Thanks for the info! I used to fly/travel on a weekly basis from Norway, but decided against since the last 6 months. Will see how it will evolve, though don't expect any improvements in the years to come... is indeed a nightmare.
I have a friend's wedding planned in France in July, though for now have the feeling I will likely miss it. Wait & See.
Thanks for the info! I used to fly/travel on a weekly basis from Norway, but decided against since the last 6 months. Will see how it will evolve, though don't expect any improvements in the years to come... is indeed a nightmare.
I have a friend's wedding planned in France in July, though for now have the feeling I will likely miss it. Wait & See.
If you would like to travel to France in July and be present at the wedding of your friend, I can wish you good preparations. Since a wedding often is a major gathering, there are also some restrictions regarding the number of people that are allowed to assemble in one location. One may hope this gets relaxed in the coming months.
In the past, travelling by plane to a destination was a matter of making up one's mind and spend half an hour on the computer. Now, staying up to date with the current policies and networking with others is becoming important. The travel guides published before 2021 are in several ways obsolete. One thing I did to find out the latest about France was to look up the news from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the national embassy claimed it had updated information, but I had a feeling it was not the case, although updated on April 1st. I looked up a major French newspaper Lemonde.fr on April 3rd and my suspicion was confirmed. Then I got a message and a link from friends to the latest official update published about the same, but I was not aware of it. When I saw that, I realised I needed a printer. I did not have one, nor did the neighbours. I ended up making a Sunday night family visit 12 hours before the plane and more than 50 km away (three hours all in all with public transportation). In the end, I did not need the printouts, as one was presented by the airline and another by my hosts when they picked me up, but having them made me feel prepared. I have absolutely no regrets about being slightly overprepared. Making thorough preparations with an open mind helps to prepare one for the unexpected. It can calm one's nerves, if a tense or unexpected situation arises and allow one to respond most rationally which frequently is quite sufficient to get one through.
Below is an example of what it was like travelling within the EU from Copenhagen to France by plane in early April 2021. At this time France was in the process of tightening one of their lockdowns which was enforced within a few days. Although the rules are always changing, I have included details, since they may indicate what one may have to look out for in a situation similar to the present.
Getting the PCR test done
To enter France I needed a PCR test that was less than 72 hours old. I found out when there was a time available and how long it would take to get the test result since it would make no sense to book a ticket if the PCR test could not be done and results returned before departure. Then I studied ticket prices and found a ticket that was reasonable in terms of price and which could be rebooked for free. I decided to buy the ticket directly from the carrier rather than through an agent as I wanted the best service in case I needed to rebook. It may depend from company to company and from agent to agent. Sometimes an agent only sells you the ticket and the rest of the interaction in case of problems is with the company or carrier. In other cases, the carrier will refer rebooking etc back to the agent through which one has bought the ticket. I decided to buy a ticket with Lufthansa. They offer to rebook even at short notice. The time of arrival and departure would not necessitate travelling very late or very early when the rules for travel might be even more restricted. The day after buying the ticket and taking the less than 72 hour PCR test, I received a series of emails one of which informed me that a passenger that transit through German airports needs a PCR test that is less than 48 hours old at the time of departure. This discovery required booking and taking one more PCR test. The lesson here is that one will need to consider the regulations not only of the country one wishes to visit but also of the transit countries. Note also that regulations do not only include PCR tests or antigen tests, but also the use of masks. In Frankfurt, surgical masks were accepted for visiting shops, but in Munich, I needed a FFP2 mask or equivalent. As I did not have one with me, I was not allowed to enter the duty-free area. Along the way, I also learned that different airlines have different rules. For Austrian one needs FFP2, N95 or similar, for Lufthansa surgical mask will also do while Swiss also accepts what they called community masks while masks with valves were not accepted by any of them.
One form to fill out before arriving
Before boarding the plane in Munich, the evidence of the negative PCR tests were checked twice. This was in addition to the verification already done during check-in at the airport of departure. Also, we had to have or prepare for a sworn and signed statement. They gave me one in French to fill out corresponding to be me being an EU citizen. On this page, one can read that there are three classifications:
1. TRAVEL TO/FROM A EUROPEAN AREA COUNTRY
2. TRAVEL TO/FROM AUSTRALIA, SOUTH KOREA, ISRAEL, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, UNITED KINGDOM, SINGAPORE
3. TRAVEL TO/FROM AN OTHER COUNTRY OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN AREA
For each, they explain the rules of mobility with respect to "Metropolitan France" which encompasses the whole of European France. For category one and two they write: "Entry into metropolitan France is permitted for all categories of travellers from these countries. The compelling reasons system does not apply within the European Area." For category three they write: "Only travellers who have a compelling reason are permitted to enter Metropolitan France." No matter which category there is a form to fill out and for our flight we were asked twice before departure if we had one. The forms depend on the category as you will see from the two examples below the spoilers. For category one:
SWORN STATEMENT TO ABIDE BY THE RULES FOR ENTRY INTO METROPOLITAN NATIONAL TERRITORY
(traveller aged above 11 years)
This statement shall be presented to the transport companies before boarding and to the border control authorities, together with the certificate of a negative virology screening (PCR) test conducted less than 72 hours earlier.
I, the undersigned,
Mr/Mrs: ...
Born on:
At:
Residing at:
Hereby declares on my honour that I have not had any of the following symptoms during the last 48 hours:
Fever or chills;
Cough or aggravation of my usual cough;
Unusual fatigue;
Unusual shortness of breath when I speak or make the slightest effort;
muscle pain and/or unusual aches and pains;
Unexpected headaches;
Loss of taste or smell;
Unusual diarrhoea.
Hereby declare on my honour that I have no knowledge of having been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19;
Hereby pledge on my honour to: Undergo an antigenic test or any screening upon arrival;
Done in:
On: at h
Signature:
, For category three:
TRAVEL CERTIFICATE TO METROPOLITAN FRANCE FROM A COUNTRY
CLASSIFIED AS A COVID 19 INFECTION CIRCULATION ZONE
(*ALL COUNTRIES EXCLUDING EU MEMBER STATES, ANDORRA, ICELAND, LIECHTENSTEIN, MONACO, NORWAY, SAN MARINO, SWITZERLAND, VATICAN CITY, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH KOREA, ISRAEL, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, THE UNITED KINGDOM, SINGAPORE)
Passengers wishing to travel to Metropolitan France must present this certificate to the transport companies before boarding and to the border control authorities. Failure to do so, shall result in the passenger being denied boarding or access to the territory. Additionally, the following must be presented:
A sworn statement certifying the absence of COVID-19 symptoms and absence of any contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19;
A sworn statement to take an antigenic test or possibly undergo screening upon arrival;
A sworn statement to self-isolate for seven days, if necessary, in one of the facilities designated by the French authorities, along with a sworn statement to undergo a virological screening (PCR) test at the end of the isolation period.
For persons aged 11 years or more, a virological screening test (PCR) carried out less than 72 hours before boarding, showing no COVID-19 infection;
To be completed by the passenger:
I, the undersigned,
Mr/Mrs: ...
Born on:
Nationality:
Residing at:
Hereby certify that my reason for travel is for one of the following compelling reasons (tick the appropriate box):
[ ] 1. French citizen, and their spouse (married, civil union or cohabiting partner) and their children;
[ ] 2. Citizen of the European Union or equivalent, and their spouse (married, civil union or cohabiting partner) and their children, whose main residence is in France or who is returning, in transit through France, to their main residence in a European Union country or equivalent or to a country whose nationality they hold;
[ ] 3. Citizen of a third country who is a holder of a valid French or European residence permit or long-stay visa, who has their main residence in France or who is returning, in transit through France, to their main residence in a European Union country or equivalent (valid only if the travel abroad took place prior to 31 January 2021 or was justified by a compelling reason);
[ ] 4. British citizen and members of their family who are beneficiaries of the Agreement on withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community; (valid only if the travel abroad took place prior to 31 January 2021 or was justified by a compelling reason);
[ ] 5. Citizen of a third country holding a long-stay visa issued for the purpose of family reunion or reunification of refugee families, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and stateless persons;
[ ] 6. Health or research professional contributing to the fight against COVID-19 or recruited as an associate trainee;
[ ] 7. A third-country citizen with a “Talent Passport” LSV
[ ] 8. Student moving to France for the second semester of the academic year as part of a higher education institution programme; Researcher moving to France at the invitation of a research laboratory, for research activities imperatively requiring their physical presence
[ ] 9. Land, sea and air transport sector workers or transport service providers, including drivers of vehicles carrying goods intended for use in the territory, as well as those who are only in transit, or travelling as passengers returning to their home base or for training purposes;
[ ] 10. Foreign citizen working for a diplomatic or consular mission, or an international organisation with its headquarters or an office in France, as well as their spouse and their children or a foreign citizen of a third country staying in France for a compelling professional reason under a mission order issued by their country of origin;
[ ] 11. Traveller in transit in the international zone for less than 24 hours.
Done in ................................., on......../......../2021(signature)
Two more forms to fill out
When we were on the plane to France, we were handed a form to fill out, just one page, French on one side, English on another. One needs to know the name and address of the first hotel one stays in, or the address of the place one is going to visit. These forms are collected by a crew member and on our plane, she descended as the first papers in hand to go and deliver them. Later we were allowed to leave the plane.
When we arrived at the passport control, we had to present the signed statement along with our passport. I had a stamp on a slip of paper saying that my PCR test was okay, but I had also opened the test result on my phone and showed it. The official looked with interest and was satisfied. There were others that were met with a lot of questions, In front of me was a person from Taiwan, who had come to see his wife, He came out 15 minutes later, after most people had already left.
Once out, one may still need a paper to move around in the present lockdown situation. It can be found on this page:
Here is an English translation of the introduction:
I have attached a pdf of this form, so that you can see what such a document may look like. In case you incidentally need to go to France, please use the latest version of such a file from an official site. This is only for the sake of the example. For the purpose of going from the airport to the final destination, both the driver and I had filled out forms ready to be shown in case we were stopped. Had I gone by train, I would have needed such a form too. Since this form is not handed out at the airport, one will need to have some ready before arriving.
People begin to explore their options in spite of more restrictions
As I travelled from Copenhagen through Frankfurt and Munich I noticed more activity and more planes leaving and coming than on earlier occasions since March 2019. My impression is that more people are exploring, working with and around the obstacles and hindrances put in place. There are not many older people travelling, like retired people exploring the world. One needs to be ready to lose, ready to accept an extra bill for a PCR or antigen test, ready to cancel or rebook at the last minute. For instance, one passenger was denied flight because she had an antigen and not a PCR test. She was told she could not leave on that day and was asked to go to the airline service centre, rebook her flight (this was 45 minutes before the departure) and take the test. After a couple of minutes, she accepted this outcome.
If you would like to travel to France in July and be present at the wedding of your friend, I can wish you good preparations. Since a wedding often is a major gathering, there are also some restrictions regarding the number of people that are allowed to assemble in one location. One may hope this gets relaxed in the coming months.
In the past, travelling by plane to a destination was a matter of making up one's mind and spend half an hour on the computer. Now, staying up to date with the current policies and networking with others is becoming important. The travel guides published before 2021 are in several ways obsolete. One thing I did to find out the latest about France was to look up the news from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the national embassy claimed it had updated information, but I had a feeling it was not the case, although updated on April 1st. I looked up a major French newspaper Lemonde.fr on April 3rd and my suspicion was confirmed. Then I got a message and a link from friends to the latest official update published about the same, but I was not aware of it. When I saw that, I realised I needed a printer. I did not have one, nor did the neighbours. I ended up making a Sunday night family visit 12 hours before the plane and more than 50 km away (three hours all in all with public transportation). In the end, I did not need the printouts, as one was presented by the airline and another by my hosts when they picked me up, but having them made me feel prepared. I have absolutely no regrets about being slightly overprepared. Making thorough preparations with an open mind helps to prepare one for the unexpected. It can calm one's nerves, if a tense or unexpected situation arises and allow one to respond most rationally which frequently is quite sufficient to get one through.
indeed ... I have family in France and indeed the rules are changing over time, thus will double check beforehand to evaluate if it is feasible or not. I also have to factor in the fact that potentially by that time vaccination or proof of vaccination will likely be required ... In all cases, I already have updated my friend that the likelihood of me being present is pretty low given the current context.
The EU Digital COVID Certificate will facilitate safe free movement of citizens in the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The certificate will be introduced in EU Member States. Countries can start issuing and using it already and it will become available in all EU Member States as of 1 July 2021.
The French Government is as seen also ready, they issued a message in April and have an application for this new measure. In Denmark which already introduced the measure, one needs a clean PCR test to visit say a hairdresser. The hairdresser can download an app that can check the QR code, which automatically is issued after each PCR test.
Recently I was suggested Sherpa – Move Freely for checking restrictions to travel:
On this page one can enter the to and from and read what is required. If one transits other countries than those one travels to and from, one may need to consider those countries also, keeping in mind that the airlines and airports may have their own rules too.
Another source for updated information would often be embassy pages for the different countries under the ministry of foreign affairs. Say one is a citizen of the United States, then the US embassy and consulates in France have a page with information related to travel to France.
Rules change though, and one needs to stay informed about the latest developments. The national ministries of health often host original documents, with links for forms to be filled out etc.
Recently I traveled from Southern France to Barcelona in Spain by bus. and from there by plane to Copenhagen. Below are a few observations. Since regulations are subject to change with little warning, it is good to check the latest restrictions to travel, as mentioned in the previous post. First the main point of the post and a note about the sightseeing.
The main point
If you travel between countries and transits with overnight stays, you may need to factor in time and money for testing. If you travel by plane and the airport does not have a testing facility (the case for Barcelona), you may need a local lab. The prices vary and speed may be of the essence; as a PCR test that has to be less than 48 hours old for a flight is less than optimal if it takes up to 48 hours to get the test results!
Sightseeing
While driving with the bus, I enjoyed seeing the landscape nearer the Pyrenees in both France and Spain which is a result of many geological processes. Once in Barcelona I saw the impressive Cascada Monumental in Ciutadella Park (Wiki) or see this page which has a video. Barcelona is an impressive city, the etymology of the name is given as: "
city in Spain, said to have been named for Carthaginian general Hamlicar Barca, who is supposed to have founded it 3c. B.C.E.
The story began, because my return flight was canceled, and since I dealt with Lufthansa directly, they gave a refund. I looked up the possibility of going from Spain. The single flight with Vueling was 110 Euro with the opportunity to rebook for free once and include 20 kg luggage.
Finding a bus from France
I used Compare cheap bus tickets in Europe from 1€ | ComparaBUS.com to find a ticket and chose a day journey. rather than a night service. The ticket from Flixbus was less than 21 Euros including an extra seat and luggage insurance.
While one needs to fill out forms if traveling by sea or by air and get a QR code from a Spanish government site, there were no such formalities for land travel, not yet at least. Only the PCR test and the identity documents. The need for testing before going to Spain by land was in early June a PCR test taken less than 72 hours before entering. We could not board the bus without having our PCR test papers reviewed by the bus driver. He read through mine for a few seconds to determine if I could enter. As we later crossed the border there was no checking of either passports or other documents. I heard though that they do spot checks in Catalonia from time to time.
A need for a second test in Spain
Once in Spain, I needed a negative test that was less than 48 hours old for boarding the plane to Northern Europe. In this situation, I could not use the same PCR test from France, since the French testing office only had open from 11-12 and it also takes time for them to process the test or send the results back. Therefore, I looked up the possibilities to take an antigen test in Spain, which was all I needed. Vueling offered options as did the Barcelona tourist guide and a Google search turned out a few cheaper ones like Tumedico or Unilabs.
If one can pay on the net, for some labs one can also decide the time of testing. I did not do that, but lined up at Unilabs on Avenida Meridiana 361, near and opposite the metro station Fabra i Puig. The lab opened at 7:30 but I came at 7:50 when already 40 people had gathered for various kinds of tests. 75 minutes later I was inside the door, registered, and paid 33 Euros. After another 30 minutes, I had the envelope with the results explained in Spanish and English. While waiting, I learned the queue was longer in the morning because when I had the results around 10, there were few people left. Perhaps many try to do testing before going to work or seeing their doctor. If one needs to get a test, it may be an issue to find someone who speaks English, I guess it is true for France no less than for Spain. In this case, I managed with Portuguese, otherwise, one can just call around and find out if they pick up the phone and can respond to English speakers.
Testing and waiting again
At the airport in Barcelona, the check-in counter took their time to study the test result document and were satisfied. There was no additional check at the gate, not this time. Arriving at the airport in Copenhagen, there was one fast lane for those who were fully vaccinated, or who had had Covid within the last 180 days and another for the rest of us who were in line for much more than an hour before we could undergo the nasal probe. The explanation for the long waiting time was that the system went down. After the probe, we waited about 30 minutes for the results, which we had to show to the border control officers along with our passports.
It was mentioned on a sign at the airport that people coming from many EU countries at risk, in principle have to self-isolate for 10 days, the enforcement of the regulation is also "in principle". I noticed in the busses and local trains that a few people were not wearing masks and they are not harassed as much as they used to be.
At the end of the day, I had been in line for testing and waiting for results for three and a half-hour, plus going to the testing place in BCN plus searching the internet for testing places. It is called the new normal.
The new normal offers new obstacles and opportunities. In a queue, one may besides reading one's current Kindle book if it is safe, get to know people, with whom one can discuss the movement of the line, hold places in case of a need to leave shortly or sit down etc. In Barcelona I watched people come and go and how they went about waiting. In the airport of arrival, I learned from the next in line that according to the relative they had visited, tourists have only begun to come back to Barcelona over the last two weeks but much is still closed. I asked how they had found a place to be tested. They had looked around, but it had not been so easy, since they did not speak Spanish, but the people they stayed with had found a solution. My co-passengers were surprised at having to wait in a line at the airport to be tested and were wondering what would happen, as they had not been able to find information about the details of the process on the internet or had heard about them in the news. They expected to be picked up as usual 20 minutes after landing. The queue was so slow, that we had to take inspiration from the surroundings and "Expect a Miracle" as was written on one spooky-funny? decorated wall with a reflective mirror.
But it took two hours, the slowest ever. So much for the miracle. By the way, Copenhagen airport is still recovering from being a ghost airport; the image is rather fitting.
Just 2 days before leaving for our vacation in Croatia, Croatian government changed the rules, so upon entering the country, one must have either negative test or vaccination confirmation or confirmation that you had covid.
I don´t have either.
Now, I don´t care about test results because we know how those tests work.
But it would brake my kids´ hearth if I now go to testing and turn out positive and we won´t be able to travel to Croatia.
There is a possibility if we don´t have any confirmation listed, then we must stay in 10 days quarantine, but that means we cannot leave the grandparents house and go to the seaside, and probably all people in the household must also stay in quarantine.
I mean, I don´t feel comfortable to come to my parents only to potentially put everyone in quarantine.
Plus, I´m from a small town where police don´t have anything else to do except to play petty tyrants, so I wouldn´t be surprised if there would be a check-up if we are in quarantine.
I don´t know what to do now....
Just 2 days before leaving for our vacation in Croatia, Croatian government changed the rules, so upon entering the country, one must have either negative test or vaccination confirmation or confirmation that you had covid.
I don´t have either.
Now, I don´t care about test results because we know how those tests work.
But it would brake my kids´ hearth if I now go to testing and turn out positive and we won´t be able to travel to Croatia.
There is a possibility if we don´t have any confirmation listed, then we must stay in 10 days quarantine, but that means we cannot leave the grandparents house and go to the seaside, and probably all people in the household must also stay in quarantine.
I mean, I don´t feel comfortable to come to my parents only to potentially put everyone in quarantine.
Plus, I´m from a small town where police don´t have anything else to do except to play petty tyrants, so I wouldn´t be surprised if there would be a check-up if we are in quarantine.
I don´t know what to do now....
Now, I don´t care about test results because we know how those tests work.
But it would brake my kids´ hearth if I now go to testing and turn out positive and we won´t be able to travel to Croatia.
There is a possibility if we don´t have any confirmation listed, then we must stay in 10 days quarantine, but that means we cannot leave the grandparents house and go to the seaside, and probably all people in the household must also stay in quarantine.
Do I understand you right that if you have a negative test, then there are no problems? If so, I would do the test, chances are very slim that it turns out positive. You can also take supplements the days before the test to further reduce the likelihood...
Or would you still have problems in Croatia even with a negative test? I think that's highly unlikely. From what I've read, Croatia seems to be very laid-back with Covid (official rules are one thing, how/if they are enforced another...)
You can give more details if I misunderstood you here.
Do I understand you right that if you have a negative test, then there are no problems? If so, I would do the test, chances are very slim that it turns out positive. You can also take supplements the days before the test to further reduce the likelihood...
Or would you still have problems in Croatia even with a negative test? I think that's highly unlikely. From what I've read, Croatia seems to be very laid-back with Covid (official rules are one thing, how/if they are enforced another...)
You can give more details if I misunderstood you here.
There are no problems if one has negative test, you´ve understood correctly.
I was angry because I think that those tests are total gamble and can point either way....
Until 30.6. the rule was that all EU citizens from countries that are green according to ECDC are free to enter Croatia as before corona - so no controls.
I was very happy to see Germany green and planned our trip - and yesterday I booked our vacation at the seaside.
As of today, one must have either negative test or vaccination confirmation or confirmation that you had covid.
In all of those cases you are OK.
If you have neither, then you must either pay for a test as soon as possible (an there are no free tests as in Germany, they cost from 27€ up to 70€, depend what is available + there are no test centers in my town) - or you must be in 10 days quarantine.
Well, some people are relaxed about the rules, just today premier scolded officers on BiH border that are to relaxed and that rules are the rules and that they apply the rules.
It depends who you encounter at the border, you know, people are people, everywhere you go; some are relaxed and some are not, so it would be a gamble to come to the border without any paper - border control has every right to give us problems if they want to, right....
But there are also many true believers in Croatia.
As I´ve already said, my small town is really small and full of petty tyrants.
I.e. once one concerned citizen photographed and reported my car to the police because I was parked 10cm on the cycling track which is part of the side walk in front of my house! I went to police and police officer was visibly embarrassed when he showed me the picture and said that "yeah, you are actually parked on cycling track, but I understand...." and helped me file a complaint so I don´t have to pay the fine, saying how people have nothing better to do then to report stuff....
Other officers, due to lack of real police work, are cruising around the town, and I wouldn´t be surprised if they go around and check people who should be in quarantine. So - again, people are people....
Anyway; after my initial anger due to change in rules from 1.7. - so from today - and after putting some meat in my belly and talk to my crystal, my brain started to work and I remembered that I have ivermectin! And then I saw your post
Gaby suggested preventive 12mg of ivermectin; I have 7,5mg tablets, so I took one tablet and plan to take a half tomorrow...
+ VitC, Zink,....
I have a scheduled termin for quick test for Saturday morning, I scheduled it 4 weeks ago - just in case IF something happens and IF I´ll need one.
And it did happen and I do need one!
So I´ll probably wash my nose in salt and iodine before the test + ivermectin and supplements, and hopefully my kids will get to see grandparents....
I don´t know what else to do...
I don´t want to disappoint my kids, they talk about grandparents for 2 months now - every day.
If it would be just me, I´d stay at home and wouldn´t bother to travel...
Gaby suggested preventive 12mg of ivermectin; I have 7,5mg tablets, so I took one tablet and plan to take a half tomorrow...
+ VitC, Zink,....
I have a scheduled termin for quick test for Saturday morning, I scheduled it 4 weeks ago - just in case IF something happens and IF I´ll need one.
And it did happen and I do need one!
So I´ll probably wash my nose in salt and iodine before the test + ivermectin and supplements, and hopefully my kids will get to see grandparents....
I don´t know what else to do...
I don´t want to disappoint my kids, they talk about grandparents for 2 months now - every day.
If it would be just me, I´d stay at home and wouldn´t bother to travel...
Sounds like a good plan! If you are doing a "quick test", I remember reading that sometimes they can be false-positive after eating an orange or drinking fruit juice (there was some talk about it and apparently it is true), maybe because the acid triggers the color reaction in the test strip (see this article). So perhaps not take Vit C right before the test? Good luck and wish you a good time in Croatia, fingers crossed!
Just 2 days before leaving for our vacation in Croatia, Croatian government changed the rules, so upon entering the country, one must have either negative test or vaccination confirmation or confirmation that you had covid.
I don´t have either.
Now, I don´t care about test results because we know how those tests work.
But it would brake my kids´ hearth if I now go to testing and turn out positive and we won´t be able to travel to Croatia.
There is a possibility if we don´t have any confirmation listed, then we must stay in 10 days quarantine, but that means we cannot leave the grandparents house and go to the seaside, and probably all people in the household must also stay in quarantine.
I mean, I don´t feel comfortable to come to my parents only to potentially put everyone in quarantine.
Plus, I´m from a small town where police don´t have anything else to do except to play petty tyrants, so I wouldn´t be surprised if there would be a check-up if we are in quarantine.
I don´t know what to do now....
I had to do the test for a vacation I went to early in May. I had never done the test before. My experience is that you will survive and it'll most likely be negative. However, the test was very painful. They put it deep in your nose so be prepared. Also note they put it in BOTH nostrils. Since the test I've had cold like symptoms so I'd advise doing some kind of protocol just in case so you don't develop symptoms of allergies or a cold.
I found here „doctors orders“ how to remove viruses and remains of viruses from your nose.
To summarise: doctors had patients that had multiple positive tests and therefore were almost constantly in quarantine.
It turned out that they have some remains of some dead viruses that got stuck in the nose.
Sprays based on see water and salted water 2-3 times per day, in combination with inhailing steam removed all of that from their nose and people had negative results afterwards.
Dr. Ćenan: Preporučujem to pacijentima već 21 godinu, kod viroza, ali i preventivno
www.vecernji.hr
When the method of rinsing the nasal mucosa with saline solution as effective in the fight against coronavirus was stated by prof. Alemka Markotić, director of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Dr. Fran Mihaljević, sounded revolutionary. But this is not the first time that doctors and scientists have indicated that it is useful in the fight against the virus to moisten the mucous membranes and rinse the nasal cavity with saline.
Department for Infection has started a pilot study to examine how much regular nasal toilet water-based solutions can reduce the maintenance of the virus in the nose of people with COVID-19, and if it proves to be beneficial, the study will continue with people who are positive for SARS-CoV-2, and they do not have symptoms of the disease, in order to prevent the possible descent of the virus into the lower parts of the respiratory system, ie towards the lungs, as Markotić explained. Namely, since the beginning of the epidemic, some patients and asymptomatic carriers of the virus have been observed to carry the virus in the nasal mucosa for a long time, even more than two months, which has left many in self-isolation for a long time.
During the spring and early summer, a section of people with long-term positive swabs turned to me for help. Given that there is no specific cure at the moment, I thought about how best to help them. The assumption was that they were probably defective virus particles or viruses that had lost their power of infection, but there was not enough information in the relevant scientific and professional literature and they had to be isolated until negative smear results were obtained. I thought that maybe a good nasal toilet, that is, rinsing and moistening the nose with sea salt-based preparations, could help remove the dead epithelium in the nose, and thus the viral particles from that epithelium. I advised to refresh and clean the nose 3-4 times a day by injecting seawater-based preparations for 2-3 days and then make a control swab. Fortunately, in most of them, after that procedure, the smear test was negative and they could finally finish the isolation and return to a normal life - said Alemka Markotić for 24Hours Magazine.
In order for the method to be considered scientifically and professionally relevant and applicable, a study should be conducted. The humidity of the mucous membrane as a very important factor in the fight against the new coronavirus has already been warned by prof. Gordan Lauc of Genos.
- The problem in the heating season is that the relative humidity in heated spaces is very low, which inactivates our mucous barrier and allows viruses to spread more easily. The mucus secreted by our mucous membranes contains special glycoproteins mucins, whose main task is to catch viruses and bacteria like longlines, which are then removed from the respiratory system by mucociliary transport. This is the first barrier against pathogens, but unfortunately it does not work if we dehydrate it with dry air - Lauc described to us in the spring.
For months, he suggested that it be included in official instructions that there should be at least 40 percent humidity in public spaces, and advised people to ensure humidity at home in any way. We asked him to comment on nasal rinsing tips.
- It's more or less the same thing. The only important difference is at night when we sleep and we can't actively moisten the nose, so the only thing that is the humidity is in the game - Lauc answered. Retired Dubrovnik otorhinolaryngologist Dr. Jure Burić wrote to Minister Vili Beroš seven months ago about the importance of moistening the mucous membranes by classical inhalation at least three times a day over hot water vapor to which a handful of sea salt has been added.
“High temperature (more than 50 degrees Celsius) and humidity above 50 percent of the corona cannot survive. Since the door of entry is an infection of the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and eyes, I recommend three times a day, lasting 15 to 20 minutes, inhalations over hot water vapor ", wrote Dr. Burić. And pediatricians and family doctors have always advised rinsing the nasal mucosa with saline or seawater-based preparations.
- I have been recommending this to children and adults for 21 years, with chronic rhinitis, sinitis, and with viruses and preventively. In winter when it is heating season, and in summer when it is allergen season. Pathological microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses that cause diseases do not like this rinsing, while microorganisms that live physiologically with us in symbiosis, this moisture of the mucous membrane suits - explains Dr. Ljiljana Ćenan, family doctor from Ivankovo.
I had to do the test for a vacation I went to early in May. I had never done the test before. My experience is that you will survive and it'll most likely be negative. However, the test was very painful. They put it deep in your nose so be prepared. Also note they put it in BOTH nostrils. Since the test I've had cold like symptoms so I'd advise doing some kind of protocol just in case so you don't develop symptoms of allergies or a cold.
When this testing business began, i heard someone mention that you tell the person who administers the test that you have polyps in your nose, and you are trying to get them removed soon, but for now they can stick the swab only 1 cm up your nose, doctor's orders. I told this to everyone i know who needed to take a test, and it worked every time. For some they got the throat swab instead (more comfortable in their opinion) or indeed 1 cm up the nose. I know it's technically lying, but to me it seems rather being 'wise as a serpent'. Haven't been subjected to a test myself yet, but will use this tactic for sure! Good luck with the testing @Mari, hope you all get to go to Croatia for a nice holiday after all this hassle!
And thanks luc for the vit c info, wasn't aware of that!
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