Anyone traveled to and within US or planning to in near future?

[BonMot]

28 May 2022

 

We have a trip planned in October to US and I'm paranoid. Loads of outdated information on the internet. Updated info often conflicts. Perhaps someone that has better information and/or has traveled can shed light.

 

Part of my confusion is cdc recommendations. They appear only that merely recommendations. The other is the vagueness and insane amount of stupid information on airline websites.

 

Currently it appears that a covid test must be taken one day before departure.

 

Astra Zeneca is not fda approved but falls under who emergency use and is accepted. Full regiment is two doses.

 

I'm not entirely certain if any testing is required for domestic flights (jetblue, united). CDC is fighting tooth and nail for masks despite public roundly rejecting even on flights.

 

 

Of course, as the powers that be right to keep all the machinery in place things can change daily.

 

Thank you

Edited May 28, 2022 by BonMot

[amexpat]

46 minutes ago, BonMot said:

CDC is fighting tooth and nail for masks despite public roundly rejecting even on flights.

CDC recommends (tooth and nail?):

Americans age 2 and older should wear a well-fitting masks while on public transportation, including in airports and train stations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended, citing the current spread of coronavirus and projections of future COVID-19 trends.

[Excel]

17 minutes ago, amexpat said:

Americans age 2 and older should wear a well-fitting masks

And kevlar vests nowadays

[NanLaew]

17 minutes ago, Excel said:

35 minutes ago, amexpat said:

Americans age 2 and older should wear a well-fitting masks

And kevlar vests nowadays

If the OP isn't planning on visiting any schools, he should be fine in a polo short and chinos (no socks and sandals though).

[Heng]

2 hours ago, tjintx said:

Don't worry about approved vaccines, it plays no part in your travel (the test requirement is irrespective of vaccination).   

For Americans only though.   If you have foreigners in your party, it's two doses and a booster for them.

[BonMot]

2 hours ago, Heng said:

For Americans only though.   If you have foreigners in your party, it's two doses and a booster for them.

My wife has had Az x3

 

Ridiculous because it was one shot. One shot was shown to not be effective early on so two was the new normal. Very few vaccines need two shots I can only think of hepatitis. Then... subsequent boosters lol.

 

Thanks

[billsmart]

No! I'm a US citizen and I haven't returned there for about 10 years, and I don't intend to anytime in the near future. ???? I'm sure this year's elections, and certainly the presidential elections in about two and an half years, will see a lot of violence in the US. I'd rather just sit here and watch it on CNN than be there and tempted to take part. ????

[Tropposurfer]

I would offer that wondering, and or worrying about vaccinations and vaccine acceptability is the least of a human beings worry if visiting the USA.

[DFPhuket]

I flew to the US in December and will do it again in mid-June. All travelers must have a medically supervised rapid test (or PCR) with a negative result the same day or the day before you travel (e.g., if you fly on Thursday, the test can be anytime on Wednesday or Thursday). Here are the official rules from the CDC site.

 

In Phuket I can get an ATK in about 30 minutes for 500 baht. The clinic needs to provide a report with your details, along with the test date and result. In my experience, airlines mostly just glance at the report looking for the date and "negative." 

 

US citizens are not required to be vaccinated. Non-US citizens, however, must be able to provide provide proof of vaccination. The list of approved vaccines for travel are on this CDC page. Astrazeneca is accepted. 

 

For domestic flights it's the same as it was pre-Covid. No masks, tests or vaccination proof. 

[Tony125]

17 hours ago, Excel said:

And kevlar vests nowadays

If in Texas the school shooters might get you or the Police. Don't make any quick moves at a traffic stop.

 

[sumongkhwai]

I don't know but, maybe it was just ANA, when we flew out of BKK in February (wife using US passport) they required our vaccination card (both boosted). Then in transit at Narita they required it again (not sure if entry to US or just transit through Japan) But, the 24 hour RT-PCR test was apparently a big deal. A woman ahead of us had hers taken like 36 hours before her flight and was taken somewhere else (maybe to get another test?) They do the test in BKK airport although, I would feel better showing up there with a negative test. Had Covid and been boosted and just so fearful of a false positive. we'll be going back next month so hopefully they'll have gotten the ThaiPass straightened out and I won't have to get the monkey pox vaccine!

[sumongkhwai]

6 hours ago, Tony125 said:

If in Texas the school shooters might get you or the Police. Don't make any quick moves at a traffic stop.

 

Especially if you have a gun in your hand and are not quick enough to shoot both cops and only shoot the first one in the leg.

[FalangJaiDee]

Honestly don’t come here. It’s a socio-political nightmare. Our dysfunction is worse because we have competing factions and ethnicities that all hate eachother. I’d rather have homogenous cultural dysfunction than deal with people who don’t even remotely share my values, temperament, etc.

 

It’s gotten intolerable in the last 5 years.

I wouldn’t recommend it. You’ll probably get shot 

Edited May 28, 2022 by FalangJaiDee

[onthedarkside]

A misinformation post regarding U.S. COVID cases has been removed.

 

See the following update from Johns Hopkins as of May 26:

 

The current average daily incidence continues to increase, up to 104,399 on May 24 from 99,215 new cases per day on May 17.

 

New COVID-19 hospital admissions continue to trend upwards, with an increase of 14% over the past week.

 

The US recently began averaging more than 100,000 new daily COVID-19 cases for the first time since February.

 

https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/resources/COVID-19/COVID-19-SituationReports.html

 

 

 

[ifmu]

just get vaccinated  ... done

 

[wasabi]

I flew out of BKK to LAX April 29th. All that was required was a negative Covid Test within 1 day of flying out. Note it is within 1 calendar day NOT 24 hours. I got the test at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. I was asked for the test results at the check in counter in BKK and again in Manila airport several times at random points where I had a stop. There was also a bizarre checked luggage analysis for all foreign passengers. I say bizarre because I checked the bags in BKK all the way to LAX but they yanked out every suitcase and brought us to a small windowless room to manually open and rummage through each one which took several hours. It was very confusing and hectic in Manilla, and I will not transit in that airport again. If you thought Thailand has too many outdated bureaucratic procedures try The Philippines.

I have Global Entry and it was very easy to enter the US. I am returning to Thailand June 4th and already got my Thailand Pass.

[BonMot]

9 hours ago, sumongkhwai said:

I don't know but, maybe it was just ANA, when we flew out of BKK in February (wife using US passport) they required our vaccination card (both boosted). Then in transit at Narita they required it again (not sure if entry to US or just transit through Japan) But, the 24 hour RT-PCR test was apparently a big deal. A woman ahead of us had hers taken like 36 hours before her flight and was taken somewhere else (maybe to get another test?) They do the test in BKK airport although, I would feel better showing up there with a negative test. Had Covid and been boosted and just so fearful of a false positive. we'll be going back next month so hopefully they'll have gotten the ThaiPass straightened out and I won't have to get the monkey pox vaccine!

I think Korea and kal will be li!e Japan. It's that quiet, subtle authoritarianism. I expect to be asked for proof of vax in transit. You make a good point about the window. We will get tested the day before.

 

I'm not boosted and I don't want a booster. This is worrisome. I can only imagine the monkeypox vaccine coming and want no part of it.

 

A trip that must be made but it appears travel is over!

[BonMot]

1 hour ago, wasabi said:

I flew out of BKK to LAX April 29th. All that was required was a negative Covid Test within 1 day of flying out. Note it is within 1 calendar day NOT 24 hours. I got the test at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. I was asked for the test results at the check in counter in BKK and again in Manila airport several times at random points where I had a stop. There was also a bizarre checked luggage analysis for all foreign passengers. I say bizarre because I checked the bags in BKK all the way to LAX but they yanked out every suitcase and brought us to a small windowless room to manually open and rummage through each one which took several hours. It was very confusing and hectic in Manilla, and I will not transit in that airport again. If you thought Thailand has too many outdated bureaucratic procedures try The Philippines.

I have Global Entry and it was very easy to enter the US. I am returning to Thailand June 4th and already got my Thailand Pass.

Thanks. No idea why you'd fly via Manila tbh. The entire country is a disaster. Most likely fishing for freebies. Nothing in philippines is done better than Thailand so forget that the screening is better. Could just be the general idiocy of the nation. Maybe you changed airline? On a code share? Maybe some arcane US security stupidity?

 

Everyone, just stay the hell out of philippines it is an extremely broken nation.

[BonMot]

Since so many have posted about LAX

 

What about flying OUT (departing) LAX?

 

1 Covid hassles

2 Security measures

3 Any additional hassles for Thai wife

 

I've not lived in S. CA for decades not flown out of LAX in almost that long. Once inbound with wife.

 

Thank you

[BonMot]

2 hours ago, ifmu said:

just get vaccinated  ... done

 

We are both vaccinated. It's obviously not that simple. Wake up.

[tjintx]

7 hours ago, onthedarkside said:

A misinformation post regarding U.S. COVID cases has been removed.

 

See the following update from Johns Hopkins as of May 26:

 

The current average daily incidence continues to increase, up to 104,399 on May 24 from 99,215 new cases per day on May 17.

 

New COVID-19 hospital admissions continue to trend upwards, with an increase of 14% over the past week.

 

The US recently began averaging more than 100,000 new daily COVID-19 cases for the first time since February.

 

https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/resources/COVID-19/COVID-19-SituationReports.html

 

 

 

That statement from Johns Hopkins doesn't even match their graphic on hospitalization which shows decreases in inpatient and ICU.   Weekly Hospitalization Trends - Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (jhu.edu)

Edited May 29, 2022 by tjintx

[wasabi]

20 hours ago, BonMot said:

Thanks. No idea why you'd fly via Manila tbh. The entire country is a disaster. Most likely fishing for freebies. Nothing in philippines is done better than Thailand so forget that the screening is better. Could just be the general idiocy of the nation. Maybe you changed airline? On a code share? Maybe some arcane US security stupidity?

 

Everyone, just stay the hell out of philippines it is an extremely broken nation.

Philippines Airlines had the cheapest business class flights. Both legs of the flight itself were fine, but the Kafkaesque experience in their airport made it not worth it and I won't repeat. 

[Danderman123]

On 5/29/2022 at 7:03 AM, BonMot said:

Since so many have posted about LAX

 

What about flying OUT (departing) LAX?

 

1 Covid hassles

2 Security measures

3 Any additional hassles for Thai wife

 

I've not lived in S. CA for decades not flown out of LAX in almost that long. Once inbound with wife.

 

Thank you

Flying out of LAX was no big deal last week.

 

My only issue is that I caught a cold in the US, and so I now have my first cold since before Covid. I used to get them every time I came to Thailand, but Covid stopped that.

[Captain Monday]

OP, you  will be fine. The covid test inbound to US will probably be abolished soon.  Test only needs to be an antigen maximum calendar 1 day before flight. The whole thing is stupid now proven by the fact you can fly to Canada with no test and simply drive across the border. There are constant calls from travel industry and airlines to get rid of it as it serves little practical purpose at this point.

 

 

Airline checkin inbound for overseas is the only issue just get ready to show/ prepare your required documents. If you board US flag airline bound for US those ancient flight attendants can't even require masking. Many of them are unmasked now. Once land in US nobody cares. "Covid" is over.

 

Domestic flights certainly don't require vaccination and 90 percent maskless onboard and in airports. 

 

If you don't look 80 years old or Asian wear mask outside liberal enclaves in US and expect thinly veiled hostility,  even verbal abuse from know it all MAGA boys in the world of 1,000,000 covid deaths.

[RubenRemus]

On 5/28/2022 at 1:11 PM, BonMot said:

My wife has had Az x3

 

Ridiculous because it was one shot. One shot was shown to not be effective early on so two was the new normal. Very few vaccines need two shots I can only think of hepatitis. Then... subsequent boosters lol.

 

Thanks

Flu shots are annual. Rabies shots are 3x. DTAP and PVC are all multiple shots. 

[BonMot]

19 hours ago, RubenRemus said:

Flu shots are annual. Rabies shots are 3x. DTAP and PVC are all multiple shots. 

Thanks but to clarify flu is a singular shot and until covid and big pharma behind it entirely optional. Rabies is an entirely different beast. Pun intended. I'm not entirely certain what the others are but whatever point you are making seems to get weaker and weaker by each example.

[placeholder]

5 hours ago, BonMot said:

Thanks but to clarify flu is a singular shot and until covid and big pharma behind it entirely optional. Rabies is an entirely different beast. Pun intended. I'm not entirely certain what the others are but whatever point you are making seems to get weaker and weaker by each example.

Ever heard of polio?

"CDC recommends that children get four doses of polio vaccine. They should get one dose at each of the following ages: 2 months old, 4 months old, 6 through 18 months old, and 4 through 6 years old.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/polio/public/index.html#:~:text=CDC recommends that children get four doses of polio vaccine,4 through 6 years old."

 

And because you aren't "entirely certain what the others are", you think that makes the argument weaker. Actually, it makes the case that you don't have enough knowledge to judge the evidence.

 

FYI: Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations

How many times is PCV vaccine given?

"Vaccinate all children younger than 2 years old with PCV13. The primary series consists of 3 doses routinely given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. You can administer the first dose as early as 6 weeks of age. CDC recommends a fourth (booster) dose at 12 through 15 months of age."

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/hcp/administering-vaccine.html

 

Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis Vaccine Recommendations

"Give infants and children 5 doses of DTaP. Give one dose at each of these ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 through 18 months, and 4 through 6 years...

Give adolescents a single dose of Tdap, preferably at 11 to 12 years of age."

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/dtap-tdap-td/hcp/recommendations.html

 

There are plenty of other vaccines that require multiple inoculations.