CDC Clarification for Travel to US

[DaveB]

Not sure if this is best discussed in this Forum or the one regarding visas and travel.  Seems more COVID specific, so here goes.

If you're considering travel TO the US...like for the holidays (like me):

It's a tad misleading when the news reports that all travelers entering the US need a COVID test that is not more than 24 hours old.  The actual travel guidance is:

"Before boarding a flight to the United States, you are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than 1 day before travel.

 The 1-day period is 1 day before the flight’s departure. The Order uses a 1-day time frame instead of 24 hours to provide more flexibility to the air passenger and aircraft operator. By using a 1-day window, test acceptability does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test sample was taken.

For example, if your flight is at 1pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday."

So...that resolved at least one concern I had - how to get a 24 hour COVID test result for travel when it takes about 24 hours just to get the test result.  Now, if you're flying direct, like from Manila to LA, this isn't as much of a problem.  Get the COVID test, get the result the next morning, get on the plane before midnight, you're in compliance.  The plot thickens a bit if you have a connecting flight.  My wife is an airline retiree, so we fly standby on diverse partner airlines - and pay about $250 apiece one way.  So good deal.  But for those kinds of flights, they usually have a lay over somewhere like in Seoul or Narita or wherever.  That means the part about "boarding a flight for the US" starts when you get on that SECOND flight.  So for example, I get my COVID test result, the next day I leave Manila for Seoul.  Then I have maybe a four or five layover in Seoul before boarding my flight for Seattle.  The "one day" to board ends when I get on the US bound flight.  I gotta be on that connection before midnight the day after the COVID test.  

So if you're considering a US flight, keep this kind of quirk in mind, if it applies.

Meanwhile...on a related topic: the travel requirements ALSO require that you be "fully vaccinated".  This is described as

You are considered fully vaccinated:

·  2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose vaccine

·  2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series

·  2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a clinical trial

·  2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of a Novavax (or Covovax) COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a phase 3 clinical trial

·  2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart*

You will notice, in case you're wondering, there is still no discussion regarding boosters.  If you watch US news, you may have noticed that there are discussions over whether the definition of "Fully Vaccinated" should only be applied if you have the booster shot.  I think that's coming, some day, if only to get more incentive in place to promote the "get a booster" campaign.  But if they did it now, they'd negate a very large percentage of potential travelers, as boosters are still relatively new to the scene.  I'm hoping the definition stays as currently described, because while I have the booster, my wife doesn't.  And since the VA stopped giving dependents COVID vaccinations, and the Philppines is way behind the curve on the whole issue, not sure where the hell she's going to get one in the next three or four weeks.

The CDC guidance is at :https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel/index.html

[Jollygoodfellow]

12 hours ago, DaveB said:

how to get a 24 hour COVID test result for travel when it takes about 24 hours just to get the test result. 

A friend recently got his the same day as tested so might depend on where you have it done.

12 hours ago, DaveB said:

And since the VA stopped giving dependents COVID vaccinations, and the Philippines is way behind the curve on the whole issue, not sure where the hell she's going to get one in the next three or four weeks.

Not hard to get in Cebu city, basically walk in any time. Perhaps its different where you are?

[DaveB]

Three in my household had been tested at Medical City Clark in prep for a trip to Bataan a few months ago.  Got two results back about 4:30 that afternoon, but the other one came back next morning.

One thing I'm starting to call airlines about is my assumption that the "to the US" flight is the one that leaves from the connecting lay over.  As I said, we are trying to fly stand by or using mileage, which were retirement benefits my wife has from here time working for an airline.  If stand by, we fly to, for example, Narita or Soeul, then stand by again to fly from there to the US, usually with a few hour lay over.  If my assumption is right, and it's the second flight that's considered "boarding for the US" we need to be there the afternoon or evening after the COVID test and be on the plane before midnight.  BUT...if use a mileage plan, and we book a trip where we're ticketed through to the US, even if we change planes somewhere on the way, I'm wondering if we are considered "boarding for the US" out of Manila, and not out of the connecting city.  Near as I can tell, we need to call some airlines and discuss it.  If anyone has some insight let me know

Of course, painful as it is, we can just pay full fare and fly direct.  Just hoping not to have to.  One benefit we were hoping to use when we retired was that ability to fly around cheap.  Damn COVID has introduced some frustrating wrinkles this past year.

[Heeb]

On 12/4/2021 at 7:58 PM, DaveB said:

So...that resolved at least one concern I had - how to get a 24 hour COVID test result for travel when it takes about 24 hours just to get the test result.  Now, if you're flying direct, like from Manila to LA, this isn't as much of a problem.  Get the COVID test, get the result the next morning, get on the plane before midnight, you're in compliance.  The plot thickens a bit if you have a connecting flight.  My wife is an airline retiree, so we fly standby on diverse partner airlines - and pay about $250 apiece one way.  So good deal.  But for those kinds of flights, they usually have a lay over somewhere like in Seoul or Narita or wherever.  That means the part about "boarding a flight for the US" starts when you get on that SECOND flight.  So for example, I get my COVID test result, the next day I leave Manila for Seoul.  Then I have maybe a four or five layover in Seoul before boarding my flight for Seattle.  The "one day" to board ends when I get on the US bound flight.  I gotta be on that connection before midnight the day after the COVID test.  

 

I had a three hour layover in Tokyo (Haneda) I never even talked to a gate agent, I walked off of the Manila flight and went straight to my gate, I only showed my boarding pass to get on the plane.

When I flew in September the U.S. requirement was three days prior for the covid test but most other countries it was 72 hours. When I went to the clinic to get my test 3 days out they told me I had to come back the next day because I was outside of the 72 hours and I would be denied boarding. I went to another clinic and they said the same thing, I told them I'll take my chances. I called the ANA gate agent and they told me I was good if I was going to the U.S. as it was indeed 3 days. So people were getting bumped off of flights but not to the U.S. I can't say that I wasn't a little nervous.

If I was flying back now with the 1 day rule I would probably schedule a late evening flight and get the test done early morning the day prior.

[Joey G]

Dave... hope you have a successful trip back... the TICKETING determines the time limit... for example... if you have a ticket from Manila to Los Angeles... then 1 day before the departure from Manila your fine regardless of connections on the ticket.  But if you fly to say Hong Kong on one ticket... and then a have SEPERATE ticket from Hong Kong to Los Angeles... then the one day test will be determined from the Hong Kong flight.  So IF you had SEPERATE tickets... AND there's too much of a lag in Hong Kong, then you MIGHT need to be retested.

Good luck!!

 

[DaveB]

Yeah, Heeb...the whole thing always makes me nervous.  When you add the details of immigration documents and rules to the ever shifting pile of COVID stuff, you can only dig deep and hope you have it all covered.  

Meanwhile, Joey G, you just landed one of the big answers I was seeking: when does the "boarding for the US" clock start.  What you describe with the two separate flights is exactly what happens if you fly stand by.  Last night, we set that one aside.  Too risky.  Instead, we tapped my wife's large mileage pile and booked a flight with JAL that books from Manila to the US, with a plane change in Haneda.  So I was hopeing that means we "boarded for the US" when we left Manila and from there it's just like any other flight booking.  

One thing that concerned me was, for some reason, I had thought the COVID test has to be the full PCR type...which causes turn around concerns to get the results.  However, last night, for the first time, I found out that there are several tests that are accepted, incluing the rapid antigen type.  I have some chasing around to do to find a test facility that can assure one day turn around, but classically the antigen test is cheaper and very quick to get response.  Very good chance I can get that test in the morning and have the results later that day.  I need to jump over to the CDC site and confirm what I think is true, and then nail down a test facility I can rely on.  But if all that comes together, my "nervousness" meter drops significantly (it never gets to zero, though).

Really appreciate the time you guys took to help me out.  

[Heeb]

5 hours ago, DaveB said:

Yeah, Heeb...the whole thing always makes me nervous.  When you add the details of immigration documents and rules to the ever shifting pile of COVID stuff, you can only dig deep and hope you have it all covered.  

 

Yes I’ve done this 3 times now and it feels like juggling chainsaws, it’s even worse trying to get back.

[JJReyes]

Many international airports now offer covid tests for departing passengers heading to the United States.  We considered it but changed our mind after learning the lines can be long.  You need to allocate an extra two hours.  While supposedly open 24 hours, there are lunch and bathroom breaks.

Quito, Ecuador offers a hotel service.  They came to your room, did the test and the paperwork was delivered in two hours.  Price was $50 per person.  Guadalajara, Mexico has pharmacies authorized to do the test for about $40 each.  In Athens, Greece there are covid testing places everywhere and the price was $12.  At the airport, the amount is double.  I heard they have similar facilities in Cebu and Manila.

The airlines are responsible to make sure you are in compliance.  US authorities don't check the covid test results upon arrival.  Ecuador, Mexico and Greece require full vaccination, no test as a condition for arrival.  I got pissed because we had a 1 hour 30 minutes flight change at Heathrow Airport and the British authorities required covid tests plus completion of online paperwork.