Covid Tests Required for Travel
If you’re planning international travel and wondering what tests you’ll need, you’re not alone.
You might have heard stories from your friends or family members who recently returned from a tropical vacation that they had no problem with travel, they just needed to show proof of a negative test first. But what does that mean? There are multiple types of tests that can offer different standards of results.
First we want to make it clear that we are not condoning international travel, especially for those that are considered “high risk” (ie. people 65+, immune deficiencies or diseases, breathing-related conditions) but if you’re healthy and you’re getting that travel itch, here’s how you can do it.
There are two main Covid tests that you can get, one is more trusted as a higher standard of efficacy than the other. In general most places are requiring people to be tested 3 days prior to departure from the home country and entry to the new country. Make sure you don’t get the test too early or too late, too early and your results will not be valid for entry to the destination, and too late your results will not be in on time.
There are varying standards for requirements throughout the world, so make sure to check online to see what the host-country requirements are. If you’re not sure, you can consult the accommodation you’re booking to see what they recommend for international travelers. In general, resorts, hotels, and other accommodations are being very strict about entry requirements as they want make sure they can stay open and keep people safe.
One test is the rapid test with a nasal swab that will return results within 30 minutes and are often those being used to screen people for entry into buildings and daily entry to work. The rapid test looks for virtual proteins called antigens, the lack of them will allow you to travel. The other type of test takes about 24-48 hours and is also a nasal swab, but goes deeping into your nostril. These tests are those that healthcare workers use and are considered the “best” option for reliable testing. You can get either of these tests at your doctor’s office, clinics and neighborhood testing sites. Whichever test you get, you will need a print out, certifiable from a medical laboratory, with your negative results to present to the airline before boarding. This also applies to return travel to the United States from your destination. You need to show negative test results to get back into the country as well. To find available testing options in various countries you can check the Embassy’s website.
When you arrive to your destination, it’s recommended that you quarantine for 3-5 days to make sure you are not experiencing symptoms. The same applies to returning to the United States. 3-5 days is the minimum requirement with many states recommending the full 10-14 day quarantine and another negative test result at home. These measures don’t just keep us safe, they keep the people around us safe. If we are going to travel we have to accept the associated risk and responsible actions required.
To consult all your questions whether you’re planning to travel or even want to know if it’s a possibility, you can consult the CDC website for more information.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/which-covid-19-test-international-travel-8d9804af9e890f001352f1b3cb5d3f09