Covid testing in Cozumel

[JohnN]

To those of you who are pissing and moaning about these restrictions, you've lost perspective on the depth of this pandemic crisis.

To help put things into context for you, here are the total US combat deaths from WWII, Korea and Vietnam (source United States military casualties of war - Wikipedia):

WWII 291,557
Korea 33,739
Vietnam 47,434
372,730

US Covid-19 deaths to date 395,013

Note the Covid-19 deaths are increasing right now at ~4,000/day

Is the CDC's restriction, perfect? Hardly, but remember: "The best is the enemy of the good" (Voltaire)

 

[gopbroek]

To those of you who are pissing and moaning about these restrictions, you've lost perspective on the depth of this pandemic crisis.

To help put things into context for you, here are the total US combat deaths from WWII, Korea and Vietnam (source United States military casualties of war - Wikipedia):

WWII 291,557
Korea 33,739
Vietnam 47,434
372,730

US Covid-19 deaths to date 395,013

Note the Covid-19 deaths are increasing right now at ~4,000/day

Is the CDC's restriction, perfect? Hardly, but remember: "The best is the enemy of the good" (Voltaire)

And the flu kills up to 60K a year yet half of Americans are to busy or selfish to get a shot for the last 3 or 4 decades. Now with vaccines available for Covid similar numbers of those offered it are refusing.

'I'm not an anti-vaxxer, but...' US health workers' vaccine hesitancy raises alarm

 

[tridacna]

You are missing the point. This means that isolating USA from other countries won't help USA, it is already too late. It's the other way around, isolating other countries from USA will help them.

So this is a good thing for Cozumel. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[morecowbells]

Three out of five people in our group have now cancelled Feb Cozumel vacation. This is all so discouraging! We went on a diving vacation to Florida in Oct, but due to a tropical depression, our boat dives were cancelled every friggin' day. I am really hoping to get back in the water soon. I have been on the AA and CDC website, and perhaps it has been mentioned in this thread and I may have missed the info I am looking for. If one ends up with a positive test, how long do they have to wait before trying to fly back? That part may be the deal breaker, and we may change our destination to the USVI. I am scratching my head trying to figure out the logic behind the CDC decision. I have not heard about airlines being a super spreader event. I wonder if they are bracing for spring breakers down the road? Seems like shooting fish in a barrel.

 

[ReefHound]

Three out of five people in our group have now cancelled Feb Cozumel vacation. This is all so discouraging! We went on a diving vacation to Florida in Oct, but due to a tropical depression, our boat dives were cancelled every friggin' day. I am really hoping to get back in the water soon. I have been on the AA and CDC website, and perhaps it has been mentioned in this thread and I may have missed the info I am looking for. If one ends up with a positive test, how long do they have to wait before trying to fly back? That part may be the deal breaker, and we may change our destination to the USVI. I am scratching my head trying to figure out the logic behind the CDC decision. I have not heard about airlines being a super spreader event. I wonder if they are bracing for spring breakers down the road? Seems like shooting fish in a barrel.

What makes you think USVI is less restrictive? It looks to me like you need a PCR test to go there and will be subject to the same requirements as returning from Mexico.

 

[drrich2]

Three out of five people in our group have now cancelled Feb Cozumel vacation.

What was their reasoning? I ask because with land-based trips it's more practical to get tested than with live-aboards, Cozumel has sufficiently tourism-dependent and with a strong enough dive op. provider base that I suspect there will be advocacy to make testing readily available, and while I am concerned about the potential for false positives, with the link somebody else posted earlier (this thread I think?) that risk is hopefully low.

I think St. Croix, which I really liked, is more expensive to stay on than Cozumel. If I found myself 'trapped' for an extended stay due to a COVID + result...

In other words, the situation isn't what one might hope for, but it really worth cancelling a trip over? And what will they do now? Go somewhere else, or Cozumel later, and if so, when?

P.S.: I assume if you're stuck in such a place due to COVID+ result, and can find a hotel room, you're supposed to self-quarantine for what, 10, 14 days maybe? Living off pizza delivery, whatever else might be delivered?

 

[ReefHound]

I won't be surprised if a lot of travel lovers try to get themselves infected on purpose since this seems to be the only way to bypass this new requirement. Not even a certificate of vaccination gets you out of it. It's the ones with a positive test and a letter of recovery that are smelling like roses.

 

[morecowbells]

@ReefHound On the AA site, you can enter your departure location and date. So far it does not look like there is a test requirement for entering mainland USA when arriving from St. Croix. Although who knows, this may change as well.

@drrich2 , their reasoning was the risk of a false positive and being stuck on the island away from their kids and jobs. They have flexible scheduling and plan on returning in the spring, provided CDC guidelines changing. I lack flexibility when scheduling vacation, that is one of the reasons I am determined to still dive. You bring up a very good point about the cost difference in St. Croix. I was just looking at accommodations and crickey, it is much steeper!

 

[JohnN]

You are missing the point. This means that isolating USA from other countries won't help USA, it is already too late. It's the other way around, isolating other countries from USA will help them.

I think you've missed the point. The virus is mutating (this is what virus' do) and the current mutations are more transmissible than when the virus was first detected. This measure, while not perfect, will reduce the chance of a new even more transmissible or virulent strain coming 'onshore'.

 

[Scuba-74]

What makes you think USVI is less restrictive? It looks to me like you need a PCR test to go there and will be subject to the same requirements as returning from Mexico.

Why would requirements be the same as returning from Mexico? It’s considered a domestic destination.

I’m now looking at USVI too as an option.