New travel restrictions may require rapid PCR test within 24 hours of departure.

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

1 hour ago, Kai G. Llewellyn said:

The fun self-quarantine in Canada was the Government periodically calling your cellphone to confirm you're at home. Seems that the Canadian feds haven't woken up to the possibility that a cellphone can be carried around. xD

They also paid random visits to check on you. We were checked on two occasions.

[Puppythecat 89]

1 hour ago, igoyougoduke said:

society is getting very dysfunctional with a bunch of people wanting to control everyone else. 

They've always wanted that, it's only now they finally have an excuse that people let them get away with.

[Locito 85]

I heard about this today from my co-worker. We are going to see my parents in Europe around New Year's, meaning it's it likely we have to abide by these regulations as they could come into effect for our return leg... UGH.

 

So if the one-day test is required to be a PCR test rather than an Antigen one, can they also force the airlines to rebook our flights for free if we don't get our test results early enough to board the flight?  We have to be tested for Covid once every 7 days at my job, and getting the results usually takes 36-48 hours.

[Redro 4,611]

4 hours ago, millefleur said:

Self-quarantines are a joke. I haven't heard of any country where that actually worked. You have to either do draconian monitored quarantines or set up field hospitals where people are forced to stay. Neither seem remotely doable in the US. Forcing people to quarantine in a hotel here would absolutely not fly either.

 

Thankfully the quarantine thing is still "under debate" so hopefully given the reasons I said above it will go nowhere. Even if a self quarantine were to be passed, nobody will enforce it or follow up on it.

Quarantine for tourists/foreigners coming in to Korea is fairly strict. You have to book into a quarantine hotel and download an app. You aren't allowed to leave your room. 

I think it's 10 days now... but it used to be 14. 

People bring food to your room (cold convenience store food...) 

 

3 hours ago, Dashinka said:

I agree, self-quarantine would be impossible to police.  Heck, even if they forced some sort of phone app, people can do without their phone if necessary.

Self -quarantine for Koreans, residents and family members of Koreans  also involves a phone app (but they can stay at home they don't have to go to a hotel).

It's "serious business". You have to download an app (everyone has to download the app when they arrive OR if they come into contact with someone who tests positive).

You put in your address and it tracks your location (an agent confirms your location and gives you a special login code).You need to input your symptoms twice a day. 

 

The app sounds an alarm if you 1.) Leave the area the app allows you to be in or B.) Don't pick up your phone for an extended period of time... (think 1-2 hours) 3.) Don't input your symptoms twice a day. You're assigned an agent who is supposed to monitor your phone app (Will the US seriously think of employing thousands to monitor phone app behaviour?). 

 

What doesn't make sense? You're allowed to self-isolate in your own home,  even if you have family members. And family members do not have to isolate (they're allowed to live their lives and go to school and work and anywhere else they please.)  

 

2 hours ago, Kai G. Llewellyn said:

The fun self-quarantine in Canada was the Government periodically calling your cellphone to confirm you're at home. Seems that the Canadian feds haven't woken up to the possibility that a cellphone can be carried around. xD

They're supposed to call you once a day in Korea. And I believe in one country they request you take a photo after the phone call to confirm your location. 

 

2 minutes ago, Locito said:

I heard about this today from my co-worker. We are going to see my parents in Europe around New Year's, meaning it's it likely we have to abide by these regulations as they could come into effect for our return leg... UGH.

 

So if the one-day test is required to be a PCR test rather than an Antigen one, can they also force the airlines to rebook our flights for free if we don't get our test results early enough to board the flight?  We have to be tested for Covid once every 7 days at my job, and getting the results usually takes 36-48 hours.

It's impossible to get one day tests here... The testing site at the airport is booked up for the next few months. How are they ever going to actually enforce these rules?

 

[KSVJ 216]

I'm confused why they're doing all of this for a variant that's only given people mild symptoms so far? It's like shutting the world down for a cold. I'm not against the vaccine or anything I got my booster today...but this is insane. I'm travelling to see my fiance towards the end of this month (if the borders are still open) and now I'm scrambling to figure out the new rules. These tests are not cheap when you're abroad.

[top_secret 2,458]

5 hours ago, Puppythecat said:

Is PCR rapid testing even readily available in Manila during Christmas season?

 

Reading more carefully I do not see a "PCR" test requirement being discussed.  Just a "coronavirus test" within 24 hours.  Presumably that will still include the currently accepted rapid antigen tests which take 20 minutes and require minimal lab infrastructure.  In the case of Manila, rapid antigen testing with on the spot result certificates are now widely available all over the place and cheap.  12 hour turn around on PCR tests are also now readily available in the Philippines though with fewer locations.

[millefleur 5,047]

1 hour ago, Kor2USA said:

Quarantine for tourists/foreigners coming in to Korea is fairly strict. You have to book into a quarantine hotel and download an app. You aren't allowed to leave your room. 

I think it's 10 days now... but it used to be 14. 

People bring food to your room (cold convenience store food...)

I understand that in some countries the enforcement is real. I just cannot for the life of me seeing it function here in the US. We don't have a national police force (thanks to the Constitution) and CBP/Homeland Security seems like they want nothing to do with Covid enforcement, which is why they dumped it off on the airlines. Who would enforce here? It's a job nobody wants. Trying to make local police do it and they would rebel I'm sure. Enlist the military to do it? I'm sure even they don't want to be the Covid police!

 

1 hour ago, Kor2USA said:

(Will the US seriously think of employing thousands to monitor phone app behaviour?). 

The NSA 100% has the technology to do that, but actually having people actively monitor is a whole other ball game. Plus, not everyone has a smartphone. States will sue over privacy rights, things will stall in courts...and I feel our lawmakers know that (at least some do) hence it won't go anywhere. Remember lawyers are always waiting in the wings eager and willing to jump on cases like this here.

 

[Redro 4,611]

10 minutes ago, millefleur said:

I understand that in some countries the enforcement is real.Should have been more clear, was trying to explain how enforcement in Korea works and that I also don't understand how a similar system would translate to the States... It's easier to control the movements of foreign nationals with no ties to a country. But, citizens? 

I just cannot for the life of me seeing it function here in the US. Agreed! 

We don't have a national police force (thanks to the Constitution) and CBP/Homeland Security seems like they want nothing to do with Covid enforcement, which is why they dumped it off on the airlines. Who would enforce here? It's a job nobody wants. Trying to make local police do it and they would rebel I'm sure. Enlist the military to do it? I'm sure even they don't want to be the Covid police!

 

[millefleur 5,047]

1 minute ago, Kor2USA said:

It's easier to control the movements of foreign nationals with no ties to a country. But, citizens? 

Even then you'd be shocked as to how many fall through the cracks here....that's why getting a B visitor visa is so hard to get. Once people get in, they can just disappear into the ether here and often find means to get by, it's sort of the flip side of the US being so free. We don't even track visitors that much.

 

Compared to Russia where they make you register with your host after 7 days (who in turn is also permanently registered with the government), give you a special "migration card" you must keep with you at all times - if a visitor loses this flimsy piece of paper they can get perma banned from Russia, plus you pass through the border both entering and exiting unlike the US where you only pass through upon entry....even visitors here have a lot of freedom to more or less move around, it's kind of amazing. Even Western countries like Germany and Austria require you to register your passport and lodging with the authorities after some days (and they do actually follow up on it if you don't de-register either, ask me how I know )....non-existent here in the US! It's kind of amazing and we take it for granted but I think our lax rules with visitors is pretty famous abroad, hence the difficulty obtaining a B visa!

 

 

[Redro 4,611]

1 minute ago, millefleur said:

Even then you'd be shocked as to how many fall through the cracks here....that's why getting a B visitor visa is so hard to get. Once people get in, they can just disappear into the ether here and often find means to get by, it's sort of the flip side of the US being so free. We don't even track visitors that much.

 

Compared to Russia where they make you register with your host after 7 days (who in turn is also permanently registered with the government), give you a special "migration card" you must keep with you at all times - if a visitor loses this flimsy piece of paper they can get perma banned from Russia, plus you pass through the border both entering and exiting unlike the US where you only pass through upon entry....even visitors here have a lot of freedom to more or less move around, it's kind of amazing. Even Western countries like Germany and Austria require you to register your passport and lodging with the authorities after some days (and they do actually follow up on it if you don't de-register either, ask me how I know )....non-existent here in the US! It's kind of amazing and we take it for granted but I think our lax rules with visitors is pretty famous abroad, hence the difficulty obtaining a B visa!

 

 

Right! When I first left the US I was amazed no one wanted to take my paper I-94. 

I'm so used to going to a country: having to register every address I stay at (or at least the first address). And then getting stamped out of the country  (and handing in my entry card) when I leave. 

The longer I'm on this forum the more I realize why the questions at my B1/B2 visa interview were so invasive. . . 

[Scandi 4,173]

An antigen covid-test is one thing, that can be done within 24 hours easily. But many (most?) testing places take well over 24 hours for a PCR test. That can be tricky, and therefore probably not even likely to turn into a requirement. 

[Mike E 11,741]

I give up on flying internationally.  
 

 

[Dashinka 24,635]

4 hours ago, Kor2USA said:

Quarantine for tourists/foreigners coming in to Korea is fairly strict. You have to book into a quarantine hotel and download an app. You aren't allowed to leave your room. 

I think it's 10 days now... but it used to be 14. 

People bring food to your room (cold convenience store food...) 

 

Self -quarantine for Koreans, residents and family members of Koreans  also involves a phone app (but they can stay at home they don't have to go to a hotel).

It's "serious business". You have to download an app (everyone has to download the app when they arrive OR if they come into contact with someone who tests positive).

You put in your address and it tracks your location (an agent confirms your location and gives you a special login code).You need to input your symptoms twice a day. 

 

The app sounds an alarm if you 1.) Leave the area the app allows you to be in or B.) Don't pick up your phone for an extended period of time... (think 1-2 hours) 3.) Don't input your symptoms twice a day. You're assigned an agent who is supposed to monitor your phone app (Will the US seriously think of employing thousands to monitor phone app behaviour?). 

 

What doesn't make sense? You're allowed to self-isolate in your own home,  even if you have family members. And family members do not have to isolate (they're allowed to live their lives and go to school and work and anywhere else they please.)  

 

They're supposed to call you once a day in Korea. And I believe in one country they request you take a photo after the phone call to confirm your location. 

 

It's impossible to get one day tests here... The testing site at the airport is booked up for the next few months. How are they ever going to actually enforce these rules?

 

Yea, I have heard of the phone app thing in Korea, but what I wonder about is how do they police if the person were to leave their home without their phone?  It would seem they are relying on the person always keeping their phone with them.

[Dashinka 24,635]

Saw this update just recently.  It appears they are not going to go with the self quarantine or testing after arrival.  Wonder if we will see this in perpetuity with outbreaks of the common cold or seasonal flu.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/02/omicron-covid-variant-us-tightens-travel-testing-requirements-mask-mandates.html

Edited December 2, 2021 by Dashinka

[Redro 4,611]

2 hours ago, Dashinka said:

Yea, I have heard of the phone app thing in Korea, but what I wonder about is how do they police if the person were to leave their home without their phone?  It would seem they are relying on the person always keeping their phone with them.

You need to keep the phone "moving"... so your case manager will call you if there is no phone activity (not using apps/ no pick ups etc). 

They're also supposed to call you once or twice a day. So, if you're not at home when they call... 

 

If you don't test positive after self -isolation is over.. I don't think anyone would know (if you managed to leave the house undetected) BUT if you test positive after you've been told to self-isolate they can and do pull up your credit and check card transactions and they'll check CCTV (CCTV is all over the place) to see if you ever left home during your quarantine.

As a foreigner you're deported if you break the rules and I believe its a fine of up to 10 million won (+/- USD $8000) or a year in prison for Korean citizens. 

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7711349/

 

Also, if you are non-compliant/ don't have a phone you're supposed to wear an ankle monitor. 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2021 by Kor2USA