Coronavirus Impact on Travel

[Biff Tannen 45476]

53 minutes ago, Sam Lin said:

There is no way 98% of the world in population or in countries will be "back to normal" by Jan 2022. If we're lucky, first world countries <might> be there in that timeframe. This is where 'new normal' comes in; variants of this virus will remain in our populations just like the cold and flu. It's up to policy makers and countries to determine what level of risk they are comfortable with.

Vaccine availability and logistics chains preclude most countries being able to vaccinate the majority of their population this year, and that's totally ignoring the costs and assuming wealthy nations plan to subsidize vaccines for everyone else. On top of that, the virus is mutating faster than vaccine development and we already see how much the vaccine efficacy varies between existing variants. There's a very real chance that a mutation makes a good majority of current vaccinations ineffective, resulting in us back at square one and needing to resume containment until a new vaccine gets disseminated.

I hate to be a downer, and sincerely hope I'm wrong. But it's 10mo to Jan and there is so much that still needs to happen if we want "normal" to be safely doable.

Fun sponge. 

[South Austin 52037]

Just booked a hotel with the ladyfriend for 4th of July weekend in New Orleans. I miss planning trips. And vacation sex.

[troph 24547]

Just back from a road trip to Miami. We stayed south of fifth in south beach, outside the entertainment district. It was quiet and just what we needed.  Worked 3/4 every day. Miami Beach just declared an emergency - honestly we saw none of that and we were 3-5 blocks away.  
 

Headed to Puerto Vallarta end of April for our first trip by air travel after being fully vaccinated.  

RV trip to the Texas coast planned in April with my gal’s parents now all of us are vax’d.  
 

Emerald Coast (orange Beach AL) offshore  fishing trip for my 16 year old in may.  

Cozumel scuba trip with my boys this summer in June after we are certified.

we are ready to get on with life. We were under a tremendous lock down for a year and haven’t done much but remote out door stuff. Loved it. But it’s time to move on.

  I’m hoping the variants don’t pierce through the immunity the vaccines give. And I hope people keep getting them.

gonna take the remote work situation and use it to work from anywhere.  Time to catch up on seeing interesting places and people! 
 

Edited March 21, 2021 by troph

[thunderlounge 7733]

12 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

There is no way 98% of the world in population or in countries will be "back to normal" by Jan 2022. If we're lucky, first world countries <might> be there in that timeframe. This is where 'new normal' comes in; variants of this virus will remain in our populations just like the cold and flu. It's up to policy makers and countries to determine what level of risk they are comfortable with.

Vaccine availability and logistics chains preclude most countries being able to vaccinate the majority of their population this year, and that's totally ignoring the costs and assuming wealthy nations plan to subsidize vaccines for everyone else. On top of that, the virus is mutating faster than vaccine development and we already see how much the vaccine efficacy varies between existing variants. There's a very real chance that a mutation makes a good majority of current vaccinations ineffective, resulting in us back at square one and needing to resume containment until a new vaccine gets disseminated.

I hate to be a downer, and sincerely hope I'm wrong. But it's 10mo to Jan and there is so much that still needs to happen if we want "normal" to be safely doable.

Pretty much. There are people out there that think large scale concerts and tours will happen this summer. Where’s the j-law yeah ok gif when you need it. 
 

 

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Just booked a hotel with the ladyfriend for 4th of July weekend in New Orleans. I miss planning trips. And vacation sex.

 

[South Austin 52037]

9 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19073]

There is no way 98% of the world in population or in countries will be "back to normal" by Jan 2022. If we're lucky, first world countries be there in that timeframe. This is where 'new normal' comes in; variants of this virus will remain in our populations just like the cold and flu. It's up to policy makers and countries to determine what level of risk they are comfortable with.
Vaccine availability and logistics chains preclude most countries being able to vaccinate the majority of their population this year, and that's totally ignoring the costs and assuming wealthy nations plan to subsidize vaccines for everyone else. On top of that, the virus is mutating faster than vaccine development and we already see how much the vaccine efficacy varies between existing variants. There's a very real chance that a mutation makes a good majority of current vaccinations ineffective, resulting in us back at square one and needing to resume containment until a new vaccine gets disseminated.
I hate to be a downer, and sincerely hope I'm wrong. But it's 10mo to Jan and there is so much that still needs to happen if we want "normal" to be safely doable.

I don't think any of us think things will be fully back to normal in January 2022. But lockdowns should be done by then. If not, then this is worse than 1918.

[idigTexas 2258]

4 hours ago, South Austin said:

I assume you understand the reference, but not what it is implying?  It's a somewhat thinly veiled "South Austin's mom" joke in which "ladyfriend" is your mom.  Or, it is implying something else entirely, in which case, I don't get it either. 

[Sam Lin 3540]

8 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

On 3/20/2021 at 9:05 PM, Sam Lin said:

There is no way 98% of the world in population or in countries will be "back to normal" by Jan 2022. If we're lucky, first world countries be there in that timeframe. This is where 'new normal' comes in; variants of this virus will remain in our populations just like the cold and flu. It's up to policy makers and countries to determine what level of risk they are comfortable with.
Vaccine availability and logistics chains preclude most countries being able to vaccinate the majority of their population this year, and that's totally ignoring the costs and assuming wealthy nations plan to subsidize vaccines for everyone else. On top of that, the virus is mutating faster than vaccine development and we already see how much the vaccine efficacy varies between existing variants. There's a very real chance that a mutation makes a good majority of current vaccinations ineffective, resulting in us back at square one and needing to resume containment until a new vaccine gets disseminated.
I hate to be a downer, and sincerely hope I'm wrong. But it's 10mo to Jan and there is so much that still needs to happen if we want "normal" to be safely doable.

I don't think any of us think things will be fully back to normal in January 2022. But lockdowns should be done by then. If not, then this is worse than 1918.

Did you read the quote that I was responding to?

1918 killed 50m people (17m lowest estimate, around 2% mortality rate affecting much younger people). There is no comparison between what we are dealing with now and what happened in 1918.

[Biff Tannen 45476]

23 hours ago, thunderlounge said:

Pretty much. There are people out there that think large scale concerts and tours will happen this summer. Where’s the j-law yeah ok gif when you need it. 

If we are on track to have 80+% of the nation vaccinated by June or July, why wouldn't we be able to have concerts?  Do you not think ACL is happening?  Cause ACL will happen.

[Skipper 6088]

4 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

If we are on track to have 80+% of the nation vaccinated by June or July, why wouldn't we be able to have concerts?  Do you not think ACL is happening?  Cause ACL will happen.

This.  Once we hit the point where anyone that wants a vaccine has easy access to one, which is probably only 4-6 weeks away, there is going to be zero appetite for continued restrictions.

[thunderlounge 7733]

1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

If we are on track to have 80+% of the nation vaccinated by June or July, why wouldn't we be able to have concerts?  Do you not think ACL is happening?  Cause ACL will happen.

That's a one off. I’m talking summer concert tours that are packing 25k+ into sheds/stadiums/etc. 

The logistics and working around multi-state guidelines, hell, multi-city guidelines will fuck it all up.

 

[gyroprotagonist 2591]

On 3/20/2021 at 11:05 PM, Sam Lin said:

There is no way 98% of the world in population or in countries will be "back to normal" by Jan 2022. If we're lucky, first world countries <might> be there in that timeframe. This is where 'new normal' comes in; variants of this virus will remain in our populations just like the cold and flu. It's up to policy makers and countries to determine what level of risk they are comfortable with.

Vaccine availability and logistics chains preclude most countries being able to vaccinate the majority of their population this year, and that's totally ignoring the costs and assuming wealthy nations plan to subsidize vaccines for everyone else. On top of that, the virus is mutating faster than vaccine development and we already see how much the vaccine efficacy varies between existing variants. There's a very real chance that a mutation makes a good majority of current vaccinations ineffective, resulting in us back at square one and needing to resume containment until a new vaccine gets disseminated.

I hate to be a downer, and sincerely hope I'm wrong. But it's 10mo to Jan and there is so much that still needs to happen if we want "normal" to be safely doable.

don't the current vaccines 'prevent serious illness' against the variants even if they don't fully block infection?  I hate to use this phrase because of the political ties, but at that point can't c19 be viewed as 'like the flu' if death and serious illness are taken off the table?  i don't see a vaxed person as being back at 'square one' vs a variant, but I am not super on top of the latest info.  The RNA vaxs can be changed to fight variants fairly quickly, but distributions and funding are the bottlenecks.  I don't the see the world govs continuing to guarantee to buy this many doses sight unseen for variant boosters.

 

[Brisketexan 104460]

2 minutes ago, gyroprotagonist said:

don't the current vaccines 'prevent serious illness' against the variants even if they don't fully block infection?  I hate to use this phrase because of the political ties, but at that point can't c19 be viewed as 'like the flu' if death and serious illness are taken off the table?  i don't see a vaxed person as being back at 'square one' vs a variant, but I am not super on top of the latest info.  The RNA vaxs can be changed to fight variants fairly quickly, but distributions and funding are the bottlenecks.  I don't the see the world govs continuing to guarantee to buy this many doses sight unseen for variant boosters.

 

The bolded is important.  I made a detailed post recently about how the US -- and for that matter, the rest of the world -- has done a piss-poor job of deciding on what the "goal" is.  It SEEMS like our goal is utter eradication of the virus....which is fucking impossible, at least anytime soon (e.g., within the next decade).  It's widespread, it can transmit asymptomatically, etc.  It's endemic, and it's going to stay that way for a while.

Our goal SHOULD be to turn COVID the killer (a virus that kills too many, and hospitalizes WAY too many) into "COVID the head cold."  Imagine if COVID had burst on the scene....and it was just another virus that caused a head cold?  None of us would even know about it.  A few scientists would note some interesting genetic markers in the virus, might even track it to its general origin, but otherwise, we'd be prescribing sudafed and chicken soup, and life wouldn't have changed.  If we can use vaccines to turn it back INTO that....then that's how we should operate as a global society.

Widespread shots in arms can turn this from a deadly disease spreading worldwide to a relatively mild illness with a much slower spread.  You know...like a cold or a mild flu.  Which we long-ago decided we can all live with.  It's kind of maddening.

[wild_turkey 3150]

That's a one off. I’m talking summer concert tours that are packing 25k+ into sheds/stadiums/etc. 
The logistics and working around multi-state guidelines, hell, multi-city guidelines will fuck it all up.
 

Well fwiw, the Texas Rangers are planning to open the baseball season with full attendance of 40k+ fans. Many people, myself included, disagree with that plan, but it is happening.

That’s clearly an outlier at present, but by mid-summer that may be the norm in most states, assuming widespread vaccine access and new cases/deaths at reasonably low levels. So I could easily see there being large concerts in stadiums and I think that’s likely to happen before big music festivals like ACL resume.

[Don Johnson 4744]

2 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

Well fwiw, the Texas Rangers are planning to open the baseball season with full attendance of 40k+ fans. Many people, myself included, disagree with that plan, but it is happening.

That’s clearly an outlier at present, but by mid-summer that may be the norm in most states, assuming widespread vaccine access and new cases/deaths at reasonably low levels. So I could easily see there being large concerts in stadiums and I think that’s likely to happen before big music festivals like ACL resume.

Without a doubt, DKR will be open to 95k on September 4th.  

[thunderlounge 7733]

18 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

Well fwiw, the Texas Rangers are planning to open the baseball season with full attendance of 40k+ fans. Many people, myself included, disagree with that plan, but it is happening.

That’s clearly an outlier at present, but by mid-summer that may be the norm in most states, assuming widespread vaccine access and new cases/deaths at reasonably low levels. So I could easily see there being large concerts in stadiums and I think that’s likely to happen before big music festivals like ACL resume.

In certain spots, perhaps. 
 

For a nationwide tour it is much, much more complex.

A lot of these tours kick off in May/June. They have to make the call in front of that with enough time for people to change plans and not lose out to cancelation fees. 
 

Not to mention booking local help, equipment, and services.

 

[wild_turkey 3150]

In certain spots, perhaps. 
 
For a nationwide tour it is much, much more complex.
A lot of these tours kick off in May/June. They have to make the call in front of that with enough time for people to change plans and not lose out to cancelation fees. 
 
Not to mention booking local help, equipment, and services.
 

Sure, but you could say all of those same things about professional sports, yet they are carrying on despite the scheduling headaches and risks of last minute cancellations.

People are motivated by money and the music industry is no exception. As restrictions continue to ease across the U.S., I think the financial risk-reward analysis will lean in favor of resuming concerts.

[Biff Tannen 45476]

5 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Widespread shots in arms can turn this from a deadly disease spreading worldwide to a relatively mild illness with a much slower spread.  You know...like a cold or a mild flu.  Which we long-ago decided we can all live with.  It's kind of maddening.

What’s going to be REALLY maddening is when we get to that point and all the anti-mask conspiracy theorists start screaming about how it’s always been just like a cold or mild flu and the entire last year wasn’t necessary. /kinda CR

[thunderlounge 7733]

31 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

Sure, but you could say all of those same things about professional sports, yet they are carrying on despite the scheduling headaches and risks of last minute cancellations.

People are motivated by money and the music industry is no exception. As restrictions continue to ease across the U.S., I think the financial risk-reward analysis will lean in favor of resuming concerts.

No, you really can’t. A band isn’t playing to an empty arena/shed/stadium. 
 

Sports has their own staff, and a lot less particulars in the logistic department. 
 

They can show up and still play, fans attending or not. The home stadiums are still going to cater for the teams. 
 

Big concerts are a lot more involved, and a lot more considerations need to be involved. 
 

I want bands to tour and play. But large scale tours this summer just doesn’t seem feasible.

 

[gyroprotagonist 2591]

13 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

What’s going to be REALLY maddening is when we get to that point and all the anti-mask conspiracy theorists start screaming about how it’s always been just like a cold or mild flu and the entire last year wasn’t necessary. /kinda CR

self fulfilling prophecy.  they already believe that doctors/hospitals inflated the c19 deaths for profit and fun.

is there any published number of estimated C19 recovered people + vaxed people?  there's ~30m 'cases' but there has to be double/triple that of unreported cases?  that's why i think the nth wave will not be as bad as predicted.  The most likely to get hospitalized is the most vaxed demo.  The 1-15 yo kids are basically immune to severe illness and I think i saw an article that said 30% of that age had antibodies already.   The 16-24 yo are all spreading to them selves during spring break.  The 50-60 demo is getting vaxed in record numbers each week.  Also, the most likely to get hospitalized from the 25-49 crowd should have been vaxed or in line as a 1B person.  Optimistically, when you add that up, the deaths and severe cases should continue to go down almost despite any stupidity on our part.  Yes, it would have been great if nationwide we could have mandated masks for say one more month and a lot of the big chains are least holding to that.  

There should be a dose for every American over 18yo by June, right?  the US dropped from 7-day avg of 3K deaths per day on valentines day to down to 1900 deaths (7 day avg) one week later and has continued down to ~1000 7 day avg per day right now.  I hope the trend continues and hope people choose to get vaxed or their employers take the decision away from them.  But hope in 1 hand and shit in the other...

[midtown 3341]

Americans spent over $500 billion on tourism in 2019.   Go ahead and multiply that number from all the canceled travel plans.  Countries that continue to not allow tourism are going to miss out on a lot of money.   My guess its going to be a race to get tourists back.

Edited March 22, 2021 by midtown

[troph 24547]

I have no issues with full attendance sports and concerts in the fall *if* every person 16 and older has easy access to a vaccine. None whatsoever. These vaccines are 100% effective at keeping us out of the hospital and from dying. That’s the goal. Chances of getting the virus astronomically lower with compounding impacts of individual immunity and even partial herd immunity.  I’m as progressive as they come and as conservative about closures as anyone but enough is enough. The vaccines will make covid what certain Americans wished it was - no big deal. At that point, fully open, no restrictions. Let’s get our roar on in the roaring 20’s. 

[thunderlounge 7733]

1 hour ago, troph said:

I have no issues with full attendance sports and concerts in the fall *if* every person 16 and older has easy access to a vaccine. None whatsoever. These vaccines are 100% effective at keeping us out of the hospital and from dying. That’s the goal. Chances of getting the virus astronomically lower with compounding impacts of individual immunity and even partial herd immunity.  I’m as progressive as they come and as conservative about closures as anyone but enough is enough. The vaccines will make covid what certain Americans wished it was - no big deal. At that point, fully open, no restrictions. Let’s get our roar on in the roaring 20’s. 

Exactly. Come fall, the landscape will be different if we maintain the current trajectory.

By decision time for summer? Not so much.

 

Not impossible, but would be extremely foolish to just let every precautionary measure lapse.

I’m just as sick and tired of all this shit as the next mother fucker, if not more, but rushing into it is a recipe for potential disaster. A few extra months to get it right at this point is worth it, vice making the last year meaningless. 

[troph 24547]

That’s fine but I’m traveling this summer - heck I’m traveling now. I’ll deal with whatever hoops to jump through are required. But I agree re large crowd events - this fall. 

[gmr548 16463]

18 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

Well fwiw, the Texas Rangers are planning to open the baseball season with full attendance of 40k+ fans. Many people, myself included, disagree with that plan, but it is happening.

That’s clearly an outlier at present, but by mid-summer that may be the norm in most states, assuming widespread vaccine access and new cases/deaths at reasonably low levels. So I could easily see there being large concerts in stadiums and I think that’s likely to happen before big music festivals like ACL resume.

The Texas Rangers will be at 100 percent capacity of that stadium for opening day and that's it. They don't need capacity limits for their stadium to be socially distanced for the other 80 home games.

 

18 hours ago, Don Johnson said:

Without a doubt, DKR will be open to 95k on September 4th.  

Without a doubt, I will be there, thinking it'll be really awesome beforehand, then remembering that 100 degree football games blow.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19073]

21 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

The bolded is important.  I made a detailed post recently about how the US -- and for that matter, the rest of the world -- has done a piss-poor job of deciding on what the "goal" is.  It SEEMS like our goal is utter eradication of the virus....which is fucking impossible, at least anytime soon (e.g., within the next decade).  It's widespread, it can transmit asymptomatically, etc.  It's endemic, and it's going to stay that way for a while.

Our goal SHOULD be to turn COVID the killer (a virus that kills too many, and hospitalizes WAY too many) into "COVID the head cold."  Imagine if COVID had burst on the scene....and it was just another virus that caused a head cold?  None of us would even know about it.  A few scientists would note some interesting genetic markers in the virus, might even track it to its general origin, but otherwise, we'd be prescribing sudafed and chicken soup, and life wouldn't have changed.  If we can use vaccines to turn it back INTO that....then that's how we should operate as a global society.

Widespread shots in arms can turn this from a deadly disease spreading worldwide to a relatively mild illness with a much slower spread.  You know...like a cold or a mild flu.  Which we long-ago decided we can all live with.  It's kind of maddening.

This has been my point for the last year.  The goal always should have been to stop serious illness and death.  You are not going to eradicate this virus.  Shit got out of the bag too quickly and was too wide spread by the point anyone actually paid attention to it.

[midtown 3341]

2 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

You are not going to eradicate this virus.

Not to clock room this comment but since it looks very possible that the virus was not naturally occurring it absolutely can be eradicated.   But I agree with your point. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19073]

46 minutes ago, midtown said:

Not to clock room this comment but since it looks very possible that the virus was not naturally occurring it absolutely can be eradicated.   But I agree with your point. 

Ummm, I think that has pretty much been debunked, yes?  Don't CR or DT something without a source, FYI.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-20/contentious-hunt-for-covid-s-origin-points-to-china-animal-trade?sref=knoriXqz

[pantone159 712]

54 minutes ago, midtown said:

Not to clock room this comment but since it looks very possible that the virus was not naturally occurring it absolutely can be eradicated.   But I agree with your point. 

I do not think that there is ANY evidence that this virus was not naturally occurring. And in any case, that would have nothing to do with whether it could be eradicated completely.

 

[Biff Tannen 45476]

Flew to Colorado and back this weekend.  Man, I miss the empty middle seats on Southwest.

[gmr548 16463]

Not to clock room this comment but since it looks very possible that the virus was not naturally occurring it absolutely can be eradicated.   But I agree with your point. 

Hahahahahahahahahahaha gtfo

[wild_turkey 3150]

Yeah, we're gonna need you and [mention=2421]hornbri[/mention] to go ahead and start a Maldives thread,

I would appreciate this as well. It’s on my short list of places to go but I’m always deterred by the long travel and logistics. It would help to see your trip reports.

[rage-a-holic 4299]

On 3/21/2021 at 10:12 AM, troph said:

 

Cozumel scuba trip with my boys this summer in June after we are certified.

we are ready to get on with life. We were under a tremendous lock down for a year and haven’t done much but remote out door stuff. Loved it. But it’s time to move on.

  I’m hoping the variants don’t pierce through the immunity the vaccines give. And I hope people keep getting them.

gonna take the remote work situation and use it to work from anywhere.  Time to catch up on seeing interesting places and people! 
 

I just got home today. Headed back next month and also in June, let me know if you need some recs.

[troph 24547]

10 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

I just got home today. Headed back next month and also in June, let me know if you need some recs.

that would be awesome.  I'll probably start looking to book in the next couple of weeks.  any kick ass places to stay too.  we normally do the airbnb thing and try to stay out of the resorts but honestly after covid we are thinking an all inclusive might be nice too so we are wide open to recs on places to stay from all-inclusives, to boutique hotels to airbnb spots.  pretty excited about scuba - this will be our first scuba trip.

[Biff Tannen 45476]

13 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

 

I would appreciate this as well. It’s on my short list of places to go but I’m always deterred by the long travel and logistics. It would help to see your trip reports.

 

I will make one soon.  The logistics are fairly simple to get there.  Emirates or whatever to Dubai and then to Male.  I did this in 2012 to Sri Lanka.  It's a long ass flight, but not much to it.

[hornbri 1367]

8 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

I will make one soon.  The logistics are fairly simple to get there.  Emirates or whatever to Dubai and then to Male.  I did this in 2012 to Sri Lanka.  It's a long ass flight, but not much to it.

We are doing AUS-DFW-DOH-MLE one way and MLE-DOH-ORD-AUS the other. 

As flights open back up there is chances for less stops from AUS. You could do AUS-LHR-MLE for example (I don't think those connections are going right now). 

[rage-a-holic 4299]

8 hours ago, troph said:

that would be awesome.  I'll probably start looking to book in the next couple of weeks.  any kick ass places to stay too.  we normally do the airbnb thing and try to stay out of the resorts but honestly after covid we are thinking an all inclusive might be nice too so we are wide open to recs on places to stay from all-inclusives, to boutique hotels to airbnb spots.  pretty excited about scuba - this will be our first scuba trip.

I detest AI's and resorts. There are a few boutiques that are ok, but if I were you, I'd book a nice house or condo near the water. Have a cook come to your place and/or eat at local places.

[troph 24547]

4 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

I detest AI's and resorts. There are a few boutiques that are ok, but if I were you, I'd book a nice house or condo near the water. Have a cook come to your place and/or eat at local places.

That’s my strong preference - I’m glad you said that - I had a moment of weakness.  I haven’t stayed in an AI in 30 years - been a little out of practice.    Do you have a cook intro ?  Never mind let’s move this to an actual thread. I’ll find the Cozumel or Isla thread. 

[wild_turkey 3150]

Going to Mexico (Tulum) for the weekend. Since I will be gone less than 3 days, can I get a COVID test here prior to departure and then use that for re-entry, as long as it’s within 72 hours? Googling hasn’t been helpful in answering this.

[midtown 3341]

Going to Mexico (Tulum) for the weekend. Since I will be gone less than 3 days, can I get a COVID test here prior to departure and then use that for re-entry, as long as it’s within 72 hours? Googling hasn’t been helpful in answering this.

As far as I've seen the order says nothing about where you get it.

[rage-a-holic 4299]

3 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

Going to Mexico (Tulum) for the weekend. Since I will be gone less than 3 days, can I get a COVID test here prior to departure and then use that for re-entry, as long as it’s within 72 hours? Googling hasn’t been helpful in answering this.

I assume you're flying in/out of Cancun? I wouldn't chance it, just get a fast/cheap one at the airport, they have mobile labs set up there.

[wild_turkey 3150]

I assume you're flying in/out of Cancun? I wouldn't chance it, just get a fast/cheap one at the airport, they have mobile labs set up there.

Well I was tempted to get an antigen test here tonight, before flying down in the morning. That would save me from messing with it later and eliminate the small risk of getting stuck in Mexico from a false positive test.

[midtown 3341]

Call your airline and ask. It's on the airline

[MonkeyDoughnut 10134]

I'm a big fan of cruising and the CDC's "we aren't even thinking of allowing that to happen from US shores until November at the earliest" seems like a clear we'll pick and choose the winners and losers in travel game.   I'm booked already for Summer of 2022, but would love to go on a quick one in July/August.  Guess will just fly to Mexico instead.

[rage-a-holic 4299]

13 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

Well I was tempted to get an antigen test here tonight, before flying down in the morning. That would save me from messing with it later and eliminate the small risk of getting stuck in Mexico from a false positive test.

Go for it, but just be aware you will probably need to show up for your return flight early, in case the airline won't accept your US test and they tell you to go get a rapid test ASAP.

[wild_turkey 3150]

I just found this info on the CDC webpage FAQs:

[quote]Q: Can a test taken before departure from the US be used to return within the 3-day timeframe? How will testing requirements be handled for short trips?

A: If a trip is shorter than 3 days, a viral test taken in the United States can be used to fulfill the requirements of the Order as long as the specimen was taken no more than 3 days before the return flight to the US departs. [/quote]

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-testing-required-us-entry.html

So it looks like I'm good to go, but I think I will still follow rage's advice of getting to the airport early enough to scramble for a rapid test if someone gives me trouble.

[sidis 9713]

18 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

I just found this info on the CDC webpage FAQs:

[quote]Q: Can a test taken before departure from the US be used to return within the 3-day timeframe? How will testing requirements be handled for short trips?

A: If a trip is shorter than 3 days, a viral test taken in the United States can be used to fulfill the requirements of the Order as long as the specimen was taken no more than 3 days before the return flight to the US departs. [/quote]

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-testing-required-us-entry.html

So it looks like I'm good to go, but I think I will still follow rage's advice of getting to the airport early enough to scramble for a rapid test if someone gives me trouble.

I just went to Tulum for the week last week.  You should get to the CUN airport way early regardless as it is now a bit of a hassle.

1) in addition to all the normal immigration form/passport stuff, you will have to scan a qr code for your flight at the beginning of the check-in line and there, you have to enter boarding pass and passenger info like passport numbers, etc..., then you have to upload a picture of your negative text and assuming it is approved, you will get another qr code associated with your boarding pass.

2) the airline will require an attestation form you have to fill out as well and submit to the agent at the end of the check-in line (this is regardless of whether or not you check bags by the way).

3) the one that snagged up quite a few people at security, make sure you submit the mexican government form as well online so that you get your qr code from them as well.  it is here: mexican stuff

4) regardless, terminal 3 at cun is now a giant rapid testing center but you will be fine as long as it is within three days. 

[wild_turkey 3150]

Muchas gracias!

Btw, any suggestions where to eat dinner?

[sidis 9713]

13 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

Muchas gracias!

Btw, any suggestions where to eat dinner?

https://lazebratulum.com/restaurant-bar/

https://grupogitano.com/gitanotulum-gallery

https://arcatulum.com

Edited March 25, 2021 by sidis

[wood 11103]

On 3/24/2021 at 8:44 AM, hornbri said:

We are doing AUS-DFW-DOH-MLE one way and MLE-DOH-ORD-AUS the other. 

As flights open back up there is chances for less stops from AUS. You could do AUS-LHR-MLE for example (I don't think those connections are going right now). 

My wife (no pics) & kid just flew that exact route over spring break. What a beast of a trip. /csb