72 hour COVID test requirement

[Edster]

If anyone is keeping score. I've used Covid Consultants three times thus far to enter Zimbabwe.

1.) No issues in the USA at airport
2.) No issues connecting in UAE
3.) No issues with Emirates as an airline
4.) No issues with immigration upon arrival in Zim
5.) No issue with Covid Consultants turning around their test results as advertised

The less fun part of the trip is the Covid test abroad you get to return home. Be aware, the standard covid test healthworkers administer to you is actually an anal swab, administered via the nasal canal!

Yea I'm pretty sure that brute of a woman in SA that did mine was trying to reach the anal canal thru my nose!!!!

 

[Hogpatrol]

"The less fun part of the trip is the Covid test abroad you get to return home. Be aware, the standard covid test healthworkers administer to you is actually an anal swab, administered via the nasal canal!"

At the test site in Grahamstown, there was a woman in a hoveround in line before us. During the test we heard her howling like she was being attacked by a lion. We looked at each and figured the same thing, anal swab through the nose.

 

[Tanks]

I have mine scheduled through a local place the day before my flight on the 28th. They promise results by midnight with a doctor's signature

 

[mdwest]

For what its worth, most of the CVS locations across the US are now offering PCR tests with 24 hour turn around.. you can schedule the appointment up to 2 weeks in advance.. all of the scheduling is done online (takes about 5 minutes).. and they claim when you do the "drive through" testing that it only takes about 5 minutes as well (verify your identity, confirm your insurance card, tell you about the test, administer the test, and then you are on your way)...

I just scheduled our PCR tests for the late afternoon on the 12th.. with our scheduled departure from the US to SA on the 15th..

 

[Red Leg]

The tricky requirement is Doha. The pacing item flying Qatar is apparently arrival time - not departure time. Flying Mondays is therefore not a good idea because a Friday test puts one outside the window. I am naturally flying out of Houston on Monday, 2 Aug. Am using a 1 hr turn around service in Houston Monday morning before the flight.

 

[mdwest]

The tricky requirement is Doha. The pacing item flying Qatar is apparently arrival time - not departure time. Flying Mondays is therefore not a good idea because a Friday test puts one outside the window. I am naturally flying out of Houston on Monday, 2 Aug. Am using a 1 hr turn around service in Houston Monday morning before the flight.

Can you advise where the arrival time requirement is coming from (Gracy?). The Qatar Airlines website is advising that the requirement is based on departure time (I just looked at it). I was about to call their customer service line for absolute confirmation.. but my experience with Qatar CS has been a bit sketchy at best.. They are always super polite.. but talk to 3 different CS agents about anything and you'll be given three different answers it seems.. and they can never point you to a specific policy, or put anything in an email for confirmation, much less provide a confirmation number or anything else that would validate/verify the information they have provided you..

 

[Red Leg]

Can you advise where the arrival time requirement is coming from (Gracy?). The Qatar Airlines website is advising that the requirement is based on departure time (I just looked at it). I was about to call their customer service line for absolute confirmation.. but my experience with Qatar CS has been a bit sketchy at best.. They are always super polite.. but talk to 3 different CS agents about anything and you'll be given three different answers it seems.. and they can never point you to a specific policy, or put anything in an email for confirmation, much less provide a confirmation number or anything else that would validate/verify the information they have provided you..

That is what I thought, but found several references to this document/site:

Qatar Travel and Return Policy Qatar Travel and Return Policy

Perhaps it has been superseded by new guidance?

 

[shootist~]

From the Qatar website just now. If just traveling through Doha - it's based on the requirements at your final destination (served by Qatar). That's how I read it, anyway.

Edit to Add link:

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/travel-alerts/COVID-19-update.html

Travel With Confidence​

Passengers from all destinations served by Qatar Airways can continue to travel with the airline and transit through Hamad International Airport, the Best Airport in the Middle East and Third Best Airport in the World according to Skytrax, subject to entry restrictions at their final destination. You will need to hold immigration approval to land at the final city in your itinerary that is operated by Qatar Airways, even if you are taking a connecting flight afterwards.

 

[Red Leg]

From the Qatar website just now. If just traveling through Doha - it's based on the requirements at your final destination (served by Qatar). That's how I read it, anyway.

Edit to Add link:

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/travel-alerts/COVID-19-update.html

Travel With Confidence​

Passengers from all destinations served by Qatar Airways can continue to travel with the airline and transit through Hamad International Airport, the Best Airport in the Middle East and Third Best Airport in the World according to Skytrax, subject to entry restrictions at their final destination. You will need to hold immigration approval to land at the final city in your itinerary that is operated by Qatar Airways, even if you are taking a connecting flight afterwards.

That is likely the get out of jail free language. I'll call Gracy.

 

[Hogpatrol]

That is what I thought, but found several references to this document/site:

Qatar Travel and Return Policy Qatar Travel and Return Policy

Perhaps it has been superseded by new guidance?

That's just if you are disembarking in to Qatar proper, not solely transiting through the airport. So if you were to have a long layover and wanted to leave the airport and see the sites or do some shopping, it may be new ballgame.

 

[Edge]

The tricky requirement is Doha. The pacing item flying Qatar is apparently arrival time - not departure time. Flying Mondays is therefore not a good idea because a Friday test puts one outside the window. I am naturally flying out of Houston on Monday, 2 Aug. Am using a 1 hr turn around service in Houston Monday morning before the flight.

No worries, I flew Monday 7 June DFW to Doha, no issues with COVID Consultants test sent via FedEx Friday morning with results sent via email Saturday night.

 

[Red Leg]

No worries, I flew Monday 7 June DFW to Doha, no issues with COVID Consultants test sent via FedEx Friday morning with results sent via email Saturday night.

Thanks!! Still awaiting a confirmation from Gracy, but I think the reading of the transit requirement is correct. I can get a Saturday test which should be fine.

 

[wesheltonj]

eMed

www.emed.com

Approved CDC test kit for international travel.

 

[Hogpatrol]

eMed

www.emed.com

Approve CDC test kit for international travel.

Where does it say that on your linked webpage and how is it signed by a physician? That's what I'm seeing most airlines want for international travel. The CDC says it's ok for entry in to the U.S. but check with the airline for validity.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Just came back. Johberg Doha Houston.
72 hour test is all required now. It was checked before boarding in Johberg and was never asked for again. Not even on arrival in Houston.

 

[rookhawk]

Guys, not sure how to be any plainer about how this works.

It’s a scam. A valuable, worth every penny scam.

You submit to a ”friendly but expensive” covid testing by mail operation. You could spit in a cup a month ahead of travel, but the physician marked receiving it says you submitted the sample the minute and hour fedex dropped it off at their lab. Of course you time that FedEx drop off so it lands there the day before you board the plane. They then run it same day and you have your needed travel documents. The physician marks it that you submitted to testing at 10am, they email you the results with a physicians signature at 8pm that day, you go on safari.

All this back and forth discussion of trying to rely on CVS/Walgreens and a guy down the street is rather exhausting. CVS and the like are government testing centers. Sometimes they work, sometimes they delay. Most wont’ give you a test if they know its for travel.

There is a reason some tests are overnight and $200….because they work for the purpose of getting you on a plane. If you don’t like that option, you can also coutnerfeit a test result in photoshop, there is an entire industry set up now to do that for you for $50 And many travel agents “have a guy” if you are in the mood to commit fraud.

But between outright fraud (fake papers) to risking a safari (using the government assigned testing facility that isn’t designed for travel covid tests with no turnaround guarantee), I suggest You go with the $200 sure-thing that was built as a process to overcome the dumb, shortsighted government travel rules to ensure you get on a plane.

 

[Philip Glass]

Yep no issues. Let COVID Consults know you want Dr signature on results and they will make sure it is in there. If it isn’t just send them a note and they will add and resend.

Thanks

 

[wesheltonj]

Where does it say that on your linked webpage and how is it signed by a physician? That's what I'm seeing most airlines want for international travel. The CDC says it's ok for entry in to the U.S. but check with the airline for validity.

CDC Announces COVID-19 At-Home, Rapid Testing Approach Pioneered by eMed for International Travel to Enter the United States

/PRNewswire/ -- eMed™, a telehealth company, announces updated guidelines by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for international...

www.prnewswire.com

COVID-19 and Travel

CDC travel recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

www.cdc.gov

 

[Philip Glass]

Guys, not sure how to be any plainer about how this works.

It’s a scam. A valuable, worth every penny scam.

You submit to a ”friendly but expensive” covid testing by mail operation. You could spit in a cup a month ahead of travel, but the physician marked receiving it says you submitted the sample the minute and hour fedex dropped it off at their lab. Of course you time that FedEx drop off so it lands there the day before you board the plane. They then run it same day and you have your needed travel documents. The physician marks it that you submitted to testing at 10am, they email you the results with a physicians signature at 8pm that day, you go on safari.

All this back and forth discussion of trying to rely on CVS/Walgreens and a guy down the street is rather exhausting. CVS and the like are government testing centers. Sometimes they work, sometimes they delay. Most wont’ give you a test if they know its for travel.

There is a reason some tests are overnight and $200….because they work for the purpose of getting you on a plane. If you don’t like that option, you can also coutnerfeit a test result in photoshop, there is an entire industry set up now to do that for you for $50 And many travel agents “have a guy” if you are in the mood to commit fraud.

But between outright fraud (fake papers) to risking a safari (using the government assigned testing facility that isn’t designed for travel covid tests with no turnaround guarantee), I suggest You go with the $200 sure-thing that was built as a process to overcome the dumb, shortsighted government travel rules to ensure you get on a plane.

Thanks and I agree with you

 

[Red Leg]

Can you advise where the arrival time requirement is coming from (Gracy?). The Qatar Airlines website is advising that the requirement is based on departure time (I just looked at it). I was about to call their customer service line for absolute confirmation.. but my experience with Qatar CS has been a bit sketchy at best.. They are always super polite.. but talk to 3 different CS agents about anything and you'll be given three different answers it seems.. and they can never point you to a specific policy, or put anything in an email for confirmation, much less provide a confirmation number or anything else that would validate/verify the information they have provided you..

Just heard back from Shawn. As long as just transiting, then 72 hrs from departure is the rule. Much easier.