BajaNomad - US will end COVID-19 test requirement for returning travelers

US will end COVID-19 test requirement for returning travelers

pauldavidmena - 6-10-2022 at 06:46 AM

As per this CNN article, the test requirement for travelers returning to the U.S. will be lifted on Sunday at midnight. I didn't find it particularly onerous when we visited Todos Santos in February, but we would have had to scramble to change our plans if either of us tested positive.

JZ - 6-10-2022 at 10:32 AM

Covid has been over for many months.

Those fools are now trying to scare us with monkeypox. The CDC even had a recommendation to wear a mask, though monkeypox isn't an airborne disease?? Then they quietly removed the mask comment from their site. They are too afraid to share with the public who and what behavior puts someone at the greatest risk of getting it.

The CDC might be the most inept branch of the government. Most of the stuff they do is driven by political theater. Half the country has lost all faith in them.

[Edited on 6-10-2022 by JZ]

mtgoat666 - 6-10-2022 at 12:37 PM

Covid is not over. It just took a break.

I appreciate the CDC. Good to have an agency looking out for public health on a national level. I sure would not leave such to politicians, like you right wingnuts advocate.

Btw, the 2 docs I recently talked to, neighbor and bro, both recommend mask on airplanes, and boosters.

Pigmy: you really should trust med professionals more than the right wingnut talking heads you follow on TV.

surabi - 6-10-2022 at 02:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Covid has been over for many months.

[Edited on 6-10-2022 by JZ]

Head in the sand fool.

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/coronavirus/50-increase-in-...

"June 10 (GMT)
Updates
33,348 new cases and 98 new deaths in the United States" ( World-o-meter)

And you are also incorrect (what else is new?) re monkeypox not being transferred through respiration.

"Monkeypox is transmitted through close person-to-person contact with lesions, body fluids and respiratory droplets"

https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/monkeypox-what-you...

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2022 at 03:01 PM

I'm staying away from "monkeys"

JZ - 6-10-2022 at 03:16 PM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

And you are also incorrect (what else is new?) re monkeypox not being transferred through respiration.

"Monkeypox is transmitted through close person-to-person contact with lesions, body fluids and respiratory droplets"

https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/monkeypox-what-you...

I said "airborne." You'd literally have to be close enough with someone for them to spit on you.

See the CDC has already confused the hell out of you. First they said to wear a mask and now they removed that reference.

But for your sanity, I'm sure if you sit in your car with your mask on you'll probably be ok. You might want to get the vax just in case, please just don't try to force it on others.

https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/transmission.html
"The virus may also spread through direct contact with body fluids or sores on an infected person or with materials that have touched body fluids or sores, such as clothing or linens.

Monkeypox spreads between people primarily through direct contact with infectious sores, scabs, or body fluids. It also can be spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact."

[Edited on 6-10-2022 by JZ]

mtgoat666 - 6-10-2022 at 03:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Covid has been over for many months.

Those fools are now trying to scare us with monkeypox. The CDC even had a recommendation to wear a mask, though monkeypox isn't an airborne disease?? Then they quietly removed the mask comment from their site. They are too afraid to share with the public who and what behavior puts someone at the greatest risk of getting it.

C.D.C. Dismisses Airborne Transmission of Monkeypox. Some Experts Disagree.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/10/health/monkeypox-airborne...

Monkey pox historically has had high fatality rate. Not something to dismiss as nothing burger.

…and looks like covid is coming back:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/california-covid...

[Edited on 6-10-2022 by mtgoat666]

pauldavidmena - 6-10-2022 at 03:35 PM

My wife and I have been extremely conservative in our approach to COVID. We work from home, we're both vaxxed and double-boosted, and have worn masks when mandated. Cape Cod, despite its progressive, elderly population, gave up masks nearly a year ago, so our tactic has been to use common sense and to do home tests if we feel we might have been exposed. We don't want to get sick or to pass an infection on to our more vulnerable neighbors, so we're erring on the side of caution while still trying to live reasonably normal lives. So far we're both COVID-free.

surabi - 6-10-2022 at 03:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

I said "airborne."

Respiratory droplets ARE "airborne".

surabi - 6-10-2022 at 04:01 PM

Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena

My wife and I have been extremely conservative in our approach to COVID.

We don't want to get sick or to pass an infection on to our more vulnerable neighbors, so we're erring on the side of caution while still trying to live reasonably normal lives.

Me, too. Despite JZ and other Covid deniers' ad nauseum portrayal of those like us sitting alone in our cars with a mask on, or hiding in our basements, that is their fantasy of anyone who doesn't agree with their views, intended to make anyone who pays attention to, and understands the science and the reality, look like fools.

That isn't, nor has it been the reality- those of us who are cautious and care about exposing vulnerable people, (sadly not a concern among many) have been using common sense, based on real world data, rather than our opinions or politics, all along.

[Edited on 6-10-2022 by surabi]

[Edited on 6-10-2022 by surabi]

surabi - 6-10-2022 at 04:29 PM

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/major-tourist-draws-become-virus-1...

JDCanuck - 6-10-2022 at 04:54 PM

For some unknown reason, US spread of Covid is increasing while it is declining in the rest of the world, most of which have dropped mask and other lockdown measures, 4th booster shots and testing requirements. Maybe its in the water?

surabi - 6-10-2022 at 05:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck

For some unknown reason, US spread of Covid is increasing while it is declining in the rest of the world, most of which have dropped mask and other lockdown measures, 4th booster shots and testing requirements. Maybe its in the water?

What makes you think it's declining in the rest of the world? It certainly isn't in Mexico or the rest of Latin America. It's rising again in many areas of the world.

And you seem to think that just because governments have dropped mandates, that means people no longer take precautions. Mandates were only necessary because people wouldn't comply with recommended sensible behavior to curb a pandemic.

My take would be that the rates are going up where people think the pandemic is "over" and take no precautions.

JDCanuck - 6-10-2022 at 06:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck

Heres what the rest of the world is reporting:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
https://ourworldindata.org/mortality-risk-covid
I have no idea why the US is lagging with all the extra boosters provided and pushed out in the US. It's a mystery to me
Here is Sweden's reported present fatality rates, the country everyone stated was so irresponsible 2 years ago in comparison.
What is their secret?
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/

[Edited on 6-11-2022 by JDCanuck]

surabi - 6-10-2022 at 07:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck

You originally said you were referring to the "spread" of Covid, now you are talking about death rates. Death rates are down almost everywhere because the Omicron variety is not as deadly as the original Covid viruses, and many people who refused to get vaccinated already suffered through Covid once or twice and have enough natural immunity to keep them from dying.

Just because vaccines and boosters are provided, doesn't mean that people take them. For instance, while Canada has a vaccination rate of 86%, the US has a rate of 78%. There are also areas of the US where the vaccination rate is quite low- you have to look at where the rates are up, and it usually corresponds to the low vaccination rate, or to high density areas, like NYC, where communicable diseases spread quickly because of how closely people live. Wyoming has a vaccination rate of 58.2% but there's a lot of wide open space in Wyoming, not a lot of high density areas, so it might not show as high an increase in Covid rates as say, Mississippi, which also has a low vaccination rate, but is more densely populated.

While Sweden and the US have comparable vaccination rates, the percentage of fully vaccinated in Sweden is higher than in the US. Fully vaccinated in the US is only at about 67%. Sweden's fully vaccinated is 74%.
You really have to look at all kinds of factors, and delve a bit, not just look at one or two graphs and assume it means something it doesn't.

And I really don't understand why you think that Covid rates are down everywhere else. Mexico's rate has doubled in the past couple of weeks or less and the infection rate in the UK is up.
https://ca.yahoo.com/news/covid-19-infections-increase-uk-12...

[Edited on 6-11-2022 by surabi]

JDCanuck - 6-10-2022 at 09:39 PM

No doubt there are a whole lot of factors, but if i remember correctly, the US and Israel as well were among the first to have vaccines, boosters and then 2nd boosters (4th shots) made available and one would have thought their recovery rates would be way ahead of some of those countries that now exhibit lower fatality rates. The US tho is not doing as well as the world as a whole at present, many of whom have dropped their mask and other mandates long ago. Mexico for the most part still maintains indoor mask mandates any place I have been.
The only answer i can offer is the other countries are offering treatments or medical services the US is not and this is whats leading to better outcomes. Germany and Sweden are positive standouts as are most of the Scandinavian countries. There is a wide variation even in the US, with Utah remaining as a standout on the positive side (they dropped mandates long ago), California, New York and New Jersey on the other end. Sweden drastically boosted their staffed Critical care beds per capita early on, Germany and the other Scandinavian countries were already well supplied with very positive results, while the US actually dropped their ratios significantly early in 2021, and Canada continues to decline after firing almost 10% of their remaining staff early in 2022. Mexico from what I have heard were never good at supplying medical treatment or even oxygen enhancement to infected persons once they became serious.

[Edited on 6-11-2022 by JDCanuck]

surabi - 6-10-2022 at 10:09 PM

That's a good point about other countries perhaps having better medical care that leads to lower rates of serious illness or death. But that wouldn't really have much of an effect on the basic spread of the virus- however, it made me think of another factor- the fundamental health of the population in general. I'll bet Swedes and other Europeans don't eat nearly the amount of junk food that the average American does. And the US, as well as Mexico, have a huge (pun not intended) obesity problem. Mexico has the highest CocaCola consumption in the world- they drink the stuff like it was water.

Also in countries with socialized medicine, like Canada and Sweden, people are more likely to seek medical care than in places where they might not have any health insurance, or couldn't afford a co-pay.

Shockingly, the US has the highest infant mortality rate in the first world.

A friend of mine who was on vacation in Berlin went into a small grocery store, not some natural foods store or specialty shop, to buy some food and asked the shopgirl which, if any, of their vegetables or fruit were organic. The shopgirl said it all was- that they don't use agri-chemicals to grow or treat food in Germany.

JZ - 6-10-2022 at 10:29 PM

Covid is over people.

Monkeypox, monkeypox, monkeypox.

(although if you avoid anal sex at European raves you'll probably be okay)

JDCanuck - 6-10-2022 at 10:37 PM

Those too are good points. There was a shocking link I came across on life expectancies globally aside from covid and the US was losing badly on the life expectancy charts in very recent years. If there is that much differential in overall health of seniors between countries without an epidemic to push the limits, it may go a long way to explain present differences in recoveries as well.
When I travel to Mexico for longer visits, my health improves rapidly, my weight drops significantly and I return to Canada feeling much better overall. This is because I find the traditional Mexican diet far healthier than the typical Canadian carb loaded diet, but I notice a whole lot of Mexicans lining up at the local McDonalds, etc. Coke consumption? Why would they drink Coke with all those great fresh fruit drinks available everywhere? Thats one of the biggest factors I think leads to my weight drops is all the great fresh fruit and drinks down there that I tend to drink that is unavailable up here.

mtgoat666 - 6-11-2022 at 07:27 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck

This is because I find the traditional Mexican diet...

That caught my eye: What do you consider the "traditional Mexican diet"? :smug:

I think trad mex diet was corn-based, so prob high carb, and not what Dudley do right thinks…

What is the trad loonie diet he is contrasting to trad mex diet?

Does anyone really eat traditional diets?

Paleolithic diet is original traditional diet. It should be consumed with paganism, the traditional religion.

John Harper - 6-11-2022 at 08:39 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

What is the trad loonie diet?

Moosehead beer, bear fat, and whale blubber?

John

[Edited on 6-11-2022 by John Harper]

surabi - 6-11-2022 at 09:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

That caught my eye: What do you consider the "traditional Mexican diet"? :smug:

I'd imagine what he is referring to is real food vs. processed food. While certainly these days Mexicans pound plenty of junk food, their actual meals are basically some type of meat, fish or seafood, corn tortillas, and veggies, although the range of veggies they use is fairly limited. In other words, meals aren't Kraft dinner or pizza pops.

One thing I like about driving through Mexico is that you can stop at almost any little hole in the wall cafe, and there are lots of them, and get a decent meal, whereas driving across Canada or the US, all you have are chain restaurants, unless you actually get off the highway and go into a town.

Purdyd - 6-11-2022 at 10:50 AM

Quote:

Today, CDC is announcing that the Order requiring persons to show a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the United States, will be rescinded, effective on June 12, 2022 at 12:01AM ET.

This means that starting at 12:01AM ET on June 12, 2022, air passengers will not need to get tested and show the COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 prior to boarding a flight to the U.S.

The COVID-19 pandemic has now shifted to a new phase, due to the widespread uptake of highly effective COVID-19 vaccines, the availability of effective therapeutics, and the accrual of high rates of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity at the population level in the United States. Each of these measures has contributed to lower risk of severe disease and death across the United States. As a result, this requirement which was needed at an earlier stage in the pandemic may be withdrawn. CDC continues to recommend that those travelers boarding a flight to the U.S. get tested for current infection with a viral test as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days) and not travel if they are sick.

CDC continues to evaluate the latest science and state of the pandemic and will reassess the need for a testing requirement if the situation changes. CDC will communicate any updates publicly if and/or when they change.

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0610-COVID-19-test....

JDCanuck - 6-11-2022 at 01:07 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck

This is because I find the traditional Mexican diet...

That caught my eye: What do you consider the "traditional Mexican diet"? :smug:

Well, for me...far more fruit, more fish and shrimp, juice rather than coffee and coke, enchiladas and burritos and refried beans rather than burgers and chips that we commonlt grab when hungry here.

pauldavidmena - 6-11-2022 at 01:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

That caught my eye: What do you consider the "traditional Mexican diet"? :smug:

Typically when we visit Todos Santos we try to rent a casita with a good kitchen; this way we can prepare most of our own meals from fresh, local ingredients and save dining out for special occasions.

AKgringo - 6-11-2022 at 02:50 PM

If maseca is another word for masa flour, it is made with "real corn" that is treated to turn it into hominy, which makes great tortillas! Try making them from regular corn meal and let me know how you like them.

Don Pisto - 6-11-2022 at 03:10 PM

cheap pizza and coca-cola

AKgringo - 6-11-2022 at 03:28 PM

I forgot that this thread was about covid19 test requirements. Sorry for being part of the hijack, but at least we didn't get all political! :rolleyes:

mtgoat666 - 6-12-2022 at 07:56 AM

Traditional food of indigenous Mexicans included human flesh. Tacos humano probably more healthy than bag of Takis.

P.s. here is an interesting article on air in airplanes: https://www.yahoo.com/news/took-co2-detector-flight-showed-1...

John Harper - 6-12-2022 at 08:46 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Traditional food of indigenous Mexicans included human flesh. Tacos humano probably more healthy than bag of Takis.

Reading Conquistadores by Fernando Cervantes at the moment. There was definitely lots of human flesh devoured by the locals. Quite a few of Cortes' men ended up on the menu.

John