Covid surging in Bonaire

[rmorgan]

A good lesson to all. As a more contagious Omicron spreading everywhere, we are definitely need to include the risk and consequences of contracting it while traveling from airport to airport more seriously than in the past.

Violating the country’s Covid-19 protocol would definitely affects in tightening the protocol and making it more stringent for others coming to that country in the near future, like what happened in Thailand, Rogue Israeli tourist taken into custody in Immigration police proper to his deportation - Thai Examiner

Agreed on the first point (and, what an idiot). On the second, time will tell: I think things will probably move in the direction of no travel-related testing. The return-to-USA test is now anachronistic, since a positive test apparently means a 10-day stay wherever you are, even though the CDC guidance is, after five symptom-free days, go about your business but wear a mask. (I'm definitely not trying to tee up the CDC: I strongly think they're doing the best they can to follow the science and have a lot of respect for their efforts.)

So, the U.S. continues to require a negative test or a recovery letter to get back in, despite the evidence that "transmission of COVID-19 often occurs one to two days before the onset of symptoms and during the two to three days afterward." This prevents fully-vaccinated travelers who are unlikely to transmit Omicron from coming to the U.S. from countries with far fewer infections and far higher vaccination rates. While nobody wants to be on a flight with people who have Covid-19, given Omicron's three-day gestation and the day-and-a-half between the test and the flight home, I'll bet there's one, or 10, on a lot of flights.

The UK has already adjusted its policies. No less an expert on COVID rules than the Prime Minister himself noted that pre-departure testing "discourages many from traveling for fear of being trapped overseas and incurring significant extra expense" and the airlines derided pre-travel testing as "making no real impact" since Omicron is everywhere. The disarray around this issue is evident in the varied requirements:

• Sweden have said they will drop the requirement for proof of a negative test from arrivals "this week."
• France has now reopened to UK tourists.
• Pre-departure tests are no longer required for the UK, but day-2 post-arrival antigen tests are.
• Cyprus now requires pre-departure PCR tests from all travelers.
• Italy requires all traveler to present a negative PCR test on arrival.
• Only fully-vaccinated UK travelers are currently allowed into Spain.

I don't think the U.S. will make a change for a few weeks or a couple of months, but I'll bet it's coming in time for people to plan summertime trips unless a new variant buys us another round on the tilt-a-whirl. In the meantime, we're heading for Bonaire on Monday triple-vaxxed and masked, knowing that we may end up staying an extra week.

 

[tursiops]

Update
========
The new-cases plot suggests the "omicron peak" may have passed in Bonaire. Even so, the number of local infections is high.

There are new quarantine rules for housemates and close contacts of an infected person.

Nieuwe quarantaineregels huisgenoten en nauwe contacten die boosterprik hebben gehad - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire

Nieuwe quarantaineregels huisgenoten en nauwe contacten die boosterprik hebben gehad - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire

www.bonairecrisis.com

If you've been fully vaccinated and have had a booster shot, you do not need to also quarantine.

TL;DR: Get vaccinated, get boosted.

 

[Jcp2]

The number may be high but because the rate of infection is negative, the R value for infection is below 1.0 and the risk of acquiring a new infection is a lot lower than the same number on the front of the spike.

 

[rmorgan]

positivity rate is still more than 50%, but with a lot fewer tests given and the visitor positives now gone. Omicron came late to Bonaire—maybe it’ll leave early, but it seems to be a creature of habit.

 

[David Novo]

Where exactly can antigen tests for travel be done near the airport? Do i need to book it? How long do results take?

 

[David Novo]

Deleted

 

[tursiops]

Where exactly can antigen tests for travel be done near the airport? Do i need to book it? How long do results take?

Where on Bonaire can tourists and residents get tested for coronavirus before their trip abroad? - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire

Where on Bonaire can tourists and residents get tested for coronavirus before their trip abroad? - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire

www.bonairecrisis.com

home | Covid-19 test

coronatestbonaire.com

 

[tursiops]

Update
========
Things are really looking better. The omicron peak has clearly passed, testing positivity (averaged over 3 days) is running in the 20-40% range, and teh "case count over the previous 28 days" (used by the CDC to Estimate the Risk Assessment Level) is quite obviously dropping.; by the middle of March Bonaire may have dropped from the current Level 4 to Level 3 or even Level 2.

Local restrictions imposed Jan 16 (see post #1002 above) wee relaxed today. For example, the Sex Establishments have been allowed to reopen. More importantly, 2 people can go into stores together, and restaurants can be open until midnight. Face masks are still mandatory, most places.

No changes announced on entry regulations, although if you are fully vaccinated they are already very gentle: NATT within 48h of departure, or antigen within 24h of departure for Bonaire. The antigen test cannot be a home test, even if tele-proctored.

 

[Lorenzoid]

The antigen test cannot be a home test, even if tele-proctored.

Thanks for that tidbit. I have not been following this thread or the changes in testing requirements lately, but with a Bonaire trip coming up next month I am starting to pay attention, and this very question had occurred to me. I'll stay tuned.

 

[tursiops]

Thanks for that tidbit. I have not been following this thread or the changes in testing requirements lately, but with a Bonaire trip coming up next month I am starting to pay attention, and this very question had occurred to me. I'll stay tuned.

Note: this is for ENTRY to Bonaire. If you want to use a tele-proctored home test to get back into the US, that is acceptable. But it is easier and more certain just to get a local test from one of the four places that do it.