What happens if you catch COVID whilst overseas?

[AviatorPJ]

If you’re no longer RAT positive, can’t you just do a supervised RAT on departure? You only need to deal with recover certification if you’re still testing positive.

Sorry, Your information is incorrect.. Here's the link Inbound international travel - towards the end of the page under the FAQs and see post 145, above from @N860CR, which lists the exemption certificate's specifications.

 

[Must...Fly!]

It's not incorrect, if you are RAT negative you board your flight. No one needs to know you were positive last week or the week before.

 

[Scr77]

Sorry, Your information is incorrect.. Here's the link Inbound international travel - towards the end of the page under the FAQs and see post 145, above from @N860CR, which lists the exemption certificate's specifications.

I understand this in the case of continuing to test positive and there is a time pressure to get back to Australia. However, if it’s been over a week and you’re not symptomatic, why does anything more that a supervised negative RAT need to be done?

 

[N860CR]

Having tested positive in the UK on a personal RAT test, I am struggling to get information about the recovery certificate process. I have asked the people I intend to use if they will accept my test, or whether they need a supervised test to establish I am infected. If anyone has been through the process, please let me know.

Also, the AU government says you can travel after 7 days if no symptoms, but here they want you to be 10 days after infection to issue the certificate,

I’d contact medicspot.co.uk and ask them what they’ll need. They will issue a certificate for travel to Australia for £59. If you’re not a UK regular and don’t have a doctor, that’s probably the best way to go about getting the certificate and they’ll confirm what you need to “prove” infection.

As others have mentioned, if you’re not returning immediately, you can do a RAT 24 hours prior to departure and that will also get you home. Theoretically, a RAT should be clear 7-10 days after your first. No guarantees though (that’s why I’m going the PCR and recovery certificate route).

 

[OATEK]

I do understand that I could gamble on doing a RAT test and it being negative 24hrs before departure - but it is a gamble. I have chosen to try and get a positive test result (not easy so far) and then get the certificate of recovery. I will let you know how it goes.

Mind you, the first thing is to actually recover!

 

[N860CR]

I do understand that I could gamble on doing a RAT test and it being negative 24hrs before departure - but it is a gamble. I have chosen to try and get a positive test result (not easy so far) and then get the certificate of recovery. I will let you know how it goes.

Mind you, the first thing is to actually recover!

I know… amazing how we get more worked up over the logistics than the recovery!

If you’re happy to pay for it, I’d just go to Randox and get a PCR done. At least then you’ll have a date and time to work with. Won’t be a drama getting the recovery certificate then.

 

[OATEK]

I do understand that I could gamble on doing a RAT test and it being negative 24hrs before departure - but it is a gamble. I have chosen to try and get a positive test result (not easy so far) and then get the certificate of recovery. I will let you know how it goes.

Mind you, the first thing is to actually recover!

A quick update: I am now in possession of both a RAT-based and PCR test results confirming I have Covid. Now just have to recover so that I can put the next step into practice - obtaining a clearance from a Medico.

 

[Must...Fly!]

A quick update: I am now in possession of both a RAT-based and PCR test results confirming I have Covid. Now just have to recover so that I can put the next step into practice - obtaining a clearance from a Medico.

Hope you feel better soon. The recovery cert should be easy now you have a positive test via various online providers, I think.

 

[N860CR]

Hope you feel better soon. The recovery cert should be easy now you have a positive test via various online providers, I think.

Yep looks to be quite straight forward. There are a few in the UK who will do it without even a consult. Cost is 59GBP. I put off my PCR as it was largely pointless to rush around getting it. Having an in room service for the PCR shortly for $60. Have told them it’ll be positive and they've said they’ll write up a recovery certificate for $12.

 

[Pushka]

A quick update: I am now in possession of both a RAT-based and PCR test results confirming I have Covid. Now just have to recover so that I can put the next step into practice - obtaining a clearance from a Medico.

I hope it's a really mild case for you and then the process unfolds easily. There was mention of an international Covid update by Morrison yesterday but no dates announced.

 

[straitman]

Typos happen no need to be condescending.

And it isnt an assumption, its based on published NSW data, almost all had more than one condition/ cause noted on their death certificates.

Happy to go with many or a lot but not almost all. The numbers do not support that assumption.

 

[Lynda2475]

It is wrong to pretend that a material amount of perfectly healthy people are dying from Covid in Australia.

The reported Case Fatality Rate over all is 0.14 % (5,779 / 4,033,508) aka teeny (much closer to 0 than 1 %) and likely lower since we know there are a lot of unreported cases.

It sad when anyone dies, but given majority of deaths are in the over 75s its an extremely rare individual that makes it to being a senior citizen with no underlying health conditions (just look at the queue for prescriptions at your local chemist, its mostly oldies).

Anyway one only needs wait 7 days from diagnosis to return to Aus provided no longer have symptoms (and hopefully soon this pre-flight test will be scrapped altogether. Our Health system is coping, perhaps the only thing our Govt should do is make travel insurance that covers covid medical treatment compulsory as a condition of entry to Aus for non citizens/PRs - as other countries have done, to make sure our system is not burden with costs of treating tourists.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Happy to go with many or a lot but not almost all. The numbers do not support that assumption.

Old data, but wonder what’s the cause of the other 30%

newsGP - More than 70% of COVID-19 deaths had pre-existing conditions

New data released by the ABS provides insight into COVID-19 deaths throughout the country.

www1.racgp.org.au

Edit: to add ABS's more recent take [8.6% where covid is sole reported reason]

Number of deaths due to COVID-19 that had associated conditions (a)(b)(c)(d)(e)

Reported with:	No. of deaths	Percent (%)
Reported alone on certificate	220	8.6
Reported with causal sequence of events only	560	21.9
Reported with pre-existing chronic conditions only	604	23.6
Reported with causal sequence of events and pre-existing chronic conditions	1,172	45.9

1. This table only includes information on registered deaths due to COVID-19. Numbers of deaths will differ to disease surveillance systems.
2. Information on deaths due to COVID-19 include deaths that occurred and were registered by 31 January 2022.
3. Deaths due to COVID-19 in this report have an underlying cause of either ICD-10 code U07.1 COVID-19, virus identified or U07.2 COVID-19, virus not identified.
4. This data is provisional and will change as additional data is received.
5. Refer to methodology for more information regarding the data in this graph.

COVID-19 Mortality in Australia, Deaths registered to 31 January 2022

COVID-19 deaths that occurred by 31 January 2022 that have been registered and received by the ABS

www.abs.gov.au

NB 1-5 numbered a-e in the original.

 

[Lynda2475]

what’s the cause of the other 30%

Some of those will be undiagnosed pre-existing conditions and just old age

 

[OATEK]

Yep looks to be quite straight forward. There are a few in the UK who will do it without even a consult. Cost is 59GBP. I put off my PCR as it was largely pointless to rush around getting it. Having an in room service for the PCR shortly for $60. Have told them it’ll be positive and they've said they’ll write up a recovery certificate for $12.

I hope it's a really mild case for you and then the process unfolds easily. There was mention of an international Covid update by Morrison yesterday but no dates announced.

Day 5 of infection, and I slept through the previous night comfortably. Slightly heavy chest, hoarse throat but feel remarkably good. Temp 36.2. treatments included paracetamol Day1&2 following temp 38.8, since D2 has not been above 36.6, so am assuming Day 2 was when the virus and vaccine induced immunity fought it out. Took a dose of decongestant cough mixture last night after after several nights of broken sleep. Will get out for exercise today and test the legs, but feel this infection is about minor to medium flu. Vital stats are age 71 and my Dr said before I left my "numbers" for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugars and TFT's were perfect and I should keep taking the drugs to keep them there.

 

[Telezacski]

Anyway one only needs wait 7 days from diagnosis to return to Aus provided no longer have symptoms (and hopefully soon this pre-flight test will be scrapped altogether.

sorry this is a slightly confusing statement, you still need to pass the required tests for your flight. So yes after seven days if you have no symptoms and test negative you can fly.

We tested positive in Fiji over January, isolated on a small island by the beach, it was very pleasant (all covered by insurance).

Whilst we were there the rules changed from a negative pcr before flying to a negative rat test. This was huge for us as two of the family had definitely had covid but tested negative on rats and we were worried about the pcr test (one tested positive via pcr on return but didn’t have to isolate as test deemed historic).

None of our paperwork was checked on return infact I got in trouble for trying to pull out the info at customs when arriving home.

 

[Pushka]

sorry this is a slightly confusing statement, you still need to pass the required tests for your flight. So yes after seven days if you have no symptoms and test negative you can fly.

We tested positive in Fiji over January, isolated on a small island by the beach, it was very pleasant (all covered by insurance).

Whilst we were there the rules changed from a negative pcr before flying to a negative rat test. This was huge for us as two of the family had definitely had covid but tested negative on rats and we were worried about the pcr test (one tested positive via pcr on return but didn’t have to isolate as test deemed historic).

None of our paperwork was checked on return infact I got in trouble for trying to pull out the info at customs when arriving home.

Wouldn't it have been checked by the airline before departure?

 

[Telezacski]

Wouldn't it have been checked by the airline before departure?

Fiji checked that you had a negative test and that you had completed a declaration to re enter Australia.

They didn’t check the declaration.

We had declared my son had had covid, which was a tick box on the declaration, from memory we also declared he had either passed a rat or it was seven days no symptoms. Nobody in Australia checked this it was just our word and the fact Fiji had checked the flight test.

 

[Lynda2475]

sorry this is a slightly confusing statement, you still need to pass the required tests for your flight. So yes after seven days if you have no symptoms and test negative you can fly.

Nope this is incorrect, if you have a recovery certrificate from a doctor (7 or more days after diagnosis) you do not actually need a negative PCR or negative RAT to fly to Australia.

 

[Pushka]

Nope this is incorrect, if you have a recovery certrificate from a doctor (7 or more days after diagnosis) you do not actually need a negative PCR or negative RAT to fly to Australia.

Makes sense. If you test negative then you have no need of the recovery certificate.