Covid testing in Cozumel

[Scuba-74]

Back to the regular thread - FYI:

View attachment 636403

I have to admit, that’s pretty impressive. They lost no time with that response.

 

[ChuckP]

These policies are so similarly written that it sounds to me like these places have bought insurance to cover their losses in the event that they have to supply the service, and the underwriters consider the risk to be low enough to make the premiums affordable enough for the resorts to write it off as an advertising expense.

I have to admit, that’s pretty impressive. They lost no time with that response.

Gordon, I bet you're right. I think the odds are so slim and we are just covering light bills, no one wants people to cancel!!

 

[ggunn]

LDS near me just canceled their trip for early Feb. Fourteen divers. Apparently this announcement scared them off.

Well, maybe, but maybe they planned it far enough ahead that they hoped things would be better by early February, but now they know they won't. I have a trip planned for May with the same mindset.

 

[ChuckP]

This is our local consulate rep:

Terri Barnhart-Ocejo
Cozumel My Cozumel
19m ·

Message for U.S. Citizens – U.S. Embassy Mexico City, Mexico (January 14, 2021)
Subject: Mexico Health Alert – COVID-19 Testing Requirement for Air Travel
As of September 8, 2020, Mexico is under a Level 3 Travel Advisory (Reconsider Travel) due to the global impact of COVID-19. On December 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Mexico due to COVID-19. Please visit our website for updates on the COVID-19 situation in Mexico along with information on the status of operations at U.S. facilities.
COVID-19 Testing Requirement for Air Travel: Effective January 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will require all air passengers entering the United States (including U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents) to present a negative viral COVID-19 test, taken within three calendar days of departure, or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days. Airlines must confirm the negative test result or proof of recent recovery for all passengers prior to boarding and must deny boarding of passengers who do not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery. Please see CDC’s FAQ and the Embassy’s COVID-19 webpage for more information about the new requirement.
If you are planning to return to the United States, you should contact your airline for specific information about testing requirements for travelers. Because airlines may adopt and modify their own specific policies to implement CDC’s new rule, you should contact the carrier for your U.S.-bound flight and not rely on information from other carriers or information or experience from previous trips.
Testing resources: The Secretariat of Health (Salud) maintains a list of approved laboratories (Spanish only) for viral COVID-19 testing. Many local hospitals, clinics, and laboratories offer private testing for travel purposes. Travelers are responsible for the costs of their own tests and any associated medical care. Please ensure that the test provider you choose will provide test results that comply with CDC guidelines and those of your airline.
U.S. Mission Mexico has prepared a list of private testing providers. This list is not comprehensive and the information within is subject to change at any time. Travelers visiting Mexico should also contact their tour provider or hotel for more information on local testing options. The Embassy and Consulates are not able to administer or pay for COVID-19 tests. Potential travelers should carefully consider that availability of tests and timeliness of results cannot be guaranteed.
Reduced Consular Services: U.S. Mission Mexico’s ability to provide consular services is limited due to reduced in-person staffing and health protocols that mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Passport, citizenship, and notary appointment availability is strictly limited due to social distancing requirements in our offices and public waiting rooms. U.S. citizens may encounter delays in obtaining emergency passports or notary services.
Routine services, where offered, and emergency services are available by appointment only. Each applicant requires their own appointment. Due to the limited number of non-emergency appointments available, there may be no openings visible on the website. If you cannot find an open appointment and have urgent travel plans (within the next month) or another emergency need for a passport, please contact the location nearest you by email. All visitors to the embassy, consulates general, and consular agencies over the age of two must wear a mask. All appointments and openings are subject to change and cancellation based on local health conditions.
Assistance:
· For Emergency Assistance for U.S. citizens in Mexico, call (55) 8526 2561 from Mexico or 1-844-528-6611 from the United States
· To learn about the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico and their locations visit https://mx.usembassy.gov/u-s.../find-your-consular-location/

· Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Mexico
· State Department – Consular Affairs: 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
· Follow the State Department on Facebook and Twitter
· Review the Crime and Safety Reports for Mexico

 

[Saxonjd]

Please keep in mind the US numbers are inflated and not factual. Many people that have "COVID-19" listed as cause of death actually died from other causes. Sorry but you can't count on the accuracy of information relayed from our government and/or media anymore.

I'm sorry but statements like these are false, uneducated and expose a complete lack of understanding of mortality statistics; and also push an agenda that COVID isn't a big deal.

Here's a good article that helps explain it:
How COVID-19 Deaths Are Counted

Paraphrasing.....Causes of death often have the immediate cause listed (such as respiratory distress) followed by "caused by COVID-19". Following this might list some underlying health conditions such diabetes and heart disease. However, as a direct quote, “Without the COVID19 being the last straw or the thing that led to the chain of events that led to death, they probably wouldn’t have died,”

Another example: I'm a healthy person and I'm involved in a serious car accident and am in the hospital because of severe loss of blood. Three days later I have a massive heart attack and die. What is my cause of death? Victim of a heart attack, or victim of a car accident? Both would be on my death certificate, but the precipitating cause would be the car accident and I would be a statistic in annual auto deaths.

This isn't a personal attack on the poster (I'm sure Addicted2H20 is a great guy), but I'm tired of this kind of stuff being disseminated. Bringing back to diving and COVID testing, we are still planning to come to Coz in April to dive for a week and I accept if things such as late test results or flight complications that might happen as some of the risk of what we signed up for and we will deal with it. Looking forward to hearing people's reports on how testing (and more importantly diving!) goes!!

 

[Kimela]

As part of CleanComplete+, we are pleased to announce the inclusion of COVID-19 antigen testing on-property at no cost to guests traveling to the U.S., and as accepted per CDC U.S. travel regulations beginning on Jan. 26, 2021.

Maybe I missed something somewhere, but it looks like a negative test will be required by the airlines - and what Secrets is offering is an on-property antigen test (and saying this is a CDC requirement). Their page offers a link to another page that says you can get a PCR test at an 'International Hospital' for $2599 pesos (about $131). If the airlines decide to recognize the CDC's antigen test requirement as 'good enough' that's great - but if they don't, you're back to having to leave property for a test (with the bonus of the two week quarantine covered).

Edit: I went back to look at the Palace's notice and they are also offering the antigen test at no charge, but will arrange for you to get the PCR test for a fee, on-property. Both resorts are citing the CDC as their basis for offering the antigen test, but the CDC clearly says:

"If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger."

So this begs the question 'is a positive antigen test the same as having recovered from covid19?'.

Are you guys reading this the same as I am?

SECOND EDIT AND UPDATE: A very kind person on Scubaboard messaged me privately to provide info that I wasn't understanding correctly. "An antigen test is a diagnostic test that checks to see if you are infected with the coronavirus." That's from WebMD. So ... antigen tests will be offered at both properties at no additional fee, but if you need a PCR test, you will need to pay for that. AND the CDC says they want a 'viral test' (presumably an antigen test).

Special thanks to @cozcharlie for saving me from public humiliation on SB!!!

 

[Kimela]

Unrelated to Cozumel, but someone had mentioned St Croix and then Hawaii, so I thought this was worth adding. Hawaii is requiring a test prior to departure - and the Big Island is requiring a test upon arrival! At least they're willing to pay for the test when you arrive. Several airlines are now selling at-home testing kits too (referenced in the article)!

Btw, someone posted a pic of how things are being done somewhere in Asia - with testing being a normal thing. I get it. This may be the way of the future, but the US just isn't that organized yet. Up until a few weeks ago the only way I could get a test was if I was symptomatic. I called several pharmacies and my doc to see if I could pay for a test to travel and was given a hard 'no'. Maybe we're getting to the point that we could function at the same level - testing whoever, whenever. I found out yesterday that therapists/counselors in the next county over are now getting the vaccine, but I'm a few miles over the line in another county and God alone knows when it'll happen for me. Our county is JUST NOW writing the software for online registration - something that seems like it should have been done last June!!! We're very poorly organized. (Have I already ranted about this here - sorry if I'm repeating myself).

 

[tridacna]

Because smoking (and to some extend for some obesity) is self inflicted.

And to some extent, so is Covid. Keep that mask on!

 

[ontdiver]

In Canada, we are facing similar challenges as the three levels of government (federal, provincial, municipal) all have different ideas about how to deliver the vaccine. In the last day or so the province of Quebec has decided that the interval between the first and second shot can be up to 90 days, even though there is no data to support this position. Testing is a whole other story.

 

[Windlaker]

And to some extent, so is Covid. Keep that mask on!

For sure!

See how the numbers in New York and LA have plummeted since all the lockdowns started?

My wife and I both had Covid over Christmas. We joined the 99.98% Covid Survivors Club. Masks didn't keep us from getting it.