What to do if you test positive before flying home?

[DeltaWardog]

I'm developing contingency plans for the homefront (pets, work, etc) in case I can't come home on time after my upcoming trip due to a positive test (despite being vaccinated). I would love to hear people's thoughts on what to do and not do on the island if, even while vaccinated, you end up testing positive just before heading home.

With breakthrough cases of vaccinated people all over the news it's bound to happen to some of us while on vacation, so I thought a thread about do's and don'ts might be helpful. Obviously you'll be staying on the island for another 10 days so you'd have to secure a roof over your head, but what other things should you consider?

For example, what about getting groceries without going to the store while you're infected? Are there any "shop for you" type services on the island that would pick up and deliver groceries? Any recommendations on a good hotel to wait out your quarantine if you can't stay where you already were? Etc.

What else comes to mind?

 

[Manatee Diver]

Don't most hotels have a covid insurance plan for guests these days? I remember seeing that a couple of months ago.

 

[Jcp2]

That assumes that you are a hotel guest prior to the positive test. What about Airbnb?

 

[greeniguana]

Don't most hotels have a covid insurance plan for guests these days? I remember seeing that a couple of months ago.

They did last year when business was slow. Not now, because occupancy is booming.

 

[BRT]

That assumes that you are a hotel guest prior to the positive test. What about Airbnb?

In February we studied available Airbnb places that we could rent if the test was positive. Once holed up I believe we could have convinced someone to shop for us.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Not saying to not take it seriously (I commend you for taking it seriously), but if you’re vaccinated…the breakthrough infection rate is EXTREMELY low. Like a fraction of one percent.

The REAL issue (from a vaccination standpoint) is that you aren’t fully protected until 2-3 weeks post 2nd vaccine (Pfizer and Moderna) or the single dose J&J. Some of the “breakthrough” infections that you’re reading about are: 1. People that didn’t get the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, and/or 2. Are inside of the post-vaccination period where the vaccine efficacy hasn’t fully kicked-in.

Keep in mind though that even if you’ve “got yours” (vaccine wise), you can still catch it and spread it just as effectively as someone that hasn’t been vaccinated.

 

[cozcharlie]

I live in a condo, so take these with a grain of salt but these are my thoughts:

1) I would know my hotels Covid stay policies in advance before testing. Not really that worried about intentional false positives because they have plenty of business. Question is if they have to let me stay if I turn positive. The first reaction of a lot of places is to kick people to the curb.
2) I would immediately request a PCR test if my antigen test comes back positive. PCR is more sensitive than antigen, so if that comes back negative you probably don't have Covid. What exactly the rules are regarding travel after positive then negative, I don't know--but PCR definitely more accurate than antigen overall.
3) If I truly have Covid how I would behave might be a function of the policies of where I am staying. If they have a clear covid policy life is fairly easy, my concern would be that a hotel that doesn't provide for longer covid stays might kick you to the curb. I would be reluctant to tell them if I they didn't have to keep me. Obviously, getting food delivered to an all-inclusive would be pretty tricky, but you could have a food delivered to most other hotels, rentals, and air bnbs. Would recommend you find someone who would deliver a couple of days at a time. I and other people on the board could probably find someone to deliver food (for a fee) if you left money outside the door. Not a lot of covid risk through a closed door and contact covid risk is pretty low from the money (especially with hand sanitizer and washng)

 

[JenLoves2Dive]

Join an English speaking Cozumel facebook group with a large membership and then you can post and ask for delivery solutions, alternative places to stay, places to get tested, etc., if that happens. "Cozumel4You" is the biggest one with over 34K members, quite a few Scubaboard members are on it. Many live here in Cozumel. There's one simply named "Cozumel", and another "Cozumel for Divers" that is a newer group.

One of my clients came down with covid while she was here. She moved to an Air BnB and I grocery shopped for her. I picked up a pulse oximeter and electrolytes for her etc. She sent me $ via Zelle & Pay Pal. I know others that provide grocery deliver and they use Venmo, Paypal, etc. Or you can figure out a way to leave cash for them. There is plenty of help here. If you don't have facebook, then just write down a few contact names that live here in Cozumel. You are more than welcome to send me a message if you need anything or I will give you my email or US phone that rings in my house here in Cozumel. And I can find someone to help you. It is very easy. Just remember, the farther you stay out of town, the more it might cost you in delivery fees. For example, Residencia Reef or way south like Iberostar will cost you more for delivery. And of course, you should buy trip insurance that covers covid. In case you need to go to a hospital.

 

[ggunn]

With breakthrough cases of vaccinated people all over the news it's bound to happen to some of us while on vacation, so I thought a thread about do's and don'ts might be helpful. Obviously you'll be staying on the island for another 10 days...

That is assuming, of course, that your positive test is not an indication that you have the virus and will get sick, and that you'll get a negative test sometime before that 10 days is up. It's the best case scenario. If things go otherwise for you you'll likely be there longer, maybe a lot longer.

 

[Jcp2]

If you want a negative result to go home and not want to deal with managing a positive result, then always choose the more specific test to minimize the amount of false positives. If you want a positive result to avoid missing a case and the consequences of a false negative result, then always choose the more sensitive test.

Test gaming only works if you have two tests where one test is LESS sensitive and MORE specific than the other test. Then you can choose one or the other to bias the expected results towards a false positive or false negative result.

For Covid testing the PCR test is both MORE sensitive and MORE specific than the antigen test in all testing scenarios. It’s just more expensive and access is more limited. Given a choice and no financial or access limits, there is never any reason to choose the antigen test. The only game you can play is to make the collection technique suboptimal.