US to require COVID Testing for International Flyers

My understanding is that right now being air evacuated to canada is nearly impossible. There are rumours of Cnada banning international flights. it is causing some panic among the numerous snowbirds who chose to ignore the government advice and fly to Mexico anyway

Here in Zihuatanejo all of the tests are being done by private labs, of which there are several, it's not the government doing the testing.

So far there is one hotel in Ixtapa that supposedly is paying for the Covid test for those returning that need it. I haven't been able to verify that.

The tests here are running 4000 pesos and more, but that is bound to drop soon.

On another note, the word for those that have air evacuation that includes Covid coverage for Canadians is interesting. Again, I can't verify this, but people are posting on the Zihuatanejo message board that in order to be air evacuated to Canada with Covid you have to receive advance permission from the province to be allowed to return.

Moisheh wrote:
I do not understand how the 3 day rule will work. If you go for a test 3 days before your flight the results may not be ready. Same for 2 days before flight

....I am making the assumption that the Mexico-side test being administered to returning travelers is PCR ?

We have to entertain the possibility (I'm not saying that this is the case) that the Mexican test authorities in places like Cancun could be issuing some unknown number of Covid test results to travelers simply indicating "negative" for Covid if the system "backs up".

Quite frankly, because of the new more virulent sub-strain escaping Brazil, I would petition the Canadian government to halt all travel to any Latin American destination for some time to come. This would include an immediate 100% ban on all incoming flights from any Latin American Nation. Both Canada and the US have very, very limited ability to screen for new virus sub-types among our populations, spatially. Until this gets remediated, we can't take any chances with both European inbound, or Latin America inbound.

What an embarrassment to Mexicans to think we have stooped so low not to mention the risk they may be putting people in.

Playaboy wrote:
I heard that in Cancun, you can purchase the paperwork for a negative test from your taxi driver on the way to the airport. :-)

....I don't know about returning air travelers to countries other than Canada, but if a returning Canadian knowingly buys a fraudulent Covid test 72 hours before boarding a flight back to Canada, and presents that fraudulent document to returning flight boarding personnel, this would be a Federal offence contravening the Quarantine Act (the fine(s) could bankrupt the returning Canadian). And, anyway, ALL returning Canadian citizens also have to quarantine upon arrival for 14 days. What happens if the returning traveler develops Covid? How would this inform the supposed Mexico-side test "evidence" in the eyes of the Canadian Border Services Agency?

I heard that in Cancun, you can purchase the paperwork for a negative test from your taxi driver on the way to the airport. :-)

Talleyho69 wrote:
My curiosity question is in regards to those who have paid for air evacuation services.

IF you test positive for Covid, you are not supposed to be allowed on a plane to the US or Canada after certain dates.

So, what about your evacuation service that you paid for? Just stirring the pot here.

I suspect you can't be evacuated. Canadian govt. bought this in a few weeks ago. The government here has been telling people not to travel, so if you choose to go on vacation during a pandemic, get sick and expect them to let your infected body back in the country, I suspect you will be sucking wind. To be honest anyone who goes on a vacation at this time get what they deserve.Especially with the new more contagious strain on the loose. Sounds brutal, but I am getting sick of all these self entitled people who fell they have a right to risk spreading a disease in someone else's country just because they want a sun tan.

It's an interesting, terrible, world. Hopefully we can all stay safe and not make others ill by our own movements, intentions or whatever.

Stay safe everyone.

Talleyho69 wrote:
I have wondered about testing in any form for any purpose for about the same reason.

Realize that I read the Los Angeles Times daily, but don't have a television so don't watch the news.

If I were to have a test today that came out negative and made me "safe" to board an airplane or whatever, what would keep me from being exposed to Covid on my way out of the testing site and be contagious in a few days???

I must be missing something here.

First - I thought you were talking an emergency medical evacuation flight, not a scheduled airline flight. I still think those would be under different rules.

As far as testing, and possible post-test/ pre-flight exposure. There is no guarantee. But it would hopefully minimize the movement of people who are pre-symptomatic, or asymptomatic.

A substantial number of Covid positive people are never diagnosed or tested. They have very mild symptoms. And they spread the disease to others.

Just like one of my elderly friends. Their 30ish granddaughter was determined to be the source of Covid brought into their home. She never had symptoms, and when finally tested, she was well past the infectious stage.

But it was too late. Both 70+ grandparents had died of the disease. Her mother eventually died. Her daughter - age 6, was very ill and may have permanent damage to her lungs.

Hopefully you would not go from a negative test to infectious in three days.

Or we could just close all the borders, stop all air travel and slowly starve.

Yet it was these very hipsters who attended a Burning Man-style festival in Mexico that turns out to have been a ‘---------’ event, with several participants bringing ------ back with them to New York City as a pathogenic souvenir.

70% of ----- tests at NYC clinic are hipsters who attended Tulum “Burning Man”-style festival

And yet Americans and Canadians continue to travel back and forth to Mexico. Yes, they can cross the border.

That said, just because you can doesn't mean you should. Here in Mexico we are in dire conditions and we have proof that Americans have been hospitalized in Mexico and some have returned to the U.S.

Just do the right thing. Stay home.