DECISIONS AND ADAPTATION
(Warning: No photos, but hopefully interesting information)
With the recent increase of Delta cases in the EU, and the emergent new variant Omicron, several have expressed concern regarding our safety. Before we decided to travel, we spent a lot of time thinking about risk, planning, and managing a trip during this time. Hopefully, sharing our thoughts will put your minds at ease, and maybe open up options for you.
It's been two years of discovery and adaptation for scientists, governments, and individuals. People’s responses have been along a bell curve. Some residents in our city had groceries delivered, never left the house, or wore masks even when alone in their car; while others have refused to wear them, and even sued governments about vaccinations. (They are the ones overwhelmingly hospitalized and dying now.)
Like most of you, through 2020 we hunkered down and adhered to protocols. Lots of cooking, baking, on-line learning, and hiking. We did not eat out, travel, or visit family and friends except remotely on zoom. By Christmas last year Bill’s hair grew longer than since college. However, we did leave the house for grocery shopping, and when outdoors away from others we did not wear a mask.
In January and February this year, we were among the first to get our two vaccine shots, and were also early for our booster in August. Our decision to travel after we sold our house considered the options: we could hunker down in a small rental apartment in Seattle without our personal possessions (all in storage) and no end of the virus in sight. Or we could travel (with fewer tourists) and celebrate the holidays with the kids in London, where Teigan lives, if we manage the risk. Throughout Canada and the EU we felt liberated knowing everyone indoors had to show their vaccination cards. Of course, there is a chance someone vaccinated could have a breakthrough without symptoms, but that seems remote in small gatherings. With low vaccination rates in the US and world-wide, and emerging variants to the virus, we figured at some point we are going to have to adapt and get on with our lives - with caution.
Because countries seem to go through waves of infections, and the virus keeps changing, we knew whatever we planned we’d have to adapt to facts on the ground. After Greece, we planned to meet Teigan in Germany to see Bavarian Christmas Markets and visit my distant cousin Maria, before heading to Strasbourg, FR. While in Greece, Germany exploded with new Delta cases, again mostly their unvaccinated right. Germany shut down the markets and changed their travel guidelines. They required quarantining for ten days from hot spot countries like Greece, regardless of vaccination status.
Again, we considered our options. One of my perspective-altering experiences doing international work was when I was in Manila our CEO told me “as long as you’re in the neighborhood why don’t you see…” such and such client in Thailand, China, Korea or wherever. It's low additional cost considering the expense just to get overseas. The world starts looking pretty small with that attitude. After Germany closed to us, we considered Prague, Dubai, Tunis, Egypt, Canary Islands, etc. Since we still had reservations in Strasbourg for their Christmas markets, we only needed to fill four days; so we settled on Beaune, France. It was a middle driving distance from Paris to Strasbourg, and would make a nice off-season wine tour of two famous appellations: Bourgogne and Alsace. We canceled the flight from Athens to Munich and rooms in Munich and Wurzburg. We booked a flight to, and one night in, Paris. The next day Teigan arrived and we drove to Beaune.
While in France the Omicron variant was discovered in the UK - our next destination. At first there was lots of uncertainty regarding infectiousness and serious illness. Boris responded more appropriately than a year and a half ago and began implementing requirements for international travelers and residents. Though we were concerned the UK might eventually shut down despite Boris' pledge not to, we decided to continue to France until more was known. The UK did not require masks or showing vaccine cards in public spaces when we arrived on Saturday. Monday, he announced that both are required (but his own conservative party is against this). To get in we had to take a test before arriving (negative) and immediately after arriving (negative).
Here are some of the documents we needed to complete before, during, and after entry in the countries we planned to visit. The airlines check these documents before issuing a boarding pass. IF you plan to travel, some of the airlines (Delta and KLM) issue very good information about the country's requirements with links to complete the necessary paperwork. It continually changes so do not rely on my list.
Amsterdam Transit: 2 dose Vaccination Card, Health Declaration form, and Quarantine Declaration form.
Greece: 2 dose Vaccination Card, Passenger Locator Form (PLF).
Germany: 2 dose Vaccination Card, PLF. (This was changed to a 10-day quarantine if coming from hot spot.
France: 2 dose Vaccination Card, No Contact Declaration form.
UK: 2 dose Vaccination Card, PLF, Negative Covid Test 48 hours before flight (we did this in Strasbourg), Proof of ordering a Covid test kit, submit Covid test in UK within two days of arrival.
In France we were able to convert our US Vaccination Card to an EU QR vaccination code on an app. This made it very easy to enter restaurants and museums with a scan of our iPhone, and eliminated questions about the US card. Right now we are not sure yet about a UK QR code.
If you’re considering travel during Covid be sure to have travel insurance. No one is offering refunds now like 2020: not airlines, not hotels, not AirBnBs. You can buy travel insurance for each trip, but it usually runs about 10% of your total trip cost. For most of our travel we book everything. We pay an annual fee through Chubb that covers all our trips in a year. My primary financial concern is emergency medical evacuation, which is covered up to $50,000. The tours, hotels and airfares are covered up to a max of $2500/individual. They also cover personal loss, like the iPhone lifted from my pocket in Senegal in 2019.
Final Note: Managing risk does not mean eliminating it. We are carefully watching as the Omicron variant surpasses Delta in the UK and EU in a matter of weeks. One positive potential is that if it is less serious and out competes the more deadly Delta variant in the population it could lower the impact on healthcare workers and hospitals. On the other hand, we could be "locked down" in the UK. We still think it’s preferable for us to be here right now than in a Seattle apartment. We shall see. Thanks again for your concerns.
Next Post: Bourgogne and Alsace.
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