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

[drron]

Don't forget that there are likely to be higher numbers of unreported infections now that PCR tests are no longer free.

But they still have accurate figures for hospitalisation and death which are way more important than case numbers and particularly deaths are down considerably.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So the unvaccinated can travel… where are they going to go (as in be allowed in?) and will travel insurance cover them?

 

[Quickstatus]

So the unvaccinated can travel… where are they going to go

Many countries now allow Non Quarantine Covid unvaccinated entry (NQCuV)

I believe the NQCuV countries are (please advise in incorrect). Obviously this will be a dynamic situation and new variants of concern or flare ups may change the lay of the land. Better to be vaxxed:
UK
France
Spain
Portugal
Greece
Italy
Denmark
Germany
Croatia
Slovenia
Turkey
Ireland
Sweden
Norway
Monaco

UAE
Egypt
South Africa

Mexico
Panama
Argentina
Belize
El Salvador
Honduras
Nicaragua

Bahamas, Costa rica, Cuba (but unable to via USA)

Countries not allowing unvaxxed travel:
USA
HKG
Singapore If Covid Unvaxxed transiting through Singapore is not recommended as entry into Singapore may be required due to IIROPS

As UAE allows NQCuV better to fly with EK than transit through SIN

But re-entering Australia when unvaxxed will require quarantine depending on the State of the port of Entry
I believe every state is 7 days except for SA and QLD which is 14 days


Please advise if incorrect

 

[Must...Fly!]

But re-entering Australia when unvaxxed will require quarantine depending on the State of the port of Entry
I believe every state is 7 days except for SA and QLD which is 14 days

What a waste of time and resources. IMHO!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks quickstatus… that’s quite a list.

Strange that any country would want to expose their health system to potentially severe cases for those who are unvaccinated and catch covid… or maybe they’ve done the figures and found most travellers/tourists are already vaccinated?

Question too for those wanting to travel without the vaccine… how much of a holiday do they think they will have?

 

[Quickstatus]

how much of a holiday do they think they will have

I think the unvaxxed will generally be nonchalant about covid infectivity prospects - its not a big deal to them.
There is a risk which they have not factored in because governments could just as easily shut the borders again - but that applies to vaccinated travellers as well but perhaps to a lesser degree.

they’ve done the figures and found most travellers/tourists are already vaccinated

Basically many countries have adopted the "Live with Covid" rather than "Covid zero policy". The former is consistent with an open borders policy. The already vaccinated are just as capable of carrying and transmitting Covid.
There is always going to be less risk of virus transmission when the pool of vaccinated is high
New Variants of Concern will pop up from time to time, most will agree that it is not possible to remain shut off to the world.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think the unvaxxed will generally be nonchalant about covid infectivity prospects - its not a big deal to them.
There is a risk which they have not factored in because governments could just as easily shut the borders again - but that applies to vaccinated travellers as well but perhaps to a lesser degree.


Basically many countries have adopted the "Live with Covid" rather than "Covid zero policy". The former is consistent with an open borders policy. The already vaccinated are just as capable of carrying and transmitting Covid.
There is always going to be less risk of virus transmission when the pool of vaccinated is high

That’s true… but the unvaccinated are likely to experience worse symptoms and have a greater chance of ending up seriously ill in hospital. Why would you want that for your hospital system?

 

[Quickstatus]

Why would you want that for your hospital system?

They obviously think it's not a problem. Im sure that they will be monitoring the situation carefully with many countries still requiring pre entry Covid tests.
Ae there any countries with a currently overwhelmed hospital system due to Covid? Hospitalisation peaked around the world in January but its plumetted to very low figures. So if not now, when?.

The other big question is: are the unvaccinated also without covid antibodies and therefore some immunity?. My sense is that there is a significant number who have been asymptomatically infected (which is another way of saying vaccinated)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

They obviously think it's not a problem. Im sure that they will be monitoring the situation carefully with many countries still requiring pre entry Covid tests.
Ae there any countries with a currently overwhelmed hospital system due to Covid? Hospitalisation peaked around the world in January but its plumetted to very low figures. So if not now, when?

Depends what we mean by ‘overwhelmed’, and who’s telling the story.

Nurses say they are at breaking point. Ambulance response times have suffered because they’re ramped waiting to hand over patients.

Patients waiting for elective surgery aren’t happy because resources are tied up with covid and preventing their treatment.

The government says we are all coping well.

 

[Quickstatus]

Depends what we mean by ‘overwhelmed’

moved here

 

[oznflfan]

But re-entering Australia when unvaxxed will require quarantine depending on the State of the port of Entry
I believe every state is 7 days except for SA and QLD which is 14 days


Please advise if incorrect

Thinks TAS and NT are no quarantine and straight back to home or work for unvaxxed. Granted nothing out of TAS, but NT direct services to Europe via Singapore airlines and of course Qantas. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Quickstatus]

TAS and NT are no quarantine

Yes I think NT does not have quarantine. I think you are right re TAS but TAS is not an international port of entry - have to go via one the the mainland states - with their quarantine rules.

Does this mean that LHR-DRW-SYD = no quarantine if unvaxxed but LHR-DXB-SYD = 7 day quarantine if unvaccinated?

NT direct services to Europe via Singapore airlines and of course Qantas

Yes transit through SIN is OK for unvaxxed but what if as I said above there are flight cancellations that then necessitate entry into Singapore? (rare that may be)

 

[Must...Fly!]

That’s true… but the unvaccinated are likely to experience worse symptoms and have a greater chance of ending up seriously ill in hospital. Why would you want that for your hospital system?

That's an extreme over simplification. You are completely eroding any benefit that prior infection gives you. And the majority of the world's population has had COVID-19, knowingly or otherwise.

I don't blame you for this. Pfizer, Moderna and governments have been extremely effective at planting this seed in the community that vaccination is the one and only thing that might keep you out of hospital.

 

[drron]

That’s true… but the unvaccinated are likely to experience worse symptoms and have a greater chance of ending up seriously ill in hospital. Why would you want that for your hospital system?

As @Must...Fly! says if an unvaccinated person has had covid then they are better off immunity wise than double vaxxed people who haven't had covid. And as the unvaccinated are more likely to get covid it is likely a majority of them have already had covid.

 

[oznflfan]

Yes transit through SIN is OK for unvaxxed but what if as I said above there are flight cancellations that then necessitate entry into Singapore? (rare that may be)

Testing this out, likely flying Singapore Airlines to Poland in Sept with my unvaxxed 17 year old son. I'm triple vaxxed so he fly's under my vaccination status. Can't do it next year when he is 18 though under current conditions. Vaccinating kids stupid, more harm in vaccinating them by far. Oldies and sick yes definately, healthy 5-20 year olds, just plain stupid.

 

[Lynda2475]

And the majority of the world's population has had COVID-19, knowingly or otherwise.

I dont think that is proven by any means, certainly not true in Australia.

 

[Quickstatus]

the majority of the world's population has had COVID-19, knowingly or otherwise

The American Red Cross says that 20% of unvaccinated people donations contained Covid19 antibodies in March 2021.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just returned from a month away in the USA, UK, and Europe mainland.

As predicted travel in the UK and mainland was always going to be difficult covid wise… there are basically no restrictions, crowds are back, flights are full, and no one is interested in following any of the ‘covid-safe’ recommendations.

However, pleased to report that it is possible to travel, enjoy the experience, and remain covid free. It is NOT inevitable that you will catch covid!

While in the USA the mask mandate was in full force for travel. Social distancing in airports was almost non existent, but if you wished to maintain distance others around you were fine in terms of respecting that.

In the UK BA mainline was enforcing masks, but their partners such as city jet ex LCY were not. However most pax were voluntarily wearing masks anyway.

Uk hotels and restaurants were crowded, but again everyone, without exception, were pretty respectful of those wishing to employ covid-safe measures.

In terms of being out and about those wearing masks weren’t frowned upon, you could enjoy many restaurants, pubs and bars in outside seating areas if you wanted. Travel by tube there were options to use the front of carriages where the windows were lowered for ventilation rather than being sardined in the middle sections. And frequent hand sanitising or washing before, during and after donning masks.

From a travel perspective, ‘living with covid’ doesn’t mean you have to get it.

Agree that all of the above probably aren’t practical if you were living long term or working in a city. But for a holiday where you have plans and onward bookings, you can potentially be successful in minimising the risks and still have a great time.

 

[stryker]

From a travel perspective, ‘living with covid’ doesn’t mean you have to get it.

Agree that all of the above probably aren’t practical if you were living long term or working in a city. But for a holiday where you have plans and onward bookings, you can potentially be successful in minimising the risks and still have a great time.

Glad you enjoyed the trip.

I think at the moment there would be a higher chance of catching Covid in Australia than in UK/USA, due to our very high daily infection rates.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Glad you enjoyed the trip.

I think at the moment there would be a higher chance of catching Covid in Australia than in UK/USA, due to our very high daily infection rates.

hopefully getting covid in australia is not inevitable either!

we still have mask mandates in victoria for things like public transport. When I got to the UK and saw packed tubes and no masks I thought ‘yeah, this is it’. But it doesn’t have to be.