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

[rodi]

So - my youngest son, who's 18, has decided he is spending August in Europe doing the eurail/hostel thing. A good friend of his is in Germany right now, visiting his dad, and is going to meet my son in Barcelona. Son has bought and paid for airfare and eurail pass. It should be noted he is a dual Italian citizen (and his buddy is a dual German citizen.) Buddy has a german passport, my son does *not* have an Italian passport but will be bringing a digital copy of the letter confirming his citizenship and digital copy of his AIRE form.

Since son is busy working, surfing, hanging out with girls, he's left it to me to research what he needs as far as documentation, covid testing, etc. This has become a rabbit hole, so I thought I'd capture some of the info here. I'll be adding to it as I discover more.

Spain does not require testing/quarantining if you are vaccinated. You must fill out a form with the Spanish health agency and upload vaccination info.
https://www.spth.gob.es/ Once data is verified they email you a QR code you can print or screen capture for your phone. This is done a few days before you fly to Spain.

Unfortunately, he is transiting through Heathrow on his way to Barcelona. UK requires a negative Covid test within 3 days prior to landing, even for transiting vaccinated folks. So he will have to do that. If he were staying in the UK he would need a 10 day quarantine.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-air-travel-guidance-for-passengers#transiting-through-england

Returning to the US he must have a negative covid test within 3 days prior to departure. If you use a self test it must be tele-health witnessed. American Airlines has a kit you can buy that has six of the Abbot BinaxNOW tests. It is inclusive of the telehealth/app confirmation for the results. Other tests they suggest require you to UPS the sample to the lab and I'm not sure how that works outside the US. Those tests seem to be targeted to the test you need to leave the US and enter a country abroad. (Like the UK.)

The test kits are here:
https://american.emed.com/
Your results are confirmed in an app called Navica. You must download this app prior to travelling abroad. Apparently this app can feed results into your verifyFLY app which consolidates all this data (vaccine, negative tests, etc.)

I still need to research what the deal is for the countries he hopes to visit while there. Italy, France for sure... maybe Germany and Switzerland. I'll be adding to this thread as I research.

 

[Huston55]

This is a great thread! I've posted the requirements for Hawaii below; we are traveling there in late July. Short summary is that vaccinated US citizens require do not need a negative Covid test after 8 July 2021; they need only upload their vax record onto Hawaii's Safe Travels website.

https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/

 

[rodi]

I'm discovering life would be easier if son was an EU resident or had an EU health card. He could get a green card (EU covid passport.) Since he isn't tied into the Italian health system, since he's never lived there... he can't do this, from what I'm reading.

More research on requirements if travelling between countries by train. So far they keep assuming you have a green card. Oye.

 

[rodi]

Ok. The citizenship thing may be helpful... Maybe.

From this link
https://www.dgc.gov.it/web/faq.html

It suggests that *maybe* by the end of July they will be able to give Italian citizens who were vaccinated abroad a digital certificate (green card/covid passport). I will have to check the website frequently in the days leading to his trip.

 

[rodi]

My son's friends is currently biking from Germany to Barcelona, where he will meet you with my son. I asked if there were any issues at the border between Germany and France. Nope. The friend is traveling on his American passport. (I'd thought he was traveling on a German passport butt apparently butt, even though he's a duel citizen.).

 

[lordjust]

My son's friends is currently biking from Germany to Barcelona, where he will meet you with my son. I asked if there were any issues at the border between Germany and France. Nope. The friend is traveling on his American passport. (I'd thought he was traveling on a German passport butt apparently butt, even though he's a duel citizen.).

Wish my dad did any of that for me. I traveled several times internationally and just walked or drove to each of the local testing facilities in each country 2 days before a flight. Using the mail or airport testing would worry me. Friend missed her flight due to airport testing COVID line being long. Wish you and your son good luck and hopefully Spain doesn’t lock down again.

 

[tulak]

I’m headed to Europe in August. I’ll be traveling using an EU passport along with DD. Like you, I need to figure out the requirements. We passed on a few day layover in the UK due to the quarantine requirements. There’s a good chance we’ll only stay in one country, but I have family (EU residents) that have travelled in the EU without any problems.

I decided to wait a couple of weeks before I leave to figure out the details. I feel that right now, a lot of the rules can still change before I leave. With entering the US, I doubt it’ll be any worse than now, so knowing where to get a covid test a couple of days before leaving can be helpful. I did this when returning from Mexico and didn’t have any issues finding a place, but they are geared towards tourists. I wouldn’t wait until the airport for testing. And I’m still hoping that this requirements will be waived for vaccinated individuals before our trip.

I’d also look at getting DS an Italian passport. It’s stronger proof of citizenship and alleviates a lot of paperwork pain. I know in my EU country, proof of citizenship documents are looked at with more scrutiny and expire after a period of time.

 

[cathy63]

Unfortunately, he is transiting through Heathrow on his way to Barcelona. UK requires a negative Covid test within 3 days prior to landing, even for transiting vaccinated folks. So he will have to do that.

For the outbound test, are you Kaiser members? (I know there was someone else from San Diego here who is also with Kaiser, but I can't remember if that was you.) If so, there's no extra charge for covid testing and anyone can get one now for any reason. We used them before our trip to Hawaii last month and had the results back in about 18 hours.

You do an "e-visit", which is just an online survey, no human involved, and it authorizes a test and tells you where the SoCal test sites are. The only wrinkle we had was that the San Diego test sites are only open in the mornings. Orange County has facilities with longer hours.

 

[CardsFan]

Since son is busy working, surfing, hanging out with girls,

No offense to OP, but am I the only one that thinks if an 18y/o wants to travel around Europe with just a friend and no parents, that HE should be the one doing this legwork?

First, it will help him understand the effort involved.

Second, if he hits a glitch along the way he at least has some first hand working knowledge of the process.

Not my monkey, not my circus, JMHO.

 

[rodi]

I’d also look at getting DS an Italian passport. It’s stronger proof of citizenship and alleviates a lot of paperwork pain. I know in my EU country, proof of citizenship documents are looked at with more scrutiny and expire after a period of time.

That's the plan - but he couldn't get an appointment at the LA consulate in time.

For the outbound test, are you Kaiser members? (I know there was someone else from San Diego here who is also with Kaiser, but I can't remember if that was you.) If so, there's no extra charge for covid testing and anyone can get one now for any reason. We used them before our trip to Hawaii last month and had the results back in about 18 hours.

You do an "e-visit", which is just an online survey, no human involved, and it authorizes a test and tells you where the SoCal test sites are. The only wrinkle we had was that the San Diego test sites are only open in the mornings. Orange County has facilities with longer hours.

Yep we're Kaiser - I will have him do that. Time is tight though since he will be returning from his mandatory freshman orientation on 7/29 and leaves on 8/1... Not sure if Kaiser is testing on Saturdays...

No offense to OP, but am I the only one that thinks if an 18y/o wants to travel around Europe with just a friend and no parents, that HE should be the one doing this legwork?

First, it will help him understand the effort involved.

Second, if he hits a glitch along the way he at least has some first hand working knowledge of the process.

Not my monkey, not my circus, JMHO.

I agree. He's done much of the work for this trip (including paying for it 100%) He asked, and I agreed to help him with the Covid travel stuff.

 

[Alan]

This sounds like a great adventure for an 18 year old, particularly in these testing times.

Hopefully all goes to plan.

 

[sweetana3]

You are chasing a movable target. Best to just get all the info on what might be possible since the only thing that matters is what is going on within about the week before he leaves. Spain has 17 regions who are all different. Each country will require whatever they want and can change at most any time.

 

[Aerides]

I agree. He's done much of the work for this trip (including paying for it 100%) He asked, and I agreed to help him with the Covid travel stuff.

And given the extra complexity of this situation, I'd imagine most parents would want a hand in this.

Backpacking across the EU? Go for it, Son, have fun, figure it out.
Backpacking across the EU in a pandemic? Eh... let me help you with some of the details for my own piece of mind....

I hope he has a great time. I'm sure he's prepared to roll with the punches, and will have to adapt as things change while he's there.

 

[Chuckanut]

Here's another potential issue even for vaccinated travelers.

The country you want to visit may not have your vaccine on their approved list. Or only vaccines made in certain countries may be approved. The same vaccine made in another country may not be approved. It's still a bit of a mess that needs cleaning up.

https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-lifestyle-health-travel-f678a53270470d9b35ce6259e48548bf

The officially EU-endorsed vaccines also include those made by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. They don’t include the AstraZeneca shot made in India or many other vaccines used in developing countries, including those manufactured in China and Russia.


Individual EU countries are free to apply their own rules for travelers from inside and outside the bloc, and their rules vary widely, creating further confusion for tourists. Several EU countries, including Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, allow people to enter if they have had non-EU-endorsed vaccines; several others, including France and Italy, don’t.

 

[audreyh1]

Rodi, make sure your son really, really understands the threat of pickpockets in Europe. Having a phone, passport or wallet/cash/cards swiped can happen in a few seconds and make life very difficult. There are lots of things “not to do” that we don’t think twice about in the US.

 

[bigreader]

Rodi, thanks for this thread. I've been trying to figure this out myself!

I am not sure that it is easier if your son had an Italian passport. The on line application for a Green Certificate is drawn from information in the records of the health service. I think that it is just now expanding to include those vaccinated elsewhere in the EU. Italian citizens outside the EU don't seem to have access to the automated system just yet. For example, I couldn't even download the app from the US.

If Italy was his first stop, it looks like Italy will accept the CDC proof of vaccination card and issue a Green Certificate upon entry. https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/a...mbasciata/ingressi-in-italia-dagli-usa-e.html. I recall reading that any of our three vaccines in the US are covered, but don't have confirmation at hand.

However, since he will enter in Spain it seems to me that the entry process is pretty easy there and you are well set. This seems like a great adventure and I hope he has a wonderful time!

BR

 

[rodi]

his vaccine was the two dose pfyzer. So he should be good there.

He's aware of the pickpocket risks and already asked for my undershirt passport holder. We've talked about the three most important things to keep track of. 1) passport, 2) phone, 3) wallet. He's also taken the measure to upload copies of his passport/covid card, trip reservation info to the cloud... so if he loses any of these things he could buy a cheap phone and download the info. But who wants to spend a day at a consulate getting a new passport.

His travel buddy is currently biking from Germany to Spain. (His dad will drive down and meet them in Barcelona and drive the bike back to Germany.) He's crossed from Germany to Austria, and Austria to Switzerland. The buddy does not have a german passport, despite being a dual citizen, so he's travelling on his US passport. So far on the bike trip he's just shown his passport. Didn't have to show the cdc card. But he's travelling by bike, not plane or train.

I agree that things are fluid... but I will continue to check the websites till my son leaves. At least for the pandemic stuff that might prevent him from getting home at the end of the trip. It's 100% on him for the hostel, train, and everything else.

 

[Breedlove]

We are going to be in the Netherlands in three weeks and their covid has exploded to 10,000
A day. They have changed all their restrictions since July . No big festivals bars close at midnight ………. All from a super spreader from the kids on holiday went to a big festival .it
Is just crazy . We are wondering if we really want to go .

 

[audreyh1]

It seems like in the Netherlands whenever they reopen the night clubs (which are predominantly young people) they get covid spikes. Vaccine rollout has been very slow there. Just recently 50s were able to get their shots, and they require a 5 week wait between doses.

 

[rodi]

The nightclub thing scares me. My son and his buddy are both 18. I think it's unreasonable to think they won't be going to nightclubs. I really hope their vaccinations are enough. They also have plenty of masks - since several places they want to go still have mask mandates.

 

[rodi]

Here's a good article about US tourists to: Germany, Switzerland, France, and Spain.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/americans-can-now-travel-to-switzerland-france-spain-germany/

The only country on their list that isn't mentioned in this article is Italy... which has similar rules.

But my son just informed me they are *really* looking forward to the french riviera and the topless 'babes'. I reminded him that when we were in Nice 6 years ago (so he was 12) that most of the topless women were older (my age)... the <30 year olds tended to wear bikini tops. But... I can see them spending more time at the beaches on Mediterranean than their tentative plans. LOL. These are 18 year old young men... LOL.

 

[Breedlove]

I read ( The Dutch News ). Every morning a puzzling stat. 84% of the people who have covid
Have not had a vax. ……..6% were fully vaccinated . They had problems with false vax cards and kids going to the festival with no vax . A week ago The Netherlands was at 600 a day now 10,000 a day. They had pride festival for next month now cancelled . Tell your kids be smart no raves. LOL.

 

[Breedlove]

Cape De D Agde , they will get bored there quickly ….Keep them away from IBiza in Spain .
Lots of fun but lots of drugs .

 

[audreyh1]

The nightclub thing scares me. My son and his buddy are both 18. I think it's unreasonable to think they won't be going to nightclubs. I really hope their vaccinations are enough. They also have plenty of masks - since several places they want to go still have mask mandates.

By August in France folks won’t be able to get into a nightclub without a French health pass (app).

 

[Chuckanut]

But my son just informed me they are *really* looking forward to the french riviera and the topless 'babes'. I reminded him that when we were in Nice 6 years ago (so he was 12) that most of the topless women were older (my age)... the <30 year olds tended to wear bikini tops. But... I can see them spending more time at the beaches on Mediterranean than their tentative plans. LOL. These are 18 year old young men... LOL.

The one time I was in Nice, the only topless gal at the beach had to be well into her 60's at least, and she did not look like Julle Christie or Christina Lahti at that age.