US Travel Bans/Restrictions South Africa

[Tanks]

Do the Dubai and Harare airports offer PCR tests that quickly? If so, that sounds good.

Harare for sure. Dubai is overnight I was told.

Don't forget this is February. My trip starts on July 28th, so I am sure things will get even faster between now and then. In regards to testing on the way there I think I will give myself a bit of a leeway by having two separate outfits do the testing. If one hits a snag in a timely delivery of results I will have the other test as backup.

Heck, by then a vaccination record might be sufficient instead of a test. One can only hope.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Mark, you better make sure that they are in on the scam. Because it is a scam you're paying for. If they were by the book they'd need to mark the time of the sample being given and then they'd need to turn around the test in that amount of time. If they use the time of sample arrival versus sample analysis as the starting point, or if they used the time of the date/hour stamp when FedEx picks it up, you could have a problem.


For $400 Covid Consultants is marking the time stamp of when they receive it (that day and time in the AM) as the time of test. Basically, they are saying you were in the parking lot, spit in the cup, handed it to fedex, they walked it ten feet to the door, and then they tested it. That's how they beat the system so you can fly. Test results show up at 6pm-8pm that day of testing and you fly out the next day, less than 48 hours from testing.

Any Lab Now told me if I fly out Friday at 6pm like scheduled. To come in Wednesday morning at 9:00. Have results by 5:00 pm Thursday for Friday departure. They guarantee it.

I know Covid Consultants time stamp there’s the date of arrival to them.

I just need to figure out which way I want to go.

Also it is 106 days till I depart and who knows what the requirements will be by then.

 

[Kelly G]

I'm going to use,
"Pixel Covid19 RT-PCR at Home Test Kit" - $119.00
Leaving April 2021 for East Cape.

 

[Scott CWO]

Any Lab Now told me if I fly out Friday at 6pm like scheduled. To come in Wednesday morning at 9:00. Have results by 5:00 pm Thursday for Friday departure. They guarantee it.

I know Covid Consultants time stamp there’s the date of arrival to them.

I just need to figure out which way I want to go.

Also it is 106 days till I depart and who knows what the requirements will be by then.

Do they have a Colorado lab? What is their contact info?

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I hope I got link correct

Test Finder | Any Lab Test Now

ANY LAB TEST NOW Offers Full-Service, Affordable Lab Testing You Can Count On. Click Here and Find the Lab Test You’re Searching For.

www.anylabtestnow.com

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I'm going to use,
"Pixel Covid19 RT-PCR at Home Test Kit" - $119.00
Leaving April 2021 for East Cape.

Let us know how it goes please!

 

[rookhawk]

Harare for sure. Dubai is overnight I was told.

Don't forget this is February. My trip starts on July 28th, so I am sure things will get even faster between now and then. In regards to testing on the way there I think I will give myself a bit of a leeway by having two separate outfits do the testing. If one hits a snag in a timely delivery of results I will have the other test as backup.

Heck, by then a vaccination record might be sufficient instead of a test. One can only hope.

Tanks, not sure about Harare, although I haven’t been there since October.

They needed about 24 hours to process the tests. So what I did is pulled up to the testing center in Bulawayo on a Friday, and by testing center I mean a parking lot with pop-up tents in it, and paid a dr $60 cash for a PCR test. They had the results at the airport in Harare the next day where a runner was arranged to bring me the papers. It was a pretty good setup considering I was a guinea pig on one of the first flights in and out when their economy reopened. The name of the recognized testing company in Zim is Lancet. They have several locations but only a few have the overnight testing. Your PH will make sure to get you where you need to go and will get you out of the country on your way home with no problem.

It’s important to note, you have every right and reason to sweat every detail getting out of the USA and moving towards you safari. But for due credit to the amazing PHs in Zim, they really do have their act together on these topics. They know where to go and what to do. If/when something has a hiccup in the process, they know EVERYBODY. Zimbabwe is like Mayberry, everyone knows one another, even though they have like 12 Million people. They come up with solutions.

 

[Scott CWO]

I'm going to use,
"Pixel Covid19 RT-PCR at Home Test Kit" - $119.00
Leaving April 2021 for East Cape.

Pixel info says results in 1-2 days after receipt of your sample. Covid Consultants is 24 hours after receipt.

 

[flatwater bill]

Rookhawk and ScottCWO............thank you both for a lot of good info. Forgive me for being obtuse, but I still don't understand two things: 1...say you get a neg PCR test 24 hours before your flight. With layovers and connections, the test is 4-5 days old when you arrive in Africa. Is the 72 hours from first day of travel, or arrival? and 2. do they shoot you at sunrise under the latter circumstances? Or a 14 day quarantine? (just about as bad for me) Thanx again for any insight you share....................FWB

 

[Scott CWO]

Rookhawk and ScottCWO............thank you both for a lot of good info. Forgive me for being obtuse, but I still don't understand two things: 1...say you get a neg PCR test 24 hours before your flight. With layovers and connections, the test is 4-5 days old when you arrive in Africa. Is the 72 hours from first day of travel, or arrival? and 2. do they shoot you at sunrise under the latter circumstances? Or a 14 day quarantine? (just about as bad for me) Thanx again for any insight you share....................FWB

FWB,
The regulations say within 72 hours of your first flight departure for most countries and 48 hours for Zim.

 

[Tanks]

Tanks, not sure about Harare, although I haven’t been there since October.

...

In regards to Harare testing turn around, that information is from my PH. Buzz Charlton.

 

[gillettehunter]

The biggest bug-a-boo I'm worried about is a false positive. It appears that is now down to perhaps 5% but still wouldn't be good......
Bruce

 

[Uncle Sauce]

Do they have a Colorado lab? What is their contact info?

Scott - Just a thought: I see the Covid Consultants are based in Evergreen. Not sure where your located in CO but wonder if they have the option of stopping by their office and having it administered there in person?

 

[Scott CWO]

Scott - Just a thought: I see the Covid Consultants are based in Evergreen. Not sure where your located in CO but wonder if they have the option of stopping by their office and having it administered there in person?

If they do, it is still overnighted to their contracted lab in Lubbock, TX.

 

[spike.t]

Emirates’ ban extended again

Emirates has sent out a communication saying its flights to South Africa will remain suspended until at least March 10, in line with a United Arab Emirates government directive that bars entry to

www.travelnews.co.za

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Emirates’ ban extended again

Emirates has sent out a communication saying its flights to South Africa will remain suspended until at least March 10, in line with a United Arab Emirates government directive that bars entry to

www.travelnews.co.za

Thanks for keeping us updated. At least Qatar is still flying looks like.

 

[spike.t]

Options for sa to Namibia

Airlink jumps in with new West Coast route while Air Namibia heads for liquidation | Business

South Africa's privately owned regional airline Airlink will launch a new direct service between Cape Town and Walvis Bay.

www.news24.com

 

[spike.t]

More airlines linking up

Lower cost for travellers as Qatar Airways implements deal with SA's CemAir | Business

Qatar Airways and CemAir have announced the implementation of an interline agreement.

www.news24.com

 

[spike.t]

Covid tests available at certain sa airports

Dis-Chem now does rapid Covid testing at OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports

Dis-Chem Pharmacies is now offering a Covid-19 rapid Antigen tests at OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports to meet the additional requirements for people flying abroad.

businesstech.co.za

 

[Hogpatrol]

Covid tests available at certain sa airports

Dis-Chem now does rapid Covid testing at OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports

Dis-Chem Pharmacies is now offering a Covid-19 rapid Antigen tests at OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports to meet the additional requirements for people flying abroad.

businesstech.co.za

I wouldn't wait until I was at the airport ready to board. I'd get it in the required time frame, well ahead of departure. A positive test requires ten days quarantine at your own cost but doesn't say where. If it was at one of the airport hotels, it would just mean more expense, albeit one that would be boring at best.