Traveling Internationally During Covid
Who knew when Covid first came on the scene in late 2019 we'd STILL be dealing with it all the way into 2022. Shane and I had just gotten back from Ireland and I specifically remember telling someone I wasn't worried about it as we weren't traveling overseas for a while. Thinking a while meant maybe a year. Ha.
My biggest fear during all of this has been the chance of me getting someone else sick. So when we first decided to really travel again in January 2021 it involved a lot of thinking on my part. Even after making the choice to go, I was so anxious the night before we left, wondering if we were making a mistake. I was much more at peace with my decision once we were in Manzanillo and saw we were providing income to a place that hadn't seen tourists in months. And while we were there, the United States decided to start requiring testing to get in to the States, going into effect just a few days after we returned home.
The first time I flew after being vaccinated in April was wonderful. It made me feel better about traveling again in general. And finally being able to see all of our parents again in July and have our whole family together was super emotional. About that time other countries started opening their borders again, most with restrictions regarding vaccination status and testing. We decided to start looking at places to go over the holidays to maximize time off from work since I get so little vacation time now.
I know my family was hesitant about us traveling since yet another variant came along in November but Shane and I discussed that we've done EVERYTHING you're supposed to do to stay safe. We've been vaccinated, gotten our boosters, wear masks, wash our hands, use hand sanitizer and have stayed home when needed, especially before traveling. So why should we punish ourselves by not traveling?! So, we aren't. Here are the top three things you can do to make life easier.
NUMBER 1
Get vaccinated, obviously.
And then get your booster shot. Some countries require visitors to be vaccinated. You can't even get on the plane to go to said countries without having proof of it. Canada is one of these countries and where Shane and I chose to go over Thanksgiving. We had to show proof of vaccination before boarding, upon arrival and at every single restaurant/bar. It was all very easy to do and we saw zero people complaining about it (possibly because some countries didn't make it political 🙄). And sitting on a plane and in a restaurant where we knew everyone was vaccinated was a refreshing change of pace.
The only place in Canada we could be without a mask - outside. But, TBH, that is when we wanted it because it was cold. 😂
NUMBER 2
Research and plan.
While getting vaccinated is number one, this is probably equally important as every single country has different requirements. Go to the country's government website to see what is required. Some want you vaccinated, some want only a test and some want both. And the type of test and time period in which it can be done can vary. Mexico requires nothing. Canada wanted proof of vaccination and a PCR test within 72 hours. The UK wanted proof of a PCR or Antigen/Lateral Flow test within 48 hours. And when you come back into the US? You'll need a PCR or Antigen/Lateral Flow test within 24 hours. 😵
For pre-travel, search for testing locations near you and find out how early you can book. You don't want to wait until the week of travel and find out all of the test appointments are booked. For our pre-travel tests, Shane and I have gone to CVS. They do both PCR and the Antigen/Lateral Flow, tests can be booked out 2 weeks in advance and best of all (at least for now), they are free. For tests in other countries, again, start with their government website to find out what - and if any - tests are required while there and where you can go get a test for your return to the US. Both Toronto and London had testing sites at the airport where you could get your Antigen/Lateral Flow results in less than an hour. This is what we did for our trips home. London had testing sites everywhere while Toronto had specific sites that you needed to go to for travel testing. The biggest difference with the tests in other countries is the fact that you have to pay for them. And they aren't cheap. If you want an expedited test, expect to pay a lot more. You'll ideally want to plan for and book all of your tests before you go - London even requires an on-arrival test to be scheduled prior to arrival.
Another part of planning is to have a Plan B - what happens if you test positive? Obviously if it's pre-trip, you sadly don't go. Make sure you can get refunds or are able to re-book if this happens. If you test positive in another country you are going to have to abide by their regulations while quarantining and then ensure you have the appropriate documentation to return to the US. Can you have a back up plan to stay in your hotel or Airbnb for 2 more weeks? Can you buy trip insurance that would help cover all of this? All things you should think about before you go so you aren't stuck with nowhere to go and no idea what to do.
Everyone who went to this Premier League game had to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test. 🤩
NUMBER 3
Be flexible!
Even with all the planning and researching you'll need to be ready for things to change. After booking all of our tests required for London, all the requirements changed within a matter of days. So we had to cancel appointments and start over in the planning to make sure we abided by the new changes. When you're planning, take a look at the cancellation policy as some in London were non-refundable. One offered a voucher so we just used that to rebook what we needed. While travel entry requirements are constantly changing, so are local regulations so be ready for that too. In London, the week before we went, the Premier League started requiring proof of vaccination to enter a game, something they had not been doing before. And, just like America, things can close with little notice so that restaurant you couldn't wait to go to might not happen.
Gone are the days where we can just buy a plane ticket and hop on with just our passport and no cares in the world. Who knows if we'll ever see those days again, we may always look like Shane and I do below when on an airplane. Traveling internationally is complicated now. But to be able to again start seeing things that I've never seen before or return to places we've wanted to for years has been amazing. Figuring out what you need to do to get there can be confusing and stressful but in the end, every bit of it is worth it.
