I Did Get Back October 4, 2021
Posted by Peter Varhol in travel.Tags: air travel, COVID, International, Swiss Testing Day
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About six weeks ago I wrote about the prospect of going to speak at a conference in Europe. It seemed complicated to get there, and uncertain to get back.
Well, both worked, but it wasn’t fun. It’s very difficult these days. I entered Schengen through Amsterdam, so was required to have paperwork for transiting the Netherlands, even though I was entirely airside. There was a quarantine declaration, a health certificate, and a letter of invitation saying that I was authorized to transit to my destination. Maybe one other thing; I lost track.
Switzerland required a vaccine certification and health document, which they never checked upon arrival (as I arrived early Saturday, I went to a lounge at the airport to kill some time, and had enough to drink so that it didn’t matter). Logan, I was required to show vaccine cards and the Netherlands quarantine certificate, even though I was not staying in the Netherlands. Immigration at Schiphol was very crowded, but they pushed people through quickly.
I wear KN95 masks, face shields, and vinyl gloves. uncomfortable, but I did okay. Everyone needs a negative Covid test to get back into the US (rapid antigen will do), but commercial services in other countries don’t know how to accommodate American requirements. I was supposed to use the Swiss Covid app on Google Play, but my phone couldn’t find it. The conference staff were extremely accommodating, and made it happen. I’m not sure I could have done it on my own.
The conference was what Switzerland calls a certificate event. If everyone is vaccinated or tested, no masks were required. That made me uncomfortable, and I masked the entire conference.
In addition to showing a negative Covid test (checked before boarding KLM in Zurich at 5 in the morning), the CDC requires a signed attestation (their word) that I in fact did have a negative Covid test. Not collected until Schiphol, and many passengers were not aware of it, which really caused chaos during boarding.
Fortunately, the flight to Logan was less than half full, and I had no one sitting near, so I could take off the face shield and gloves during the flight. But it was not fun at all.
I Can Get to Europe Next Month; Can I Get Back Again? August 4, 2021
Posted by Peter Varhol in travel.Tags: COVID, Swiss Testing Day, travel, vaccination
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I am speaking at Swiss Testing Day in Zurich on September 14th. They seem to be bound and determined to hold an in-person conference, even with the rise of the Delta variant and the next wave of Covid.
I haven’t made any reservations yet. But I have been researching requirements for travel. First, the good news. Because I am fully vaccinated, it appears Switzerland will accept me. But I’m a little leery of that; because of the strange attitude in the US toward vaccine passports, my proof is my vaccine cards (I have two, one for each shot), which are hardly positive identification.
It’s also a little problematic because Switzerland is not part of the EU, but is a member of Schengen, the larger aviation consortium. But it looks like I can transit Amsterdam Schiphol (the Netherlands itself is not accepting Americans), as long as I stay airside.
Getting back is another story. Even with vaccination, anyone coming into the US (only on an airplane) is required to have a negative Covid test within three days of departure. Not 72 hours, but three days (don’t ask).
My problem here was that I had no idea where to get tested in Zurich. Some research informed me that the Swiss, efficient people that they are, are offering testing at the airport, before you leave. I am a little hesitant about getting a test shortly before I get on the airplane; what happens if it comes up positive?
But what kind of test do I need? The explanation is dense, but I think (emphasis on think) a rapid antigen test will suffice. The airport clinic says that the turnaround time for this type of test is about 20 minutes, which means that it can be done just prior to departure. The more comprehensive PCR test returns in about five hours.
And, of course, everything or anything can change in the next six weeks.
And then I get to do the same thing two weeks later to go to Serbia.
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