What if PCR testing became the new normal in travel?

Before 2000 it was unthinkable; today we take it for granted

Do you remember airport security checks before 11/sep/2000? Having to take off our shoes to pass through security was almost unimaginable.

Years later, we take it for granted that we have to remove our belts or pass through modern scanners that can see right down to our skeletons. What was unimaginable in 2000, Today is just one more formality.

Similarly, more and more countries are requiring a PCR test as a condition of entry for visitors. A negative result may become a standard travel requirement until a vaccine becomes available.

Entry formalities: What is required?

Depending on a country’s entry requirements, we generally encounter the following situations:

• Countries open to unrestricted entry: There are no access restrictions, but this situation can change from day to day. Recommendation: Be prepared for an unexpected PCR test before or on arrival.
• Countries requesting a negative PCR test: Increasingly common. In our view, a useful step towards safer travel, and apparently the direction travel is taking.
• Limited entry according to virus incidence: Authorities set a maximum infection rate. Travellers from countries below that threshold may enter. The measure is logical, although a resurgence could work against us.
• Countries that do not admit visitors: We will have to wait for the situation to change

Several websites explain entry procedures for each country. The Covid-Control We think it is quite reliable (to be confirmed with the relevant authorities).

Covering risks: Travel insurance

Insurance is not a magic potion that frees us from all evil; if we test positive, we cannot travel. If we become ill during the trip, we must follow measures imposed by the authorities.

Good insurance limits the financial risks travellers face in these situations.

Insurance – See frequently asked questions

But... can you travel?
Of course. There may be fewer options than before, but wonderful destinations remain. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are photos travellers have sent us in August 2020.