Covid Testing, Digital covid vacc apps, Oh My!!!

[Alan]

Quite the crazy adventure during a pandemic! He’ll have lots of interesting stories to tell.

He’ll still be telling the tale after he has grandchildren I should think.

 

[audreyh1]

He’ll still be telling the tale after he has grandchildren I should think.

Exactly!

Unless it’s the new normal. Hopefully not, knock on wood!

 

[rodi]

Since my last post they moved to Budapest... And as of this morning (my time) they were in Hvar Croatia - a ferry ride away from Split.

He flies from Split Airport on Wed. afternoon to Barcelona... And flies home on Friday.

He's having a great time. So far testing negative (thank goodness!!!) He's made friends along the way and may stay with a friend he made in Barcelona for the 2 nights before he flies out. I think he's running low on cash, though. LOL.

 

[Alan]

Sounds like this trip is really going well for him.

 

[rodi]

Sounds like this trip is really going well for him.

Yep. They've had some less ideal conditions on trains (they didn't want to pay for seat reservations - and have had to stand for hours on a couple of legs of the trip.) And they've had to do way more covid testing than they'd originally thought... But that's good, IMO. Hopefully only one more test on Wednesday, before he gets on the flight to Barcelona, and within the 3 day window for his return to the US on Friday.

This is definitely a life changing trip for him. He is making lots of friends and seeing cool places.... and growing up. Wish I'd done this at his age.

 

[Chuckanut]

This is definitely a life changing trip for him. He is making lots of friends and seeing cool places.... and growing up. Wish I'd done this at his age.

A few years ago I was talking with a lady who was showing me some photos her sons had sent her from a long trip to Europe they were taking. It looked like great fun! Seeing the sites, flying all over the place, lots of sunshine, hiking in farms, mountains valleys, new friends, and an ample supply of gals.

I expressed the same sentiments you did. Wish I'd done this at his age. Then she reminded me at when we were his age, the airfare alone would have crushed our budgets. Combine that with currency exchanges and no open borders (well, they are not quite as open today as pre Covid), fewer cheap alternatives, and traveling like that was much harder and more expensive.

OTOH, I am doing far more international travel in my Golden Years than my parents generation and grandparents. All the benefit isn't reserved for the young ones.

Each generation has new advantages over the previous ones, and new challenges. Somehow, humanity seems to survive it.

 

[rodi]

LOL - I'd be hard pressed to do more international travel than my dad did. He did 3 major int'l trips per year once retired.... Only one a year prior to retiring. Once us kids launched he switched from our family backpacks to international trips. It inspired me to travel as soon as I could afford it.

 

[candrew]

Been following this thread with interest as DW & I depart for France on Saturday evening. Our trip is originating in Mexico City (Mexico is classified as an "orange" country on France's travel list). Our destination is Nice with a connecting flight in Paris. We'll be traveling between Italy and the South of France for 3 months.

Proof of our vax in the U.S. is sufficient enough for the first leg to Paris with no negative COVID test required. OTH, our connecting flight to Nice requires a "COVID Pass". We submitted applications electronically to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs this past Sunday morning and received our COVID passes early this morning via email.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Canada visit

I am far from a world traveler, DW and I just spent a week in Canada on a fishing trip They opened their border to US citizens on 8/9, when the outfitter we use called with an opening we jumped on it. We went to the Can App to complete all the proof of vaccination, then we got tested 72 hours prior to our visit and filled out the rest of the info. that they requested. One was to have a 14 day quarantine plan in case we tested positive while in Canada.

Customs went very smoothly, maybe 10 minutes. No line either.

That said, I have to compliment Canada on opening their borders and making it relatively simple to visit.

The outfitter contacted other groups who did the same as us, two of them didn't get to go because someone in their group (fully vaccinated) tested positive.

The US is still not allowing Canada citizens to enter the US so customs on our return were fast and routine.

Canada is still pretty well masked up and more cautious than the US.

 

[rodi]

My vagabond son has started his wandering back home. On a flight from Split, Croatia to Barcelona. Had to fill out the Spain entry form again for vaccinated travelers but no covid test required. Tomorrow he'll do the covid test for his return to the US on Friday.

All in, from the day before he left through tomorrow's test, he'll have done 11 covid tests for access to a country (Hungary), hostel (Vienna) or access to restaurants and bars (Vienna and Prague).

 

[audreyh1]

We submitted applications electronically to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs this past Sunday morning and received our COVID passes early this morning via email.

That’s very good to know! It’s a QR code, right?

 

[candrew]

That’s very good to know! It’s a QR code, right?

Yes, a QR code.

 

[audreyh1]

Did they need more than your CDC cards?

 

[candrew]

Did they need more than your CDC cards?

In addition to CDC vax cert, scanned copies of return airline ticket, passport and completed, signed application form.

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/c...e-if-you-were-vaccinated-abroad-procedure-for

 

[rodi]

Looks like the Czech Republic is locking down against US *un*vaccinated persons. As mentioned above, Prague required a negative covid test when my son was there earlier this month (He's vaccinated). And most restaurants/clubs - even a bowling alley - required a negative test. As mentioned in an earlier post above - Vienna and Prague both had a lot of 'negative test required, regardless of vaccine status.'

https://thepointsguy.com/news/czech-republic-bans-unvaccinated-americans/

 

[Happyras]

OK, so now with several cancelled flights behind us, it looks like our trip in September is a go. I ordered the eMed 6 pack of CDC approved tests you do remotely. Two for our outbound, two for our return and two incase we mess them up or can't get a test in Prague or Vienna to allow us to go out. We will now have to layover in LHR on the return, but the Hyatt is close and cheap. We will report back as Rodi's son has done the similar trip. We booked all trains with reserved seats 1st class or Business so hopefully no crowded rail cars, just pick pockets preying on 1st class sleepers.....

 

[Happyras]

Did someone already post about the eMed test kits? Yes Rodi did in the first post, but its the best option I have found and needs to be repeated....Optum sells 2 and 3 packs, but eMed sells the 6 pack directly for about $27.50 per test delivered overnight FEDEX. Much cheaper than going for a rapid test locally with risk of delayed results prior to flights.

 

[rodi]

Happyras - have a great trip. Apparently tests are easy to get (and often free) in Vienna. They are similar to the emed antigen tests with an online telehealth verification of the testing. My son and his buddy grabbed a lot of extras from their hostel in Vienna before heading to Prague. The qr/pdf results were accepted everywhere they needed them. Son saved his emed tests for the trip home, since he knows airlines take them.

Heads up on the emed tests - the test itself is only 15 minutes - but the wait to get a telehealth person can be an hour... so set aside time for that.

 

[rodi]

Did someone already post about the eMed test kits? Optum sells 2 and 3 packs, but eMed sells the 6 pack directly for about $27.50 per test delivered overnight FEDEX. Much cheaper than going for a rapid test locally with risk of delayed results prior to flights.

I posted in one of the first posts in this thread. It's a good deal. But caveat is the wait for the telehealth person can take a while.

 

[MisterBill]

What is people's experience getting their Covid test covered by Medicare if they have an Advantage plan (assuming you get it at a place that normally charges, of course). Medicare says that they will cover it for free under Part B. I checked with my Advantage plan provider, and they told me that they would only cover it if medially necessary, and not as a pre-travel requirement. But I checked with two local test providers and they both told me that if I just enter my Part B information instead of my Advantage plan, it will be paid.

The second place told me to ask Medicare, and they told me that in general when you have an Advantage plan, they reject anything submitted directly to Part B. But both told me that no one had come in to complain about being charged, and the second person (the urgent care center) said her father had gotten it.

I need to get one for a cruise in three weeks (and they will take the rapid test results), but If I know that I won't be charged, I will go in for a test run next week just to see how it works. We have not been tested previously. There may be free testing facilities in my area but not locally.

 

[oiseux]

In addition to CDC vax cert, scanned copies of return airline ticket, passport and completed, signed application form.

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/c...e-if-you-were-vaccinated-abroad-procedure-for

Interestingly, we did not require anything as a full transit passenger via Munich (though the mask requirements on the LH leg were for a higher caliber of mask -- surgical, FPP2, KN95 or better).

My pass didn't arrive until five days after arrival, unlike my spouses', after a resubmission. People are getting uneven responses from the system. However, it seems all the restaurants in Nice are accepting the card in lieu (from what we were told from friends/acquaintances here; even my restaurant reservation confirmation said a foreign certificate was OK). Everywhere has checked, however.

 

[rodi]

What is people's experience getting their Covid test covered by Medicare if they have an Advantage plan (assuming you get it at a place that normally charges, of course). Medicare says that they will cover it for free under Part B. I checked with my Advantage plan provider, and they told me that they would only cover it if medially necessary, and not as a pre-travel requirement. But I checked with two local test providers and they both told me that if I just enter my Part B information instead of my Advantage plan, it will be paid.

The second place told me to ask Medicare, and they told me that in general when you have an Advantage plan, they reject anything submitted directly to Part B. But both told me that no one had come in to complain about being charged, and the second person (the urgent care center) said her father had gotten it.

I need to get one for a cruise in three weeks (and they will take the rapid test results), but If I know that I won't be charged, I will go in for a test run next week just to see how it works. We have not been tested previously. There may be free testing facilities in my area but not locally.

Most insurance won't cover testing for travel. However, if you have symptoms, they will test. So you can exaggerate symptoms and fail to mention the travel. Here in California you can also do free testing through your county. But that tends not to be as convenient, fewer sites, longer lines, limited hours...

 

[rodi]

Breathing a huge sigh of relief. Son took his covid test this morning and it was negative. He flies home tomorrow.

With Delta and the chance of asymptomatic cases for vaccinated I was sweating it a bit. So was he.

Plan to the run air purifiers full time the first few days he's home. LOL

 

[Alan]

Breathing a huge sigh of relief. Son took his covid test this morning and it was negative. He flies home tomorrow.

With Delta and the chance of asymptomatic cases for vaccinated I was sweating it a bit. So was he.

Plan to the run air purifiers full time the first few days he's home. LOL

That is great news

 

[audreyh1]

Well, seems like your son was running a giant obstacle course! I’m also very glad he made it through COVID-free!