Covid surging in Bonaire

[tursiops]

Tursiops, I read this as 5-day PCR for unvaccinated only, with preflight PCR and free antigen tests on arrival for vaccinated.

No, it is a Day 5 test for everybody. The unvaccinated are quarantined for 5 days.
"all travelers from high or very high-risk countries will be obliged to perform a PCR test on the fifth day after arrival at their own expense at a commercial testing company"

 

[drrich2]

Apologies if this has already been covered here. I need to put my questions in context. For this discussion, assume the traveler is fully vaccination (with or without booster).

Omicron Context: We read of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, a report it multiplies much faster in the airways but much slower in the lungs (I presume compared to Delta) and might (too soon to tell) be associated with milder (how much milder?) disease on average (so it can still get you). And antibodies from the first 2 doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine are drastically less effective against it (like in the roughly 40-50 fold less range) and their induced antibody levels drop off heavily after a few months anyway (but cellular based immunity persists, albeit it works slower). A booster raises effective antibody levels against Omicron way up, but I haven't read how long that effect will last, and many people haven't been boosted. An Omicron surge is expected over much of the world real soon, in the U.S. possibly as early as January, and I think it's been gaining ground in the Netherlands.

TLDR: I think we're at higher risk to contract Omicron and test positive than we were with prior variants, including while at the airport and in transit. So it's very possible to catch it en route to our destination, then test positive after getting there.

Quick Googling indicates PCR tests are more sensitive than antigen tests, which sounds good till I read they can keep testing positive for weeks or months after you recover; one source mentioned 3 months.

Imagine if you contract Omicron in the security line at the airport, remain asymptomatic (or mildly enough you don't realize you've got it), then on Day 5 in Bonaire a PCR test comes back positive.

Now what? You have to quarantine. But here are my questions:

1.) How long must you quarantine per Bonaire (I can find it for the U.S.)?

2.) What are the requirements to get out of quarantine? Just time, or a negative test (antigen or PCR)? I can hardly imagine they hold you prisoner in a hotel room for 3 months.

3.) We need a negative antigen test to head back to the U.S. How long till that turns negative? (Much faster than PCR, IIRC, but would be good to know).

4.) Will it be needful (or advisable) upon quarantine release to get a Bonaire physician to provide a letter one is COVID-19 recovered and good to travel? Wonder how easy it is to arrange that? Will the airline to the U.S. accept that? Per the CDC:

• If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

5.) Anyone heard how accommodating the airlines are on rescheduling flights due to COVID-19 positive test disruptions? Some of us fly Economy and many don't buy trip insurance. I'd think the airlines would want to encourage reporting by accommodating, but do they?

 

[reddiver970]

No, it is a Day 5 test for everybody. The unvaccinated are quarantined for 5 days.
"all travelers from high or very high-risk countries will be obliged to perform a PCR test on the fifth day after arrival at their own expense at a commercial testing company"

Locally they are saying 48-72 hours for test results of a PCR test, if Bonaire is the same what is the point of taking it on the fifth day many people will be on the plane ride home before results are back.

 

[rmorgan]

No, it is a Day 5 test for everybody. The unvaccinated are quarantined for 5 days.
"all travelers from high or very high-risk countries will be obliged to perform a PCR test on the fifth day after arrival at their own expense at a commercial testing company"

Indeed. I was focused on the second of these paragraphs:

“Due to the rapid spread of the omikron variant, all high-risk countries will be equated with very high-risk countries from 22 December 2021. This also applies to the Netherlands and the US. From next Wednesday, all travelers from high or very high-risk countries will be obliged to perform a PCR test on the fifth day after arrival at their own expense at a commercial testing company, not at the Public Health Department.

Unvaccinated travelers from high or very high risk countries are required to self-quarantine for five days. After that, they have to do a PCR test at their own expense at a commercial testing company, not at the Public Health Department. A traveler can only be released from quarantine with a negative test result. All travelers who test positive must be in isolation.”

The 5-day PCR for vaccinnated folks doesn’t make sense to me; maybe they’ll fix it, as it would certainly add to the burden on the testing facilities without much epidemiological justification. For the unvaccinated, it makes perfect sense.

 

[scubadada]

The new testing scheme is not more inconvenient than the one that was in place during our two week visit at the end of October, just more expensive. We always visit for 2 weeks.

In October, we obtained an Abbott ID Now test the day before arrival in Bonaire. The free 5 day antigen test at the Public Health Dept. was required at the time, appointment made on arrival. We obtained an antigen test the day before departure across the street from Den Laman at Bon Bida.

Now, we would simply have to pay $125 per person for a PCR test on day 5, also offered at Bon Bida. Scheduling may even be more convenient and take less time than the previous Ag test.

 

[Jcp2]

Apologies if this has already been covered here. I need to put my questions in context. For this discussion, assume the traveler is fully vaccination (with or without booster).

Omicron Context: We read of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, a report it multiplies much faster in the airways but much slower in the lungs (I presume compared to Delta) and might (too soon to tell) be associated with milder (how much milder?) disease on average (so it can still get you). And antibodies from the first 2 doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine are drastically less effective against it (like in the roughly 40-50 fold less range) and their induced antibody levels drop off heavily after a few months anyway (but cellular based immunity persists, albeit it works slower). A booster raises effective antibody levels against Omicron way up, but I haven't read how long that effect will last, and many people haven't been boosted. An Omicron surge is expected over much of the world real soon, in the U.S. possibly as early as January, and I think it's been gaining ground in the Netherlands.

TLDR: I think we're at higher risk to contract Omicron and test positive than we were with prior variants, including while at the airport and in transit. So it's very possible to catch it en route to our destination, then test positive after getting there.

Quick Googling indicates PCR tests are more sensitive than antigen tests, which sounds good till I read they can keep testing positive for weeks or months after you recover; one source mentioned 3 months.

Imagine if you contract Omicron in the security line at the airport, remain asymptomatic (or mildly enough you don't realize you've got it), then on Day 5 in Bonaire a PCR test comes back positive.

Now what? You have to quarantine. But here are my questions:

1.) How long must you quarantine per Bonaire (I can find it for the U.S.)?

2.) What are the requirements to get out of quarantine? Just time, or a negative test (antigen or PCR)? I can hardly imagine they hold you prisoner in a hotel room for 3 months.

3.) We need a negative antigen test to head back to the U.S. How long till that turns negative? (Much faster than PCR, IIRC, but would be good to know).

4.) Will it be needful (or advisable) upon quarantine release to get a Bonaire physician to provide a letter one is COVID-19 recovered and good to travel? Wonder how easy it is to arrange that? Will the airline to the U.S. accept that? Per the CDC:

• If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

5.) Anyone heard how accommodating the airlines are on rescheduling flights due to COVID-19 positive test disruptions? Some of us fly Economy and many don't buy trip insurance. I'd think the airlines would want to encourage reporting by accommodating, but do they?

I don’t think there is enough information yet that is strong enough to say either way whether omicron is more or less virulent than delta, only that it is more transmissible. And even if it’s less virulent, which depends a lot on prior immunity of any given population (either vaccine or infection or both, one/two/three shots, inactivated virus/adenovirus vector/mRNA), if the product of transmission x virulence is a number that yields more absolute hospitalizations, then that’s worse than delta for an area with a limited number of hospital beds, even if it’s “better” for any individual when it comes to being infected. Of course, anybody can end up in the hospital for a variety of other reasons, so it’s not really better.
I also agree that the chances of getting administratively stuck outside the US because of a positive test despite an absence of symptoms is pretty high, so a risk I will forgo. The pro sports game cancellations and postponements are a good example of that.

 

[homerdoc]

Well dang it....two years into this. Our original trip was for march of 2019, that got moved obviously. We are going tomorrow. I do think all things considered, I wont do this again. Drama getting the test results online, tests that say 48-72 hours and the window is 48, and my daughter forgot her purse at a restaurant this morning we are tracking down (not related, but you know how family can connect things)

I am all about safety and dont have an issue with a country deciding what or who comes through their borders, but realistically I am not all in on the family angst this caused - if I hadn't already paid for this trip in 2018 we would not be going. Key Largo/West has got about the same fish life, just not shore diving.

Will post a trip report after Christmas... Hopefully.

 

[uncfnp]

With the US risk level and steady rise in cases this was almost inevitable as is future changes and more uncertainty. But as long as I can meet the entry requirements I will continue to plan trips, to both Bonaire and elsewhere. And take all precautions possible while doing so.

 

[scubadada]

Well dang it....two years into this. Our original trip was for march of 2019, that got moved obviously. We are going tomorrow. I do think all things considered, I wont do this again. Drama getting the test results online, tests that say 48-72 hours and the window is 48, and my daughter forgot her purse at a restaurant this morning we are tracking down (not related, but you know how family can connect things)

I am all about safety and dont have an issue with a country deciding what or who comes through their borders, but realistically I am not all in on the family angst this caused - if I hadn't already paid for this trip in 2018 we would not be going. Key Largo/West has got about the same fish life, just not shore diving.

Will post a trip report after Christmas... Hopefully.

I guess you meant your trip was cancelled in 2020. We had a very successful trip in Oct 2021 Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, October 20-November 3, 2021 I hope you have a good trip too.

I dive in SE FL quite frequently, it is a nice alernative Trip Report - Back in SE FL 2021 part 6

 

[Martijn]

Well dang it....two years into this. Our original trip was for march of 2019, that got moved obviously. We are going tomorrow. I do think all things considered, I wont do this again. Drama getting the test results online, tests that say 48-72 hours and the window is 48, and my daughter forgot her purse at a restaurant this morning we are tracking down (not related, but you know how family can connect things)

I am all about safety and dont have an issue with a country deciding what or who comes through their borders, but realistically I am not all in on the family angst this caused - if I hadn't already paid for this trip in 2018 we would not be going. Key Largo/West has got about the same fish life, just not shore diving.

Will post a trip report after Christmas... Hopefully.

When you're here you're gonna be happy you went through with it!