the sidewalk all over the city next to pharmacies. 20 bucks, 10 minutes and done.
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Old Oct 18, 21, 10:08 pm
  #36  
 
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What I find odd is that Italy will let you enter the country without a negative covid test. You just need to quarantine for 5 days and let their health department know. However, Delta will not let you board the flight without a negative covid test. Maybe a hold over from the covid tested flights they had going earlier.
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Old Oct 19, 21, 2:08 am
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Originally Posted by Skystreak View Post
What I find odd is that Italy will let you enter the country without a negative covid test. You just need to quarantine for 5 days and let their health department know. However, Delta will not let you board the flight without a negative covid test. Maybe a hold over from the covid tested flights they had going earlier.
When did you personally experience entering Italy without a negative covid test and quarantined for 5 days?
Where did you quarantine? What procedure did you use to notify their health department?
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Old Oct 19, 21, 2:56 pm
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I have not personally done it because who wants to go through the hastle. But it is possible according to the Italian web site. http://www.italia.it/en/useful-info/covid-19-updates-information-for-tourists.html

If, on entering Italy, travellers do not present green certification or the negative result of a swab test, they can nevertheless enter the country but will have to undergo fiduciary isolation for 5 days and inform the Prevention Department of the competent area health authority (see page: COVID-19 Toll-free numbers and regional information). After 5 days of isolation, they must perform an additional molecular or antigen test.
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Old Oct 19, 21, 4:36 pm
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Flew to Portugal and Spain last month (LAS-SLC-AMS-LIS then MAD-ATL-LAS). DL required Covid test and verified it at ticket counter AND gate in LAS, then again at the gate in SLC. AMS wanted 3 forms (per website) one of which was also distributed on the flight (but not collected). No one at AMS wanted the form or anything Covid related. On deplaning at LIS, 6 police officers stationed at the end of the jetway wanted passports and vaccination certificates (CDC card was OK). No interest in Covid test.

Hotel wanted vaccination roof at check-in but not interested in Covid test. Weekends after 7 pm required Green Pass (or CDC card) to enter restaurants, bars and malls.

No requirements for train to Porto but hotel in Porto only would look at Green Pass or vaccination certificate, no CDC card. They looked at week old certificate from pre-departure of outbound flight and were OK with that. Porto is much more into following rules than Lisbon but the cab drivers are more honest.

Spain required a form which would produce a QR code for entry to Madrid. No requirements for certificate or test. Air Europa required a Covid test prior to check-in, so that was 30 Euro per person and a 20 minute delay. Only 2 passengers on flight in first so there was no line for Sky Priority.

Entering Spain, everyone was routed to someone with a scanner to verify the QR code, that was it for Covid requirements in Spain. We did use the Abbott BinaxNow test for return to the US. Only required at check-in, but no one wanted to look at anything Covid in the US. New GE machines just use facial recognition, no more passport or fingerprint verification. Very fast but a little creepy. It does work faster than the Clear system, much faster.

Next month is Italy but I did get a Green Pass and a Green Pas Italia so it should be easier to enter and eat. I think I still need a test prior to departure. I now have 8 apps just for Covid tests and Green Passes.

Some places (Egypt) require QR codes for tests. The CommonPass app will pull data from LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics (the 2 labs that CVS and Walgreens use here) and generate a QR code. Once an account is setup with those labs the app will pull the data down and create a QR code. It takes a day longer to have the data available on LabCorp and Quest than the Walgreens and CVS sites. The test results on the Walgreens and CVS test will show what lab did the test. The CommonPass app can't pull data from CVS and Walgreens. So you'll need an access to the test facility AND the lab to get the app to pull data. It currently has 11 test providers.

Because of the time lags, I do a test 3 days before the flight and 2 days before the flight so I will have data available.

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Old Oct 19, 21, 5:23 pm
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Just FYI Boarding a flight (Delta/AF) that layovers in the EU but landing in a non-EU country the check-in agent said I should have the physical card or a photocopy, no digital. She then said never-mind as I'm only laying over. So I'm unsure on the layover rules but if you are going there they need to see the physical card OR photocopy which is laughable considering digital is the same. To twist it up even more, My friend flying United/Partner digital card was fine no questions asked with an EU layover.

I traveled just at the end of August where my digital copy was fine to use around Paris or a negative test.
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Old Oct 19, 21, 7:18 pm
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going to Europe tomorrow. test isn't technically required, but I got one anyway. I also think it will be helpful to have just in case any rules change or I somehow mis-read or mis-interpreted a foreign government website.

probably going to get a test in my destination country just so I can get the EU Pass - hopefully have them upload my CDC certificate too just to make things easier. looking to make the traveling as easy as possible
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Old Oct 20, 21, 6:34 am
  #42  
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Originally Posted by puddinhead View Post
Flew to Portugal and Spain last month (LAS-SLC-AMS-LIS then MAD-ATL-LAS). DL required Covid test and verified it at ticket counter AND gate in LAS, then again at the gate in SLC. AMS wanted 3 forms (per website) one of which was also distributed on the flight (but not collected). No one at AMS wanted the form or anything Covid related. On deplaning at LIS, 6 police officers stationed at the end of the jetway wanted passports and vaccination certificates (CDC card was OK). No interest in Covid test.

Hotel wanted vaccination roof at check-in but not interested in Covid test. Weekends after 7 pm required Green Pass (or CDC card) to enter restaurants, bars and malls.

No requirements for train to Porto but hotel in Porto only would look at Green Pass or vaccination certificate, no CDC card. They looked at week old certificate from pre-departure of outbound flight and were OK with that. Porto is much more into following rules than Lisbon but the cab drivers are more honest.

Spain required a form which would produce a QR code for entry to Madrid. No requirements for certificate or test. Air Europa required a Covid test prior to check-in, so that was 30 Euro per person and a 20 minute delay. Only 2 passengers on flight in first so there was no line for Sky Priority.

Entering Spain, everyone was routed to someone with a scanner to verify the QR code, that was it for Covid requirements in Spain. We did use the Abbott BinaxNow test for return to the US. Only required at check-in, but no one wanted to look at anything Covid in the US. New GE machines just use facial recognition, no more passport or fingerprint verification. Very fast but a little creepy. It does work faster than the Clear system, much faster.

Next month is Italy but I did get a Green Pass and a Green Pas Italia so it should be easier to enter and eat. I think I still need a test prior to departure. I now have 8 apps just for Covid tests and Green Passes.

Some places (Egypt) require QR codes for tests. The CommonPass app will pull data from LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics (the 2 labs that CVS and Walgreens use here) and generate a QR code. Once an account is setup with those labs the app will pull the data down and create a QR code. It takes a day longer to have the data available on LabCorp and Quest than the Walgreens and CVS sites. The test results on the Walgreens and CVS test will show what lab did the test. The CommonPass app can't pull data from CVS and Walgreens. So you'll need an access to the test facility AND the lab to get the app to pull data. It currently has 11 test providers.

Because of the time lags, I do a test 3 days before the flight and 2 days before the flight so I will have data available.
I've gone to Egypt twice. They don't require QR codes if from areas they know don't use them. (Ie USA)

YES, still need a PCR test if required by rules to enter. The Pass only verifies that you either have been vaccinated or have been tested within the time limit allowed.

Yoi only really need one countries version of Cpvid Pass for proof of vaccine. They all work in each other. I've used the Swiss version to enter places in France, NL, Germany, Greece and couple other EU countries.

As noted some businesses/people are more rule followers than others.

Originally Posted by cubeman View Post
Just FYI Boarding a flight (Delta/AF) that layovers in the EU but landing in a non-EU country the check-in agent said I should have the physical card or a photocopy, no digital. She then said never-mind as I'm only laying over. So I'm unsure on the layover rules but if you are going there they need to see the physical card OR photocopy which is laughable considering digital is the same. To twist it up even more, My friend flying United/Partner digital card was fine no questions asked with an EU layover.

I traveled just at the end of August where my digital copy was fine to use around Paris or a negative test.
I think agent didn't know what talking about. If they accept a copy- they accept digital. The only issue I've seen is some countries only take the original hard card.

Originally Posted by gitismatty View Post
going to Europe tomorrow. test isn't technically required, but I got one anyway. I also think it will be helpful to have just in case any rules change or I somehow mis-read or mis-interpreted a foreign government website.

probably going to get a test in my destination country just so I can get the EU Pass - hopefully have them upload my CDC certificate too just to make things easier. looking to make the traveling as easy as possible
If they convert your CDC card you'll then have an EU Pass. EU Pass can be either based on PCR test within last 48/78 hours or based on a completed vaccine within one year of completion.
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