Covid surging in Bonaire

[DustyC]

The change appears to be coming March 3rd...

The mandatory rapid test for travelers to the Netherlands will be replaced on 3 March by a NAAT test - the new name for PCR - which may not be older than twelve hours and with a negative result. The government has announced this.

Looks like just the single test no older than 12 hours... Crazy...

I was just reading that on FB. If the 4 hour test results weren't already a backdoor ban, this certainly is if they apply it to Bonaire, and I'm sure they will. Luckily I didn't rebook my trip for a few weeks after the cancelled trip like I saw a lot of people do. I have over 6 months to go, so likely it'll change again by then. But for many, this is just another nail in the coffin on Bonaire.

 

[mbs]

Yeah, just saw that.
It looks like the Abbott ID NOW test offered by XpresCheck will suffice, at $200, but....
Options now might be:

Can't get it before one's flight to the gateway cities (ATL, IAH, EWR, MIA) because XpresCheck is not open early enough
Can't get it the day before and meet the 12h requirement.
Could stay overnight in IAH,MIA, or EWR and get tested in the morning before the flight to BON. Costs more, plus test cost.
Or could travel through Aruba or Curacao, but it is unclear what tests will be needed to fly there...maybe just the 72h PCR.​

Plus - Wait another week for the next iteration

 

[uncfnp]

Yep. The Abbott test is a NAAT test. So if the same standards apply to Bonaire and time starts (or rather ends) with boarding at the flight of origin, @maadJurguer’s original travel plans would work.

 

[maadJurguer]

Based on my read of the updated guidance, I'm still a go for my trip.

 

[BradMM]

CRAP! We had a trip planned in late 2019 but my wife got sick and then the f'ing pandemic! Was trying to book a flight but now I see why none are available.

 

[BradMM]

Where do you go to monitor the status of this???

 

[tursiops]

Where do you go to monitor the status of this???

The master site is Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire
That info is repeated at Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire
Much is also provided, with often some additional information, at Bonaire.nu, see, for example, Bevestigd: Britse Covid-variant aanwezig op Bonaire Bonaire |.
Good summaries and sometimes the first translations are at The Bonaire Insider
The social-media site is at Bonaire Expats and Visitors COVID-19 Discussion. Be skeptical of some of the "information" there.
Status of airlines flying to Bonaire from the US (none, right now) is available at the sites for AA, UA and DL. Consolidated info is at http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ and https://www.google.com/travel/flights.

Quick summary for getting to Bonaire from the US:

• No flights are currently going to BON from ATL, MIA, IAH, or EWR, on AA, DL, or UA.
• AA claims to be flying from MIA starting April 3, but they keep cancelling flights just a few weeks out.
• DL plans to start from ATL, and UA from IAH and EWR, all on June 5.
• Right now you can get to BON through Aruba or Curacao, using EZ-Jet or Divi-Divi to puddle-jump from those islands to BON.
• Mandatory testing for traveling to Bonaire (see Q&A's reizigers - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire) in transit through Aruba or Curacao is a PCR test not older than 72h from time of administration, and an antigen test no older than 4h prior to departure for Bonaire; this antigen test is not possible in Aruba or Curacao if you are in transit, because the testing there is outside the transit zone. So you must take the antigen test within 4h before boarding your flight for Aruba or Curacao. This is not possible -- or at least extremely difficult -- if you are making connections from somewhere in the US. Basically, this means you have to (a) overnight in one of the gateway cities (MIA, ATL, EWR, IAH) and (b) get an antigen test early in the day and within 4h before boarding your flight.
• Punch line? Not a lot of US folks going to Bonaire right now.

 

[Joneill]

Bonaire in Phase 5 Risk Level COVID-19 Measures | InfoBonaire

 

[BradMM]

Thanks so much!

The master site is Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire
That info is repeated at Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire
Much is also provided, with often some additional information, at Bonaire.nu, see, for example, Bevestigd: Britse Covid-variant aanwezig op Bonaire Bonaire |.
Good summaries and sometimes the first translations are at The Bonaire Insider
The social-media site is at Bonaire Expats and Visitors COVID-19 Discussion. Be skeptical of some of the "information" there.
Status of airlines flying to Bonaire from the US (none, right now) is available at the sites for AA, UA and DL. Consolidated info is at http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ and https://www.google.com/travel/flights.

Quick summary for getting to Bonaire from the US:

• No flights are currently going to BON from ATL, MIA, IAH, or EWR, on AA, DL, or UA.
• AA claims to be flying from MIA starting April 3, but they keep cancelling flights just a few weeks out.
• DL plans to start from ATL, and UA from IAH and EWR, all on June 5.
• Right now you can get to BON through Aruba or Curacao, using EZ-Jet or Divi-Divi to puddle-jump from those islands to BON.
• Mandatory testing for traveling to Bonaire (see Q&A's reizigers - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire) in transit through Aruba or Curacao is a PCR test not older than 72h from time of administration, and an antigen test no older than 4h prior to departure for Bonaire; this antigen test is not possible in Aruba or Curacao if you are in transit, because the testing there is outside the transit zone. So you must take the antigen test within 4h before boarding your flight for Aruba or Curacao. This is not possible -- or at least extremely difficult -- if you are making connections from somewhere in the US. Basically, this means you have to (a) overnight in one of the gateway cities (MIA, ATL, EWR, IAH) and (b) get an antigen test early in the day and within 4h before boarding your flight.
• Punch line? Not a lot of US folks going to Bonaire right now.

 

[pairadocs]

The master site is Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire
That info is repeated at Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire
Much is also provided, with often some additional information, at Bonaire.nu, see, for example, Bevestigd: Britse Covid-variant aanwezig op Bonaire Bonaire |.
Good summaries and sometimes the first translations are at The Bonaire Insider
The social-media site is at Bonaire Expats and Visitors COVID-19 Discussion. Be skeptical of some of the "information" there.
Status of airlines flying to Bonaire from the US (none, right now) is available at the sites for AA, UA and DL. Consolidated info is at http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ and https://www.google.com/travel/flights.

Quick summary for getting to Bonaire from the US:

• No flights are currently going to BON from ATL, MIA, IAH, or EWR, on AA, DL, or UA.
• AA claims to be flying from MIA starting April 3, but they keep cancelling flights just a few weeks out.
• DL plans to start from ATL, and UA from IAH and EWR, all on June 5.
• Right now you can get to BON through Aruba or Curacao, using EZ-Jet or Divi-Divi to puddle-jump from those islands to BON.
• Mandatory testing for traveling to Bonaire (see Q&A's reizigers - Crisiswebsite van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire) in transit through Aruba or Curacao is a PCR test not older than 72h from time of administration, and an antigen test no older than 4h prior to departure for Bonaire; this antigen test is not possible in Aruba or Curacao if you are in transit, because the testing there is outside the transit zone. So you must take the antigen test within 4h before boarding your flight for Aruba or Curacao. This is not possible -- or at least extremely difficult -- if you are making connections from somewhere in the US. Basically, this means you have to (a) overnight in one of the gateway cities (MIA, ATL, EWR, IAH) and (b) get an antigen test early in the day and within 4h before boarding your flight.
• Punch line? Not a lot of US folks going to Bonaire right now.

Just 1 small point of clarification to the above 5th bullet point - you can still get the 4 hour Antigen test in the CUR airport, even if you are in transit. Alternatively, you can get the test in Aruba, but its off site, usually at a hotel where one spends the night, then wakes up to fly on EZ or Divi from AUA to CUR to BON. There is no on site testing at Aruba airport. These 2 options are what has allowed the ''back door' to BON to stay open. It's not easy, but it's still possible.

one more bullet that could be added - There is also a newer allowance (last week) of a 12 hour NAAT test (instead of the 72 and the 4 hr - yes INSTEAD). But, this basically poses the same problem as the 4 hr antigen for USA travelers - almost impossible to get it done in usa prior to departure b/c most flights leave usa at 6-10 AM, and there are almost no testing sites that are open 4-12 hours before that departure time (6pm-6am is not a common lab opening time).

Tursiops and i follow the same sites (some good, some not so good (FB), and T is a wealth of info, and has provided the most comprehensive synopsis so far above. Nice work Turs.