Coronavirus (COVID-19) Respiratory illness - Effect on Travel

[mviy]

I have a family member who usually comes back for just a few day visit. There would have to be an extraordinary reason for that family member to come back home and undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine.

I’m happy to quarantine provided I can get the vaccine before going and can come home when I want to. I expect I’ll be going overseas before the family member visits home.

 

[Flying mermaid]

there is a strong possibility he will come to Australia in July

That sounds optimistic to me but #1 son also says they intend come home for Xmas .

Imo he is dreaming, our vaccination programme will dawdle along for at least another year at least
Do folks expect the feds to ease ingress without having their constituents protected ?

It’s all about money unfortunately- if you have the funds it’s not that hard to get back. If you are trying to come in economy then it’s a nightmare. Master FM needs to renew his visa (has to do it every 2 years). He was planning to come back for Christmas as that is really when the visa is up, but having seen the difficulty his sister experienced (even booking J), he has decided to try in July to leave him room in case he has issues. I don’t know what flights are like now, but Dr FM paid $12,000 for a one way ticket back.


Dr FM talked to a mining engineer who was on her flight back to Australia. It was his 5th trip away and 5th time in Quarantine.

If your son is happy to pay for J and for quarantine, then he is probably not dreaming.

 

[Toula92122]

It’s all about money unfortunately- if you have the funds it’s not that hard to get back. If you are trying to come in economy then it’s a nightmare. Master FM needs to renew his visa (has to do it every 2 years). He was planning to come back for Christmas as that is really when the visa is up, but having seen the difficulty his sister experienced (even booking J), he has decided to try in July to leave him room in case he has issues. I don’t know what flights are like now, but Dr FM paid $12,000 for a one way ticket back.


Dr FM talked to a mining engineer who was on her flight back to Australia. It was his 5th trip away and 5th time in Quarantine.

If your son is happy to pay for J and for quarantine, then he is probably not dreaming.

I think it's a lot easier getting seats out of the US so Master FM should be ok. I'm monitoring the vaccination issue and if it continues at the same snail pace lurching from disaster to disaster I am planning on taking a trip to the US in August to get a Pfizer or Moderna vax. Figure I'll have a couple of months vacation in Hawaii. I'm hoping that the hotel quarantine on return will be downgraded for that that have been vaccinated, but if I have to do hotel quarantine again I will.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I think it's a lot easier getting seats out of the US so Master FM should be ok. I'm monitoring the vaccination issue and if it continues at the same snail pace lurching from disaster to disaster I am planning on taking a trip to the US in August to get a Pfizer or Moderna vax. Figure I'll have a couple of months vacation in Hawaii. I'm hoping that the hotel quarantine on return will be downgraded for that that have been vaccinated, but if I have to do hotel quarantine again I will.

Sounds like a good plan. It appears relatively easy to get an appointment now. Master FM and his partner were very focused on getting one and he said they were getting snapped up quickly, but they have only just opened up to the younger age group. I would imagine by August it would be quite easy.

 

[Lynda2475]

I am planning on taking a trip to the US in August to get a Pfizer or Moderna vax.

I suspect you wont be the only one traveling to get their preferred vaccine in a more timely manner. Those with dual citizenship or work visa for overseas find it easier to leave and most countries consider arrivals from Australia low risk.

Im very jealous of my friends in US, especially those in NY where *anyone* over 30 can get a vaccine, and provided you have insurance, securing your preferred vaccine is a matter of calling the different clinics near asking what they have then making an appointment.

 

[tgh]

If your son is happy to pay for J and for quarantine, then he is probably not dreaming.

ha.. He never shells for anything but economy unless the company is paying.... (thats why he could travel F if he wanted to).. so thats strike one
He will not be planning quarantine as they will be only be a short vacation.. so that's strike two

As I said .. dreaming….

 

[Flying mermaid]

If your son is happy to pay for J and for quarantine, then he is probably not dreaming.

ha.. He never shells for anything but economy unless the company is paying.... (thats why he could travel F if he wanted to).. so thats strike one
He will not be planning quarantine as they will be only be a short vacation.. so that's strike two

As I said .. dreaming….

Master FM pays for J all the time - we corrupted him at an early age. . I did give him a lecture a few days ago on not being spendthrift and saving for retirement, but he then shared his assets status with me and I decided to stop lecturing

I think not being prepared to do some form of quarantine is unrealistic unfortunately- they are talking about maybe home quarantine for vaccinated people towards the end of the year but it’s so up in the air and doesn’t really help with a short holiday, except maybe a cost saving. So I suspect that’s the killer for him

 

[Seat0B]

You do sound as though you are in a worse position than many of us. We were separated from Dr FM for nearly a year but she is back now and visiting us in a weeks time. We haven’t seen Master FM since December 2019 - he was supposed to visit in Easter 2020 to meet his little niece, but obviously that couldn’t happen. However now he is being vaccinated, there is a strong possibility he will come to Australia in July. So hang in there - it is slowly getting better and families reuniting.

Thanks for the support @Flying mermaid. And I know it's not a competition - many people miss their families and are suffering with long border closures, so there is no way that my experience diminishes yours or anyone else's. The part that is hard for me, and a bit different to people with family in the usual places of UK, USA and even Asia is the added dimension of a Middle East government. We really have taken so many of our freedoms for granted here in Australia. Travel obviously, and freedom to move from state to state or to return to your home in (say) Vic or WA. But an uncensored, unblocked internet is something that I honestly never considered until my son moved into a country without those freedoms.

I'm really delighted for you that Dr FM is home, and hope that you all see Master FM again soon. That's the same length of time since we saw our son - early Jan 2020, in Japan for 5 days only, but looking forward to many visits in 2020 - to meet his new niece, to celebrate my 60th birthday, to see his remaining grandparents, etc.

The article I posted just really hit a raw nerve for me, on a low day, as my feelings were closely mirrored by the journalist who wrote it.

 

[dajop]

If your son is happy to pay for J and for quarantine, then he is probably not dreaming.

ha.. He never shells for anything but economy unless the company is paying.... (thats why he could travel F if he wanted to).. so thats strike one
He will not be planning quarantine as they will be only be a short vacation.. so that's strike two

As I said .. dreaming….

I can't imagine the scenario of doing quarantine and having to take leave it, that would seem an awful waste of leave.

For those of us who can do roles remotely (and employers allow it) it is feasible (in fact would go insane doing multiple 2xweeks if I didn't have work to keep me occupied), but for those that can't a bit of compassion from the government to allow vaccinated retired folk, for example, or even working people who could work remotely, to visit their overseas loved ones might help.

The trouble is in allowing such travel there is no hi-viz clothing photo op to announce it.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I can't imagine the scenario of doing quarantine and having to take leave it, that would seem an awful waste of leave.

Pretty much my opinion. If I could work from home (or a hotel room...) then I would accept the risk and schedule some holidays to NZ. Reality is I can not do that, so I therefore cannot take the risk of having 2 weeks in a hotel room on the way back.

On a domestic basis, well, can't eliminate all the risk but at least one should be able to quarantine at home. And then maybe I can start negotiating with my employer to take 2 weeks leave without pay...

My thoughts very much with those who can't be with their families, and haven't been able to since last year. My heart literally bleeds for you. I struggled significantly last year with all the WA restrictions. My only words of comfort are - when you do get the chance to be together, make it for as long as possible. It is healing.

 

[drron]

Some predictions on possible permanent consequences of the pandemic on travel.

8 Ways the Pandemic Has Changed Travel-Possibly Forever

Here's what to expect from the new normal.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Happy Dude]

T

Some predictions on possible permanent consequences of the pandemic on travel.

8 Ways the Pandemic Has Changed Travel-Possibly Forever

Here's what to expect from the new normal.

www.yahoo.com

That guy is way off about hotels if my experience in Rydges Sydney a couple of weeks ago is anything to go by. The brekky was a help yourself buffet, the sauna and spa pool was chockers the whole time and our room was cleaned daily and had all the usual "touch point" items. The hotel had a few signs up about social distancing and elevator sharing but guests did not notice or care. If you'd woken from a coma recently you would not have known COVID was a thing.

 

[Must...Fly!]

T

That guy is way off about hotels if my experience in Rydges Sydney a couple of weeks ago is anything to go by. The brekky was a help yourself buffet, the sauna and spa pool was chockers the whole time and our room was cleaned daily and had all the usual "touch point" items. The hotel had a few signs up about social distancing and elevator sharing but guests did not notice or care. If you'd woken from a coma recently you would not have known COVID was a thing.

I'll be an honest little piggy, self serve buffet breakfasts are one thing I've really missed during COVID....

TBH doesn't seem like much of an added risk as long as there is plenty of hand sanitiser around and serving utensils are changed regularly.

I wish traveling the world would be like it was, but reality is it probably won't be for 5 years, if ever. Sad.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

T

That guy is way off about hotels if my experience in Rydges Sydney a couple of weeks ago is anything to go by. The brekky was a help yourself buffet, the sauna and spa pool was chockers the whole time and our room was cleaned daily and had all the usual "touch point" items. The hotel had a few signs up about social distancing and elevator sharing but guests did not notice or care. If you'd woken from a coma recently you would not have known COVID was a thing.

And this week how many new daily cases?

 

[Flying mermaid]

T

That guy is way off about hotels if my experience in Rydges Sydney a couple of weeks ago is anything to go by. The brekky was a help yourself buffet, the sauna and spa pool was chockers the whole time and our room was cleaned daily and had all the usual "touch point" items. The hotel had a few signs up about social distancing and elevator sharing but guests did not notice or care. If you'd woken from a coma recently you would not have known COVID was a thing.

So you were allowed to help yourself? When we stayed at the Stamford in Brisbane in May, they had a full buffet, but you had to stay behind a line and staff served you what you wanted - even getting water or juice from the dispensers. It actually worked very well, although when I spoke to the manager he said he had had to put on quite a lot of staff to make it work properly.

 

[drron]

Late April in Sydney the Hyatt Regency had a breakfast buffet but you were served from the stations.
Then the IC Double Bay.Service only.
Courtyard Macquarie was the old style breakfast buffet.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Novotel Twin Waters and Novotel Southbank are also a ‘don’t touch’ we’ll serve you buffet. As is the QP in Brisbane and Mackay. Mainly because self service buffets are banned in Qld. And possibly banned in NSW also, so Rydges Sydney appear to be skating on very, very thin ice. But then NSW provides very vague guidance about what to put in a COVID safe plan.

It is pleasing, however, to see that NSW has a Department of Customer Service. I might ring them up and ask for some,

cheers skip

 

[Happy Dude]

So you were allowed to help yourself? When we stayed at the Stamford in Brisbane in May, they had a full buffet, but you had to stay behind a line and staff served you what you wanted - even getting water or juice from the dispensers. It actually worked very well, although when I spoke to the manager he said he had had to put on quite a lot of staff to make it work properly.

Yep help yourself. It was very crowded at the hotel on all days we were there. Sounds more like the exception though. It was Queens Birthday weekend and there were many Demons supporters too which I found interesting.

But we were constantly in crowded situations at the zoo, netball, restaurants, on trains and, especially, ferries pretty much the whole weekend.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Yep help yourself. It was very crowded at the hotel on all days we were there. Sounds more like the exception though. It was Queens Birthday weekend and there were many Demons supporters too which I found interesting.

But we were constantly in crowded situations at the zoo, netball, restaurants, on trains and, especially, ferries pretty much the whole weekend.

Not much social distancing in Canberra either. We go to the Canberra Zoo quite often with our grand daughter and it’s wall to wall people. Really though the only way out is vaccination - only 3 weeks until we are fully vaccinated

 

[PineappleSkip]

Sydney locked down from 6 pm tonight. Quick, Batman, the toilet paper!