The Center for Disease Control and Prevention requires all international travelers (U.S. citizens and non U.S. citizens) arriving into the United States or connecting through to provide a negative COVID-19 viral test result (NAAT or antigen) taken within 3 days of your scheduled flight time. The results of your negative COVID-19 test must then be presented to your airline upon check in and prior to boarding. Test results are accepted by either paper or electronic copy. Travelers also have the option of showing documentation of recovering from COVID-19 by providing a recent positive COVID-19 test result and a letter from their healthcare provider stating that they have recovered from COVID-19 and are okay to travel. If you do not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or choose not to take a test, the airline will deny boarding, thus preventing you from traveling or transiting into the United States.
This new CDC requirement has created a variety of questions for many of us… What if I get COVID-19 in another country? Will I have to quarantine there? Will I not be able to come back to the United States? What are my options if I do want to travel internationally? Am I able to leave the country?
In short, the answer is yes! American citizens can still travel internationally (to countries whose borders are open to Americans). However, with every international trip, you now have to be tested for COVID-19 within 3 days of your scheduled flight departure back to the United States. This means that in the odd chance you do test positive for COVID-19 while traveling in another country, you would be required to quarantine in place until you recover or test negative.
While the world is still adjusting with how to live with COVID-19, we also have to adjust to how to travel with COVID-19. Masks will be required along with testing! This new CDC rule is just one more layer of protection against the spread of COVID-19.
With more and more people being vaccinated and increased testing accessibility worldwide, we are seeing many people come out of hibernation and show a desire to travel! Should you be vaccinated or you feel comfortable and confident in traveling right now and are interested in doing an international trip, then we suggest purchasing a membership with COVAC GLOBAL! This is what we are calling a COVID-19 ‘safety blanket’ when traveling internationally! COVAC GLOBAL is the first and only membership program that will get you home to the United States should you be diagnosed with COVID-19 while traveling outside of the United States.
Where we see COVAC GLOBAL coming in handy is if you are tired of being cooped up at home with no where to go and really want to travel, but maybe you are concerned with the question of “what if I get COVID-19 while traveling?” OR you are concerned with the new CDC rule that requires you to show a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 days of arriving back in the United States. This will take some of those fears away, in that the minute you test positive abroad, you can work on your evacuation home instead of being stuck in quarantine or a hospital far from home!
COVAC GLOBAL members do not need to be hospitalized. All members with a positive COVID-19 test result (regardless of medical condition) will be transported back to their home city of choice if requested. There are no medical requirements, such as the need to obtain advanced medical care or treatment necessary to initiate transport. All that is required to initiate repatriation transport is a certified COVID-19 positive test result as well as 1 symptom. All repatriation transports are conducted via private fully-equipped air ambulances.
Note – this is NOT travel insurance. COVAC GLOBAL will not cover hospital or medical expenses in the foreign country(s) you are traveling in. Evacuation is for those who test positive with COVID-19 only and show at least one symptom. It will not cover evacuation for other medical issues. COVAC GLOBAL can be combined with a more traditional insurance to cover medical expenses and other medical evacuations while traveling.
For more information on COVAC GLOBAL or if you would like to become a member, give us a call at (312) 641-6633 or shoot us an e-mail at: vacation@rextravel.com.
Keep in mind that what we suggest today may change tomorrow.
Stay safe and keep dreaming!