Recently returned from the Heart of Portugal tour in early June. We lost five members of our tour to Covid. (Three tour group members had just been on the Basque Country tour, and that group had lost members, too). I felt that Covid testing should have been administered ultra-promptly when two tour group members came down with "colds". Instead there was a day's delay. Would better testing protocols have warded off our problem with Covid? We'll never know. But this was a major disappointment to some.
Posted by
Bend, OR
1031 posts
“ If I exhibit symptoms of any contagious illness, I will notify my guide, quarantine myself, and, if requested by RSE, be seen by a health professional or be tested for contagious illnesses at my own expense as a condition of continuing on the tour.”
We all sign this pledge before starting the tour.
I don’t see the word “immediately.” So I guess it all just comes down to respect for others.
Posted by
Tennessee
441 posts
Hi Julikelen,
Loved being on the Heart of Portugal tour with you and am glad to see you post on the Travel Forum. Such a great tour...and so regrettable that 5 tour members tested positive.
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
687 posts
I’m reading anecdotal references from various sources, not just here, that lots and lots of folks are experiencing some of the worst ‘allergies’ they’ve had in years. Some are surprised to discover it is actually Covid. Don’t test, don’t know. I know my Covid infection picked up last month while in France, initially felt like allergies, but then it changed slightly. I did a test, it was Covid. I tested positive for 11 days which meant I was infectious to others for that length of time. After a few days I felt quite rough and remained in my hotel; if I had been on a tour, I would have had to opt out because of how I felt. I’ve been sick on other vacations but never badly enough to change the plans. The takeaway with this particular virus, compared to a cold or allergies, is that you don’t know what ‘version’ of severity of symptoms you will get until it happens. I’m very healthy and had a vaccine booster shot 4 weeks before I got it. Be prepared for all possibilities.