As it stands right now, if you leave the country you have to have a Covid test to return to the US. I am concerned that if I travel and test positive on trying to return to the U.S. I will have no place to stay while I quarantine. Has anyone else run into something like this? Most hotels seem to say they want proof of vacination and/or a cleared test. Will the U.S. embassy help in this situation?
Do they? Even if most do, you only have to find one that doesn’t. Are you vaccinated? Then you could presumably stay at one that only requires proof of a vaccination. Are there actually hotels that require both proof of vaccination and a negative test?
What country are you going to be returning from? Different countries are going to handle this very differently.
I am vaccinated, my plan was to got to Paris. I can only see what I have read, many places want one or the other but i think that if an American is wandering around without a reservation, they will likely be suspicious, knowing that the U.S. is resticting people from returning without a negative Covid test.
I travel internationally and frequently make a hotel reservation on the same day. Are you thinking that would be seen as suspicious in some way?
Maybe I should add that in my Camino pilgrimage groups, I’m in touch with many people traveling in Europe right now who are making same-day bookings at hostels and hotels.
I think probably no one will care or even notice. People change travel plans on short notice all the time. There are going to be plenty of hotels in Paris that you can book online with no advance notice.
Yeah, same-day bookings aren’t really that unusual. Also, I can’t speak to France, but I went to Greece in July and August. I was asked to show my vaccination card a couple of times on ferries, but nobody asked for a negative test on top of that, it was always either/or. (Greece, however, is pretty laid-back and very tourist-friendly in general, so YMMV.)
Thepointsguy.com is a pretty good source for travel information and updates; there’s an article on where and how to get a test in Paris here.
I recently traveled to Costa Rica for a conference. In order to enter the country, which has universal health care, I had to purchase a relatively inexpensive short-term insurance policy -about $10 day. I had to show proof of that policy to board the plane.
That policy covered your health care if you were to be diagnosed with Covid in-country. It also covered the cost of extending your hotel stay two weeks -up to $300 a night, IIRC, should you have to quarantine because you tested positive on the way out.
The facility I was staying at required a negative Covid test to participate in the conference. Before leaving I asked them what would happen if I failed that test and I was informed I would be quarantined in my hotel room.
So I’m assuming, in Costa Rica at least, you would quarantine in your hotel room. What kind of assistance you would get from the host country or the US Embassy of you couldn’t find a hotel that would let you quarantine….I don’t know. But generally hotel rooms are available on short notice, I’ve frequently changed travel plans on short notice and never had trouble finding rooms for same day or next day booking.
Is that specific for Covid? I don’t remember having to purchase an insurance policy in 2009.
Yes, it was specific for Covid. The policy covered medical treatment for Covid as well as hotel expenses if you had to quarantine because of a positive exit test.
cool. thanks folks!
ETA: Didn’t realize this was almost 3 weeks old, but the recommendation stands.
Check out the Trip Advisor forum for France and there should be plenty of discussion about the regulations that are in place and how people are managing international travel.