Covid surging in Bonaire

[tursiops]

Just 1 small point of clarification to the above 5th bullet point - you can still get the 4 hour Antigen test in the CUR airport, even if you are in transit. Alternatively, you can get the test in Aruba, but its off site, usually at a hotel where one spends the night, then wakes up to fly on EZ or Divi from AUA to CUR to BON. There is no on site testing at Aruba airport. These 2 options are what has allowed the ''back door' to BON to stay open. It's not easy, but it's still possible.

one more bullet that could be added - There is also a newer allowance (last week) of a 12 hour NAAT test (instead of the 72 and the 4 hr - yes INSTEAD). But, this basically poses the same problem as the 4 hr antigen for USA travelers - almost impossible to get it done in usa prior to departure b/c most flights leave usa at 6-10 AM, and there are almost no testing sites that are open 4-12 hours before that departure time (6pm-6am is not a common lab opening time).

The most recent info from Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire explicitly says the antigen test in Curacao is not available if you are in transit, and does NOT mention the new 4h NAAT test possibility, not that it is helpful anyway for the reasons you mention. More info is expected "real soon now,", of course.

 

[gbf]

The most recent info from Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire explicitly says the antigen test in Curacao is not available if you are in transit, and does NOT mention the new 4h NAAT test possibility, not that it is helpful anyway for the reasons you mention. More info is expected "real soon now,", of course.

is "real soon now" just like "in a little bit"?

(thanks for all the work you do on this).

 

[pairadocs]

For those that would like to investigate the Curacao backdoor, here is a link to the antigen testing at the airport. Not an official gov't website, but as close as it gets with pictures and step by step guidance on how to get off the plane, and get a test, and get to bonaire.

How to Get to Bonaire via Curacao During COVID : Bonaire News, Travel Updates | BonairePros.com

Some other 1st hand reports from travelers that have done the usa to CUR to BON route are available on facebook bonaire expats covid page - it is a private page, but you can read the reports from several travelers that detail this route and their personal experience with testing. Just request membership to view.

Bonaire Expats and Visitors COVID-19 Discussion

This is one of the better trip reports posted on that FB site:

Part 1 of 2: I have lived on Bonaire since 1990, it is my only home. I was in the US (NJ, family emergency) when Bonaire made the announcement that you had to have the antigen test in order to enter. (I had entered the US a week before they said you need to have a negative PCR test to enter.) This really concerned me so I had my connections on Bonaire make inquiries. It took a while because nobody was ready for this, however, I was told to call Charles de Rooy in Curacao, +5999 562 4499. He was an absolute lifesaver. He told me not to worry, that he would meet me at the plane and that the antigen test could be performed in the airport. We followed up with details by email. Whew

Here’s what I did to get from NJ-EWR to CUR to BON:
1. I first looked for flights EWR/CUR. United has one flight a week. American out of Miami was Plan B, with 4/week.
2. Before I booked my United seat, I made sure that the local connection was available. You have two choices for CUR to BON: Divi Divi or EasyJet. www.flyDivi.com. Divi had a seat at 5pm on Saturday Feb 6, so I booked that. I have flown through Curacao many many times and know the system well, yet I still booked the 5 PM flight, even though it looks like you could probably make the 3:30 flight. Don’t put yourself through that stress. If you get through early, you can always ask to be put on the earlier flight if there’s a seat available. This is what exactly happened for all of us connecting that day. I think Divi Divi had only a few passengers on the 3:30 PM flight so ended up delaying that flight to accommodate all of us and we took off at 4:30. More on Divi in my next post.
3. Then I booked my United flight. I still wasn’t 100% sure so I also booked American Airlines Miami to Curaçao Thursday with totally refundable miles. I missed that huge snowstorm by about 12 hours.
4. I was able to book a PCR test at Walgreens for Wednesday morning at 10 AM. I didn’t get my results until 5 PM Friday, this was the most stressful part. You cannot do your paperwork for Curacao and Bonaire without having your PCR results to upload. At this time there are two forms you need to do for Curacao and one for Bonaire, this may change.
5. Travel day went without a hitch. Mr. Charles met me at the gate and escorted me to the “lab”, which is BEFORE immigration. You do not need an appointment for this. My info was taken and the antigen test performed. It tickles. (Nose swab). The test is $20, cash or Visa/MasterCard. Your results are emailed to you while you wait; it took about 30 minutes. If you do not have data, that’s OK because the airport has free Wi-Fi. A screenshot is what you need to show at the CUR check-in counter and to an agent before immigration on Bonaire.
Next steps in my next post.

There are several others that detail the CUR airport testing for those traveling onto bonaire.

FWIW, YMMV

 

[hroark2112]

Word to the wise. If you’re planning on doing the antigen test in transit to Bonaire, make sure you leave yourself time between arrival and departure from curaçao. The antigen testing folks work on island time, so the line moves slowly! It was $20, and results came via email which was accepted at the departure from curaçao and arrival on Bonaire. Also the puddle jumper makes going through immigration at Bonaire a snap and the baggage was all on one trip!

The bad thing is the current lockdown. I really wanted to go to some of my favorite restaurants while we’re here. It’s takeout only. And all the stores are closed.

 

[tursiops]

Word to the wise. If you’re planning on doing the antigen test in transit to Bonaire, make sure you leave yourself time between arrival and departure from curaçao. The antigen testing folks work on island time, so the line moves slowly! It was $20, and results came via email which was accepted at the departure from curaçao and arrival on Bonaire. Also the puddle jumper makes going through immigration at Bonaire a snap and the baggage was all on one trip!

The bad thing is the current lockdown. I really wanted to go to some of my favorite restaurants while we’re here. It’s takeout only. And all the stores are closed.

The current lockdown (Phase 5 restrictions, which started yesterday) lasts for two weeks, and IMHO is well-advised. Here are the latest numbers.

This is reportedly due to the UK virus variant spreading rapidly.
I still have group reservations for August, and I'm still hopeful, but not as much as I was a couple of weeks ago.

 

[scuba127]

Does anybody have inside info on the Vaccine Certificate being proposed by the EU to ease travel for those who have been vaccinated? Would the Netherlands (and by default Bonaire) have to comply as a member of the EU? I am fully vaccinated with the Moderna Vaccine and am scheduled for Bonaire the last week in July...seriously ready to return to Bon.

 

[scuba127]

Additionally...its my understanding that airlines based in the United States are pressuring Biden to create a Vaccine Passport for travel....

 

[tkaelin]

Additionally...its my understanding that airlines based in the United States are pressuring Biden to create a Vaccine Passport for travel.

Seems like a good idea on the surface and may be but not likely to happen soon for a number of reasons, one being there is no uniform documentation/proof now of who has been vaccinated - everyone is likely receiving a different receipts, card, whatever regarding your vaccination and who is going to verify and 2nd and more importantly the government/cdc is still not recommending travel abroad until among other things more people are vaccinated. They are likely not interested at the moment in trying to increase the number of people flying. They consider flying the primary source/cause of transmission of the variants.

 

[tursiops]

Does anybody have inside info on the Vaccine Certificate being proposed by the EU to ease travel for those who have been vaccinated? Would the Netherlands (and by default Bonaire) have to comply as a member of the EU? I am fully vaccinated with the Moderna Vaccine and am scheduled for Bonaire the last week in July...seriously ready to return to Bon.

Additionally...its my understanding that airlines based in the United States are pressuring Biden to create a Vaccine Passport for travel....

What the EU does for travel within the EU may be interesting, but probably will not apply to non-EU countries....like the US.
What the US does may be interesting, but probably will not apply to travel within the EU.
At the moment the biggest problems for US flights to Bonaire are (a) the Netherlands policies being applied to Bonaire, (b) the ever-increasing surge within Bonaire itself, and (c) the reluctance of US airlines/health-care companies to provide the early-in-the-morning testing required by the NL...an expensive proposition to set up to travel to just one country, a requirement which may go away if the airlines just sit on their hands for a while.

This is aside from the growing concern about "equity," i.e., what about those who have not yet been able to get vaccinated, or can't be vaccinated (allergies, religion, etc), or don't want to be vaccinated (although I have no sympathy for this latter group)?

 

[scuba127]

Who considers flying the primary source/cause of transmission of the varients? I don't see how thats possible with the airlines requiring masks and their use of HEPA filters in the plane ventilation system. I'd have to see some data to be convinced that flying is "the" primary source of transmission.