Travel and the Rapid Test

fastpitch17

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It would seem that many nations have followed the CDC and WHO guidelines that once fully vaccinated, one does not need a rapid test prior to travel. Especially domestically.

Of course, Indonesia has not implemented this and still requires those fully vaccinated to have a rapid test prior to travel domestically and most likely upon any return domestically. While the government may have set a ceiling price of 240,000 rupiah, prices are all over the place. Many go with the ceiling price. As long as the government is sticking to their current practice of requiring a test for all travelers, it would seem there are some making quite a bit of profit off the rapid test that really are not that great at being reliable. I feel the government needs to change their travel policies for those fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated is considered 2 weeks after the 2nd dosage.
 
It would seem that many nations have followed the CDC and WHO guidelines that once fully vaccinated, one does not need a rapid test prior to travel. Especially domestically.

Of course, Indonesia has not implemented this and still requires those fully vaccinated to have a rapid test prior to travel domestically and most likely upon any return domestically. While the government may have set a ceiling price of 240,000 rupiah, prices are all over the place. Many go with the ceiling price. As long as the government is sticking to their current practice of requiring a test for all travelers, it would seem there are some making quite a bit of profit off the rapid test that really are not that great at being reliable. I feel the government needs to change their travel policies for those fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated is considered 2 weeks after the 2nd dosage.
I am still holding out hope that the government will lift quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated foreign arrivals. I have already received both doses of the Sinovac shot. Returning from a trip to the US in late June, it would be nice to be able to go straight home from the airport instead of staying in a quarantine hotel.
 
Fully vacinated you can still carry the virus and transmit it to others. (just that it won't harm YOU),
Now, if the majority of the population is vaccinated, everybody is supposed to be safe. But Indo is not yet there. Although some serious efforts done in Bali.
 
After vaccination here I received a certificate with a QR code. It looks like an official document.
Are these not accepted for travel?
 
Fully vacinated you can still carry the virus and transmit it to others.

That has proven to be very rare. Last week the head of the CDC said vaccinated people can't transmit the virus, and they had to quickly retract that statement because it was a bit too strong. But the point remains that studies have shown it is very rare.

I think testing vaccinated travelers is still wise for countries like New Zealand with few or no cases, that minuscule chance of a vaccinated person transmitting the virus becomes very important. But for a country like Indonesia (or US, all of Europe) where the virus is already rampant in the community, the benefits are insignificant, especially when the tests aren't terribly accurate to begin with.
 
That has proven to be very rare. Last week the head of the CDC said vaccinated people can't transmit the virus, and they had to quickly retract that statement because it was a bit too strong. But the point remains that studies have shown it is very rare.

I think testing vaccinated travelers is still wise for countries like New Zealand with few or no cases, that minuscule chance of a vaccinated person transmitting the virus becomes very important. But for a country like Indonesia (or US, all of Europe) where the virus is already rampant in the community, the benefits are insignificant, especially when the tests aren't terribly accurate to begin with.
I am fine with testing; I just want to save the time and money that a 5-day quarantine would cost.
 
What if someone were to fly into Jakarta from another city in Indonesia with a rapid test that says negative before they left, then upon departure to go home, a rapid test becomes positive? Would not the traveler need to quarantine in Jakarta for 10 days and then retested?

Why when there is a positive test are not test rerun to figure out if the results were accurate or not with all the false readings these test have? Seems someone could run up a pretty hefty bill just because of a false reading.
 
then upon departure to go home, a rapid test becomes positive?
I believe the recommendation is to quarantine at home (10 days? 14 days?), or, especially if they have no symptoms and suspect it may be faulty, get a PCR test which is more accurate. If they pass a PCR test, they can use that result to travel. I believe the inaccuracy of the rapid tests, however, is far more in the direction of false negatives, and extremely rare for a false positive.
 
What if someone were to fly into Jakarta from another city in Indonesia with a rapid test that says negative before they left, then upon departure to go home, a rapid test becomes positive? Would not the traveler need to quarantine in Jakarta for 10 days and then retested?

Why when there is a positive test are not test rerun to figure out if the results were accurate or not with all the false readings these test have? Seems someone could run up a pretty hefty bill just because of a false reading.
This is an interesting question. One solution might be to do your rapid test at a location away from the airport first. Then, if it is (false) "positive", you can retest at a different location. If the second test is "non reactive", just throw away the first one and use the second one to travel.
 
My understanding is that flying domestically one needs a PCR test. Is that the swab test? I think the charge is around 900 ribu for that. Do I have that right or are other test called PCR here also.

How about those test at the airports. Reliable?
 
My understanding is that flying domestically one needs a PCR test. Is that the swab test? I think the charge is around 900 ribu for that. Do I have that right or are other test called PCR here also.

How about those test at the airports. Reliable?
Not sure if anyone has linked to this news story from Medan - the Rapid test clinic at the airport was raided and the police found they were re-using the swabs....................
 
Airlines say antigen rapid test or pcr. Clinic says antigen rapid test or pcr. Newspaper say pcr or nose test at airport. I will go with the antigen rapid test. 250 ribu compared to 900. This trip is getting costly for all the extras. All in a one day trip. The test will over 24 hours old when I return by 5 or 6 hours probably so will probably need another before I can get on the plane.
 

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