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Vacationing in times of Covid


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On 4/19/2022 at 5:53 PM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

No.  I am not saying that those who are vaccinated and boosted cannot get COVID.  They can (I did), but there should be a carrot for doing the right thing.  Thus, if you are "fully vaccinated", then no test.

I am not sure how you did not qualify for the Super Green Pass.  I have had to keep an eye on everything since I am headed to France (though France has now stopped everything while Italy has extended theirs through April 30th), and my understanding of the definition of fully vaxxed is the 2 shot regime, and then you get a booster 9 months after your last shot.  Once you have your booster, the 9 months doesn't apply and you are deemed fully vaxxed indefinitely (or at least according to the info per France and Italy).  Did you get your booster longer than 9 months after your second shot?  

yes, my booster was almost a year after my vax but was older than 9 months.  They were only looking at the dates of on the cards.  I was under the same impression as you but I was not going to argue with someone while in line at a museum.  It first happened at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena.  We sent the kids into the museum while we walked to get our Covid test.  BY the time we returned, they were done with the museum.  It was the same in Florence at Accademia and Uffizi, Rome for the Vatican. They even asked us to wear a mask on the floor of the Colosseum.  We almost weren't allowed into the Herculaneum because our 48 hour test had expired by 2 hours.  I had to plead my case for us to be allowed in to an outside museum (crazy).  By the way, the Herculaneum gets my vote over Pompeii.

My kids, who are college age, did not get their second vax until 15 days before our trip. They did not have to have the 48 hour covid test.  No booster and they were technically considered Super Green.  

To be clear, it was all worth it!!  There were no crowds.  We were on the floor at the Colosseum with about 30 people. We could have sat or stood anywhere in the Sistine Chapel.  We were only in line for 10 mins to get into St Peters.  As you can see in the pic, there was no one there.spacer.png

Let me know if you need a local tour guide in Florence.  Our guide was great and she also does Tuscan wine tours.

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6 hours ago, bobcat1995 said:

yes, my booster was almost a year after my vax but was older than 9 months.  They were only looking at the dates of on the cards.  I was under the same impression as you but I was not going to argue with someone while in line at a museum.  It first happened at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena.  We sent the kids into the museum while we walked to get our Covid test.  BY the time we returned, they were done with the museum.  It was the same in Florence at Accademia and Uffizi, Rome for the Vatican. They even asked us to wear a mask on the floor of the Colosseum.  We almost weren't allowed into the Herculaneum because our 48 hour test had expired by 2 hours.  I had to plead my case for us to be allowed in to an outside museum (crazy).  By the way, the Herculaneum gets my vote over Pompeii.

My kids, who are college age, did not get their second vax until 15 days before our trip. They did not have to have the 48 hour covid test.  No booster and they were technically considered Super Green.  

To be clear, it was all worth it!!  There were no crowds.  We were on the floor at the Colosseum with about 30 people. We could have sat or stood anywhere in the Sistine Chapel.  We were only in line for 10 mins to get into St Peters.  As you can see in the pic, there was no one there.spacer.png

Let me know if you need a local tour guide in Florence.  Our guide was great and she also does Tuscan wine tours.

Glad it worked out for you.  The wording is that your booster has to be within 9 months of your last shot of your two dose regimen.  I have gone back and reviewed the language a lot because France has the same language as Italy on who can come into the country and who is considered fully vaccinated.  Once you have the booster, there is no time limit.  I think the thinking is that if you got your booster 9 months after, you should just go ahead and start over.  It seems kind of stupid and arbitrary, but folks should be aware before they go.  Italy extended its super green pass until April 30th, at which point they will review again.  

I know TL/DR.  Key is, check what the requirements are close to your departure cause shit is changing all the time.  

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14 hours ago, Telegraph_it said:

Okay economy airfare prices are getting stupid (all from IAH). $1k to fly to ECP in May. $1.2k to go to Boston in June. And the most reasonable route is to JAC for $600 in July. 
 

 

IAH is the most expensive large airport in the US.  Also, assume a lot of this is due to Jet Fuel prices.

Edited by PenelopeWitherspoon
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6 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

IAH is the most expensive large airport in the US.  Also, assume a lot of this is due to Jet Fuel prices.

Yeesh.  Yeah, we're having to figure out how to get the boy home mid-May -- just a one-way trip from Berlin, and the options are pricey as shit.  And yeah, we're scrambling, because he has a German study visa that he THOUGHT was Germany-only (meaning he had to leave Germany, but could go elsewhere in the Schengen area, meaning he could could hop down and stay a few weeks with his best friend in Italy).  Nope, it's an all-Schengen visa, meaning he has to GTFO out of the area by mid-May, no Italy visit for him.

So, he's super bummed because he was counting on seeing his friend, AND I'm bummed because I'm scrambling to plan air travel that won't be cheap.  AND, we're going to have to fly him back over (to the UK) in the fall for him to go to school.  Airfares are nuts for that period, too.

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5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Yeesh.  Yeah, we're having to figure out how to get the boy home mid-May -- just a one-way trip from Berlin, and the options are pricey as shit.  And yeah, we're scrambling, because he has a German study visa that he THOUGHT was Germany-only (meaning he had to leave Germany, but could go elsewhere in the Schengen area, meaning he could could hop down and stay a few weeks with his best friend in Italy).  Nope, it's an all-Schengen visa, meaning he has to GTFO out of the area by mid-May, no Italy visit for him.

So, he's super bummed because he was counting on seeing his friend, AND I'm bummed because I'm scrambling to plan air travel that won't be cheap.  AND, we're going to have to fly him back over (to the UK) in the fall for him to go to school.  Airfares are nuts for that period, too.

Why don’t you one way him to London, then do a RT from London to AUS if he is going back in the fall?  Might make it cheaper.

Edited by PenelopeWitherspoon
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1 minute ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Why don’t you one way hi. To London, then do a RT from London to AUS if he is going back in the fall?  Might make it cheaper.

Huh.  Interesting.  I'll look at that.  Technically, his final UK destination in the fall will be Glasgow, but he'll be flying through London to get there no matter what.

Mostly, he's really bummed and pissed that he misunderstood his visa.  He was really counting on that extra time with his friend, who already had to leave Berlin (and, you know, he was gonna gorge on mama's italian food, so that's doubly disappointing).

Edited by Brisketexan
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5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Huh.  Interesting.  I'll look at that.  Technically, his final UK destination in the fall will be Glasgow, but he'll be flying through London to get there no matter what.

Mostly, he's really bummed and pissed that he misunderstood his visa.  He was really counting on that extra time with his friend, who already had to leave Berlin (and, you know, he was gonna gorge on mama's italian food, so that's doubly disappointing).

Could he go to the UK then go back to Italy on a tourist visa?

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6 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Could he go to the UK then go back to Italy on a tourist visa?

Don't think so.  Extending a Schengen visa is a bitch (have to have a "hardship" type reason), and the rule is you can only be in the area for 90 days every 180 days, so he'd have to stay out of Schengen until mid-August.  I don't think an individual Schengen country can issue a new tourist visa within that period.

On the one hand, he's really bummed and in a funk about it right now.  On the other hand, he needs to get the fuck over it, he lived a great year in Berlin, he can end on a strong note, have his friend come visit him here this summer, and then head back over to the UK for school in the fall.  Shit, he can even pop up to Montreal and run around there with his sister, he has a free place to stay.  There's a bit of spoiled/entitled coming through his text chat right now.  I'll let him indulge in the disappointment for a day or so, but not much longer than that.  I'd be fine if he could find a way to extend his visa, but if he can't, having spent the last 9 months in Berlin isn't a sad state of affairs.

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5 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Don't think so.  Extending a Schengen visa is a bitch (have to have a "hardship" type reason), and the rule is you can only be in the area for 90 days every 180 days, so he'd have to stay out of Schengen until mid-August.  I don't think an individual Schengen country can issue a new tourist visa within that period.

On the one hand, he's really bummed and in a funk about it right now.  On the other hand, he needs to get the fuck over it, he lived a great year in Berlin, he can end on a strong note, have his friend come visit him here this summer, and then head back over to the UK for school in the fall.  Shit, he can even pop up to Montreal and run around there with his sister, he has a free place to stay.  There's a bit of spoiled/entitled coming through his text chat right now.  I'll let him indulge in the disappointment for a day or so, but not much longer than that.  I'd be fine if he could find a way to extend his visa, but if he can't, having spent the last 9 months in Berlin isn't a sad state of affairs.

It must really suck to be your offspring. 

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So when we go to Italy, my son will have 4 months left on his passport when we return to the US so a little over 4 1/2 months when we arrive.  Schengen rules say 3 months so I'm thinking we should be OK.  The rest of us have at least a year or more.  Reading that there should not be an issue unless we meet a dickwad.

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13 hours ago, texasdago said:

So when we go to Italy, my son will have 4 months left on his passport when we return to the US so a little over 4 1/2 months when we arrive.  Schengen rules say 3 months so I'm thinking we should be OK.  The rest of us have at least a year or more.  Reading that there should not be an issue unless we meet a dickwad.

When are you going?  I’d go ahead and renew if there is time.  Get it expedited. 

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Example...

Traveling to Portugal, Spain, Switzerland & Italy
by: Anonymous

Question: I am traveling to all of the above destinations between September 1-15th and my passport is set to expire Feb 28th next year. Am I okay to travel or should I renew?

Answer: You should be okay as long as you can provide proof that you will be leaving the Schengen area on September 15th. U.S. citizens need only present passport that will be valid for at least 3 months beyond one's planned departure from any of the Schengen countries which all your destinations belong to.

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2 hours ago, texasdago said:

Less than 2 months.  I looked at even some expediting companies and their comments said that it should be fine.  Ugh.  

It should be ok, but the US State department recommends 6 months.  Are you going through the UK at all?  

Does Houston not have a passport office where you can go in person?  I was lucky and was able to do go in person in NYC.  Took me 48 hours to get my passport renewed.  Worth every penny.

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1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

It should be ok, but the US State department recommends 6 months.  Are you going through the UK at all?  

Does Houston not have a passport office where you can go in person?  I was lucky and was able to do go in person in NYC.  Took me 48 hours to get my passport renewed.  Worth every penny.

We live in Austin now... and I could expedite but I'm wondering if truly necessary.  When we land back in Texas, his passport will still have four months validity so that's why I'm thinking we're OK.  We're going through Germany so they'll abide by Schengen rules.  Not sure what the UK is.  Once we get back though I'll get his renewed before our next trip.  

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On 4/25/2022 at 5:16 PM, Brisketexan said:

Don't think so.  Extending a Schengen visa is a bitch (have to have a "hardship" type reason), and the rule is you can only be in the area for 90 days every 180 days, so he'd have to stay out of Schengen until mid-August.  I don't think an individual Schengen country can issue a new tourist visa within that period.

On the one hand, he's really bummed and in a funk about it right now.  On the other hand, he needs to get the fuck over it, he lived a great year in Berlin, he can end on a strong note, have his friend come visit him here this summer, and then head back over to the UK for school in the fall.  Shit, he can even pop up to Montreal and run around there with his sister, he has a free place to stay.  There's a bit of spoiled/entitled coming through his text chat right now.  I'll let him indulge in the disappointment for a day or so, but not much longer than that.  I'd be fine if he could find a way to extend his visa, but if he can't, having spent the last 9 months in Berlin isn't a sad state of affairs.

When we were living in the EU a few years ago, my sister-in-law "came to visit" us and the visit lasted over a year (FML).  I'm not sure anyone checks visas unless you are applying for a job and she had no issues returning home to the States.  I guess the biggest risk was that she would somehow "get caught" and then deported...

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14 minutes ago, Grimas said:

When we were living in the EU a few years ago, my sister-in-law "came to visit" us and the visit lasted over a year (FML).  I'm not sure anyone checks visas unless you are applying for a job and she had no issues returning home to the States.  I guess the biggest risk was that she would somehow "get caught" and then deported...

Yeah, I suspect that it would be easy if he just traveled by trains (with no passport control on those trips), but there are at least stories about Schengen countries noticing your expired visa when you check in for your departing flight.  And being that he is 1) going to be doing college abroad next year and applying for a UK visa to do so, and 2) he is looking to major in international relations which will likely involve extensive travel for study and work, I think the risk of him getting an immigration violation on his record isn't worth it.  So, he'll be departing on his scheduled end date -- he'll head to the UK to check out his university and town, then fly home to us.

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Just curious what people are doing as a backup plan if you are overseas and test positive on the way home?  I know several people from overseas that were in town for a conference and tested positive as they tried to depart so they are sitting in a hotel room waiting for a negative test before returning.  Not a big deal as their companies are covering their expenses...

But what happens if you are overseas with family on your own dime?  Is there insurance you can purchase before to cover costs for the time you need to spend in quarantine?  Do the travel coverage offered by card like Chase Sapphire provide coverage?  I've heard of some resorts offering "discounts" if you need to extend your stay but I don't see that happening if you are booking a place on VRBO...  And for flights, i guess you get stuck on standby status until seats become available?

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29 minutes ago, Grimas said:

Just curious what people are doing as a backup plan if you are overseas and test positive on the way home?  I know several people from overseas that were in town for a conference and tested positive as they tried to depart so they are sitting in a hotel room waiting for a negative test before returning.  Not a big deal as their companies are covering their expenses...

But what happens if you are overseas with family on your own dime?  Is there insurance you can purchase before to cover costs for the time you need to spend in quarantine?  Do the travel coverage offered by card like Chase Sapphire provide coverage?  I've heard of some resorts offering "discounts" if you need to extend your stay but I don't see that happening if you are booking a place on VRBO...  And for flights, i guess you get stuck on standby status until seats become available?

and do you have to stay in specific hotels or can you rent apartments or whatever?  

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1 hour ago, Grimas said:

I see United offers travel insurance via AIG but didn't know if Covid related issues are covered on it (or if Chase's policy does if I bought the flight on that card)...

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-pandemic-travel-insurance/
 

I used Trawick for Costa Rica travel. It was cheap and covered a lot in addition to Covid. Never used it but I assume it would have been pretty easy.

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1 hour ago, texasdago said:

and do you have to stay in specific hotels or can you rent apartments or whatever?  

That depends on what country you get stuck in. Since the testing is required by the U.S. to return I imagine some countries don’t give a shit where you stay after a positive test and then some countries would have a fairly strict quarantine policy.

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2 hours ago, Grimas said:

Just curious what people are doing as a backup plan if you are overseas and test positive on the way home?  I know several people from overseas that were in town for a conference and tested positive as they tried to depart so they are sitting in a hotel room waiting for a negative test before returning.  Not a big deal as their companies are covering their expenses...

But what happens if you are overseas with family on your own dime?  Is there insurance you can purchase before to cover costs for the time you need to spend in quarantine?  Do the travel coverage offered by card like Chase Sapphire provide coverage?  I've heard of some resorts offering "discounts" if you need to extend your stay but I don't see that happening if you are booking a place on VRBO...  And for flights, i guess you get stuck on standby status until seats become available?

When we went to Italy last September we bought travel insurance that would cover the expenses of staying the extra time. Not all policies would work for covid, so make sure you get one that does. 

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2 hours ago, Grimas said:

Just curious what people are doing as a backup plan if you are overseas and test positive on the way home?  I know several people from overseas that were in town for a conference and tested positive as they tried to depart so they are sitting in a hotel room waiting for a negative test before returning.  Not a big deal as their companies are covering their expenses...

But what happens if you are overseas with family on your own dime?  Is there insurance you can purchase before to cover costs for the time you need to spend in quarantine?  Do the travel coverage offered by card like Chase Sapphire provide coverage?  I've heard of some resorts offering "discounts" if you need to extend your stay but I don't see that happening if you are booking a place on VRBO...  And for flights, i guess you get stuck on standby status until seats become available?

I am reaching out to my friends in the UK, as that would be where I would have to quarantine.  I would stay with one of them.  

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1 minute ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I am reaching out to my friends in the UK, as that would be where I would have to quarantine.  I would stay with one of them.  

Yeah I have some friends in Toronto I could stay with if I pop a positive test. 

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Is anyone actually able to focus on anything @Grimas posts? because i sure as hell can't.

I know in Belize I met the owner of the hotel and said they'd just let me stay there for a few days. Now with the in hotel testing kits I'd probably just ring the front and ask for a room for 3 more days and order some room service while I tested myself until I was negative.  I'd avoid any type of clinic testing as I'd be afraid to be hauled off to some sanitarium in the last few years but now it seems like you could just self quarantine.   I'm leaving for UK next week and I'm packing a few masks. I guess I'd put on a mask or two and go get some supplies and not talk to anyone and just hunker down.

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2 hours ago, justhookit said:

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-pandemic-travel-insurance/
 

I used Trawick for Costa Rica travel. It was cheap and covered a lot in addition to Covid. Never used it but I assume it would have been pretty easy.

We used Trawick for our Costa Rica trip last year.  My girlfriend's mom caught a positive test so she stayed behind with another of her daughters.

Trawick took forever to pay but eventually covered everything they said they would.

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4 hours ago, midtown said:

Is anyone actually able to focus on anything @Grimas posts? because i sure as hell can't.

I know in Belize I met the owner of the hotel and said they'd just let me stay there for a few days. Now with the in hotel testing kits I'd probably just ring the front and ask for a room for 3 more days and order some room service while I tested myself until I was negative.  I'd avoid any type of clinic testing as I'd be afraid to be hauled off to some sanitarium in the last few years but now it seems like you could just self quarantine.   I'm leaving for UK next week and I'm packing a few masks. I guess I'd put on a mask or two and go get some supplies and not talk to anyone and just hunker down.

Well I tried to answer and I think I understood what he is asking. If you mean the visa part I don’t know.

4 hours ago, Augustus said:

We used Trawick for our Costa Rica trip last year.  My girlfriend's mom caught a positive test so she stayed behind with another of her daughters.

Trawick took forever to pay but eventually covered everything they said they would.

Good to hear. They also could have paid someone to fake a negative test.

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  • 2 weeks later...

One week in the UK.  The subjects are done with masks.  Almost no use.  I used Qured virtual testing and was easy as can be even after many many a pint that day.  Verifly still sucks ass.  It wasn't until I was boarding that they finally sent me everything I needed to be able to even check in. 

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Japan is allowing 50 tourists in, will have a "minder" with them at all times.

Quote

And they’ll be under constant surveillance by an assigned minder. “They’ll be monitoring the group’s actions and emphasize basic COVID-19 prevention measures,” Tatsuya Fujioka, the director of the new market development office at the Japan Tourism Agency’s International Tourism Department, told VICE World News on Wednesday.

The details of where tourists will be visiting haven’t been decided yet, Fujioka told VICE World News. But visitors can expect a fixed schedule like an organized school trip, with the minder as a chaperone. “They’ll likely be taking meals together and then traveling to designated tourist spots,” he said. 

https://www.vice.com/en/article/epxymn/japan-reopens-tourism

 

Think I'll wait a little longer to plan a visit.

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On 4/27/2022 at 12:08 PM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

It should be ok, but the US State department recommends 6 months.  Are you going through the UK at all?  

Does Houston not have a passport office where you can go in person?  I was lucky and was able to do go in person in NYC.  Took me 48 hours to get my passport renewed.  Worth every penny.

I called United and he said, "three months" according to their system.  So, EU site says three months.  State department says 3-6 months on Italy and Germany but the law is three months from date of departure from the EU.

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Annoying as hell that the US is the LAST place with a COVID test requirement.  We had to fly back from Mexico, and took the test setup and provided at our hotel.  Big mistake: everybody leaving on Sunday showed up a the same time (the time we were told to be there), and waited in line.....we blew two hours of our morning waiting for a test.  Could have just driven into town to shop and such (our original plan that day), and walked in and taken a test at any number of places.  So, if you're traveling, do that -- don't do the "hotel arranged" test.

But still.....in the last week, the boy has flown from Germany-UK-Canada.  ZERO testing requirements.  Except when he finally flies home this weekend, he has to get one.  Pointless.

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33 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Annoying as hell that the US is the LAST place with a COVID test requirement.  We had to fly back from Mexico, and took the test setup and provided at our hotel.  Big mistake: everybody leaving on Sunday showed up a the same time (the time we were told to be there), and waited in line.....we blew two hours of our morning waiting for a test.  Could have just driven into town to shop and such (our original plan that day), and walked in and taken a test at any number of places.  So, if you're traveling, do that -- don't do the "hotel arranged" test.

But still.....in the last week, the boy has flown from Germany-UK-Canada.  ZERO testing requirements.  Except when he finally flies home this weekend, he has to get one.  Pointless.

I'm a big believer in vaccines and wise policy and mitigation but I FULLY agree with you.  

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2 minutes ago, texasdago said:

I'm a big believer in vaccines and wise policy and mitigation but I FULLY agree with you.  

I'm all those things.  Seriously, I couldn't be much more pro-vax, and I'm actually all for airlines etc. barring people who haven't been vaxxed or are otherwise proven to have immunity from prior infection, if they like. 

But places that handled COVID both better and worse than we did have figured out that pre-travel testing is mostly a waste of time and money.  We should join them.

Edited by Brisketexan
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  • 3 weeks later...

Over the last 3 years I've spent well over $500 and hours getting tested to inbound from varies locations.  It was understandable for a while but it stop making sense over a year ago.

Looks like it will drop midnight Sunday and be reevaluated in 90 days.    Sucks for anyone flying home this wknd.  

Edited by midtown
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