NYT...What's Going on With the Testing Requirement for Travel?

And the numbers of folks testing positive on Rick;s tours keeps rising.
On week 10, when he first posted these numbers, it was n=14 @ 1.4%, each week the numbers have been going up--His latest post for this week is n=51 @ 3.1%. Still not the majority of travelers but it is trending upwards.
We all just need a Plan B and assume we might get "Stuck" in Europe and plan ahead. Perhaps someone on the forum can develop a PLAN B LIST of all the stuff we need to consider (like bring extra meds) or is there one already?
I wish Rick would post which trips are seeing the Covid cases---and I wonder how many others are just dropping out during the tours with Covid cases like reported for a Greece tour???
Do any other tour companies report these stats?

For those who would like to read the article, click the link below. I have gifted it so everyone should have access to it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/19/travel/testing-requirement-flying-us-cdc.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DIDm8TiPgPCpaN_wDRaLF_Zt08mi6WXcJAKrIqSfpui-FbLk1rREy1ud6PlJ9DIzkwrcj7eFIK6K_3fOJy9y72PC7-If1jxba7slXbamfqXqOOgWl2dAlkvZc2JlG1iSQIzrOWRbZ1iNEt2aokBctqVHxXMnnxyvrrDRp4P9SDbh7OuEJhC6wCB2alzZPL4KkAcQ5SFVvBUHh8hG4-49hWM9kQV73te19iIIGtxOVMVRE7aduhFJYzRIPLlrp1srerqRWEy8u-xfleB7zSocmPuOMWlBuxGUtvaKOU&smid=url-share

Thanks for the gift, Carrie. The article makes some excellent points.

@phaedra. Here is an older thread on the subject

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/planning-for-the-unexpected-stay

You can also follow "The New York Times - Travel" on Facebook if you use that social medium. The article is there also with the update.

I noticed the article doesn't mention the disconnect between the test requirement for flights into the U.S. but not for entry by land ( and sea?)

Thanks for gifting that article, Carrie.

cj-traveler, I was thinking the same thing. Kept waiting for it.

Well, that's discouraging. This requirement seems utterly pointless now, especially since masking is not required and you can get into the country by land w/out a test. My husband and I are supposed to do a RS tour in October and I am having serious second thoughts about it. We're vaxed, will be x2 boosted in a few weeks, and will protect ourselves, but that's no guarantee we won't catch it. Between reading about other tour members testing positive and the thought of being stuck in Turkey, I think we might cancel and do something like drive the Ring Road in Iceland, where our chances of catching Covid - and our stress before and during our trip - would be greatly reduced.

We both had COVID in January and because we were fully vaccinated I had mild symptoms for a couple of days and my husband had no symptoms. Now we are nearing the end of a three-week vacation in Italy. The testing requirement has added a huge level of stress, not knowing if we will be able to go home as planned or spend ten to twenty days quarantined in Italy. This could have been a wonderful trip but we were often too worried about that day we will face next week at the Rome airport to fully enjoy it. We had a couple more international trips planned over the next several months but we are not going to travel abroad again until this testing requirement is lifted. It just isn't worth the stress.

but we are not going to travel abroad again until this testing requirement is lifted. It just isn't worth the stress.

Exactly my feelings. I am waiting for this req to go away before I fly abroad. I may be waiting awhile...that's OK, I can wait.

I guess I am. the only person for whom this will not change no matter what.

Because before I get on a plane to go anywhere Or to come home, I plan to test. I don’t do it because some regulatory agency makes me I do it because it’s the right thing to do. I do it before I go to Florida to visit my father.

But I know that once testing is lifted I’ll be the only person on the plane who felt the need to be responsible to their fellow citizens

So my travel for the next few years will let’s include a Plan B should I get stuck and it won’t be because some government agency made me be a responsible person it’s because that’s what I believe you should do. Too bad that doesn’t seem to be the standard

Josephmay, why don’t you get tested at a pharmacy the day before, not at the airport. I’ve read they take you to a Covid hotel from the airport if you don’t have arrangements. At least the day before, you have time to find another option. Thankfully we tested negative, but thinking about it towards the end of the trip, especially the day before testing, took away some pleasure. I was on pins and needles right before we had it done. That knit in my stomach finally loosened and we went to celebrate with a Prosecco. It was a carefree last night.

I have a trip planned in August to meet a friend in Quebec City, so now I’m already worried again.

Phaedra, some suggestions from my recent experience in Italy…..Do not test in a small town (Italy was very crowded in May) because if you do test positive your hotel may not have space to accommodate you for 11 days and you are not to travel by public transport anywhere. Test the morning before your flight at a local pharmacy or do the proctored test, do not wait til you get to the airport. We were advised that Covid hotels were not a pleasant experience in Italy. If you take prescriptions make sure you travel with several extra weeks worth. Have travel insurance and a good credit card. We have Chase and it covers trip interruption, etc. Have several home tests kits with you. Italy currently is 7 days isolation and our hotel was very aware of the restrictions. On day 5 they advised the home test, if that was negative, they advised doing it again on day 6 before going for a pharmacy test on day 7. This is because if you do another pharmacy test and it’s still positive you are required to isolate for 21 days. Yes, the percentages are in your favor that you will test negative but it’s better to be mentally and otherwise prepared if you don’t.