If you are thinking about any kind of travel – even if you’re looking at later into 2021 – chances are that how the current pandemic situation will affect those travel plans has crossed your mind. Even with the welcome news that vaccines are on the way, we know that it will be a number of months before we can all get back to “pre-pandemic” travel. So with all of that in mind, let’s talk today about COVID tests, quarantines, and travel – and what you need to know.
Before we do that though, one caveat: as should be evident by now, things change. A lot. And often. What is the situation today may or may not be the situation when you travel. So be sure to research all of the details carefully and use a travel professional for guidance and the most up to date information on your destination.
Now that we have established that….
The first thing you’ll want to determine is, do you need to get a COVID test before you travel? The answer is – maybe. It depends on where you are going. The islands in the Caribbean, Mexico, and even some states in the U.S. have different requirements regarding what people need to have before they can enter. Some require a negative COVID test taken prior to arrival – and proof will need to be submitted online before you leave. The timeframe for doing the test can vary from 24 hours in advance to as much as 7 days in advance. Some places will also require a health form to be submitted. Some will also do health screenings and/or temperature checks on arrival and may even require a second COVID test once you’re there. It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that these protocols vary widely and change regularly.
So once you’ve determined that you do need a negative test before your trip, then you’ll need to make sure you get the right kind of test – the one that your destination requires. Because again, requirements vary widely. Generally though, what you will want is a “virus” test and not an “antibody” test. A virus test will determine if you have the coronavirus (at the time you take the test), and an antibody test will detect if you have an immune response because of past exposure. That’s the first thing you’ll want to be cautious about – making sure you are getting a “virus” test. After that, you will want to determine the type of virus test your destination requires because again, every place is different.
PCR tests are typically considered the best option because of their accuracy and reliability. This test will require a swab in the nose or the back of the throat, although some tests use saliva. Another type of diagnostic test is an antigen test, which in layman’s terms, is basically looking for bits of coronavirus proteins which will indicate viral infection. For antigen tests, a sample is collected by nasal swabbing, with hopes that there are some virus proteins in the sample. Many of the rapid tests you hear about are the antigen tests and they are popular because they typically take minutes to return results. However, they can tend to be less accurate with false negatives, which is why many destinations specify that the test you take must be a PCR test. I can’t stress enough that it’s very important to be certain you are getting the right type of test.
Your destination will note their requirements for travelers, from the type of test, to when you must have it done, and they may even require you to use an approved lab. Details are important here because you don’t want to arrive thinking you did everything right only to find out that one small step was overlooked. (Again – this is just one way your travel agent is invaluable.) The destination will also note if there will be any health forms that must be submitted in advance, along with what to expect when you arrive.
All of this begs the question: what happens if you do everything right, get the right kind of test from the correct lab etc., and you don’t get your negative results in time for your trip? The answer again, is it depends on the destination. In some cases, you may not be able to board the plane. Or you may be able to board but will have to quarantine when you arrive until you get a negative test result. (It’s important to note that if you do arrive with a pending test result, and find out that your test is positive once you’re there, you may be required to quarantine in place for your trip until you are no longer positive.)
OK, so you’ve done all this, had a fantastic time on your vacation, and now are getting ready to return home. What can you expect when you arrive back to your home state? Will you need to quarantine there? Again– it depends on where you live (are you sensing a theme here?). While there is no nationwide quarantine policy, a number of states at the moment do in fact require residents to quarantine when they return home – or to submit a negative test result to avoid the quarantine. What is required may also depend on your employer, as many have restrictions that go beyond what your state requires. So it’s super important to check into all of that before you leave – and make sure you have the ability (ie: additional vacation days) to quarantine at home if it is necessary. Of course, keep in mind that restrictions may be imposed or lifted at any time, so always check your state’s website before travel.
If you’re thinking of travel months from now, it’s important to realize that while things will be different as time goes on (in a good way), at the same time we don’t know what kind of COVID-related requirements there may be for the foreseeable future. It’s certainly possible that COVID testing may be with us for a while. Some airlines are discussing the possibility of requiring a negative COVID test – or even a vaccine – in the future, in order to fly and/or enter another country. As travel changed after 911, it’s not unreasonable to think that even when we are “back to normal” things may look a little different. And that’s ok!
The key to traveling, or planning travel now, is to stay informed and stay flexible. Oh, and be sure to work with a trusted, experienced travel advisor who can guide you through everything so all you need to do is show up and start making vacation memories!
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