Support thread for those with family abroad

[Schulte]

Anyone interested in a support thread for those of us who have family abroad, and don't know if we can see them this year? I had started to feel all positive and optimistic about going back to my home country this summer to see my parents, but it's now looking far from certain and I'm feeling increasingly depressed.

I thought maybe we can cheer each other up and share the latest on border openings, how and where to get tests for travel, etc.

Anyone?

I saw a heartbreaking story on a local Facebook page yesterday. Someone’s mum was flying from America to Paris via Amsterdam. The mum is vaccinated and had a negative test but was held in Amsterdam and not allowed to board her connecting flight to Paris. This was due to Dutch covid rules not French rules, as France are accepting vaccinated passengers from Amber countries with no need to provide a serious reason for travel. The poor lady was asking if anyone could help but then later updated that her mum had been sent back to the States.
It’s utterly criminal. What devastation to cause to that family’s mental health and why did it matter to the Dutch authorities if the mum boarded a plane to Chicago or Paris? I don’t agree with any of this at all and think it has gone way too far.

Yes I agree. People don’t seem to care at all. My cousin is out at house (garden) parties, work, visiting parents etc. , not vaccinated (too young) and yet she thinks I (vaccinated and triple tested) pose a massive public health risk. Blaming bad things on foreigners or foreign places is so so easy 😔 I’m moving house this summer back to the UK though I don’t know how. We were going to make a number of trips over the summer to include a holiday in Germany to see old friends. I’m totally despairing. I am kicking myself because we could have moved before Christmas but I wanted to postpone because of the potential risk of spread Covid. Feel like a total fool now as we could have moved easily with no added expense or stress at that time. Now it seems fucking impossible. Now there are widespread testing, ppe, treatments, vaccinations and the weather is on our side it seems fucking crazy that it would have been easier back before Xmas.

My deepest sympathy to those unable to see loved ones with no end is sight 😔

@Lostinacloud

I saw a heartbreaking story on a local Facebook page yesterday. Someone’s mum was flying from America to Paris via Amsterdam. The mum is vaccinated and had a negative test but was held in Amsterdam and not allowed to board her connecting flight to Paris. This was due to Dutch covid rules not French rules, as France are accepting vaccinated passengers from Amber countries with no need to provide a serious reason for travel. The poor lady was asking if anyone could help but then later updated that her mum had been sent back to the States. It’s utterly criminal. What devastation to cause to that family’s mental health and why did it matter to the Dutch authorities if the mum boarded a plane to Chicago or Paris? I don’t agree with any of this at all and think it has gone way too far.

shouldn't she have been stopped in the states? this is why im avoiding flying via other countries. f my flights get cancelled next month , mY home is 2h far away from France, I could fly there and my parents pick me up I'd rather ask my parents to drive to Madrid (4h) as ii know I'd not be stopped and neither would they be

That’s crazy, the poor American lady! I learned yesterday on another thread that in the Netherlands you need both a PCR and LTF test if you arrive by plane - crazy or what? But normally passengers in transit are exempt from quarantine and other rules!

@newstart1234 I hope you get to move - moving countries is a logistical nightmare in normal times so I can imagine how much harder it is now!

That is appalling @Lostinacloud! I thought in all countries you could at least say in international airspace to transit through! As you say, the French were accepting her, what on earth is it to the Dutch?

@Lostinacloud

I saw a heartbreaking story on a local Facebook page yesterday. Someone’s mum was flying from America to Paris via Amsterdam. The mum is vaccinated and had a negative test but was held in Amsterdam and not allowed to board her connecting flight to Paris. This was due to Dutch covid rules not French rules, as France are accepting vaccinated passengers from Amber countries with no need to provide a serious reason for travel. The poor lady was asking if anyone could help but then later updated that her mum had been sent back to the States. It’s utterly criminal. What devastation to cause to that family’s mental health and why did it matter to the Dutch authorities if the mum boarded a plane to Chicago or Paris? I don’t agree with any of this at all and think it has gone way too far.

This seems really odd. One of my friends flew from the US to Bucharest via the Netherlands earlier this week and did not have this problem. Her only worry was if her connecting flight was delayed meaning she'd have to spend more than 24 hours in Schiphol, at which point potentially she'd have to do more testing.

She also didn't need an LFT, just a PCR test.

News this morning that quarantine for amber list countries may be scrapped for the double vaccinated. Fingers crossed as it’s a step in the right direction...

@EasterIssland my parents are staying in France and doing my school run for me every day in Spain - I think it’s okay now. They’ve even got a uk numberplate

I was just coming on to mention the news about considering vaccines as a way to avoid quarantining! Good news - what about the private day 2&8 tests?

I was coming for the same !! Tho is it bad I wanted to quarantine to do the potty training for my son???

Only 38 days left to be home!!

Not bad, I’m kicking myself for spending Spain’s last two weeks of freedom inside potty draining DC when we were then under house arrest for five weeks!! What a wasted opportunity!

I have given up hope for red list countries. I guess we will need to see more data on whether Delta evades vaccines though the current data shows that it does not.

@QuentininQuarantino Are you saying you live on the Spain / France border and your parents cross every day to do the school run for you?

@MareofBeasttown

I have given up hope for red list countries. I guess we will need to see more data on whether Delta evades vaccines though the current data shows that it does not.

Which data. I think it does evade , not 100% but a vast majority of the delta cases are among the unvaccinated or 1 dose. Only 2% were fully vaccinated (and you would need to see each case , age health conditions incidence in the area etc(

[quote QuimReaper]@QuentininQuarantino Are you saying you live on the Spain / France border and your parents cross every day to do the school run for you?[/quote]
I think so. This is allowed I believe pcr free for those living near the border. It’s quite common where Quentin lives (im from a nearby town) to cross the border between France and Spain for day to day things

@Easterisland That was my understanding, just interested to know how / whether they check a person crossing a certain bridge (for instance) is local. I assume they don't?

[quote QuimReaper]@QuentininQuarantino Are you saying you live on the Spain / France border and your parents cross every day to do the school run for you?[/quote]
More or less... not quite on from the border but my parents are francophiles and are willing to drive a lot!!

also anyone fully vaccinated can enter Spain right now, I believe also France so if Quentin's parents are then they can cross the border as wished

I was talking about the data for the fully vaccinated. www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-hospitalisation-from-delta-variant Currently it shows vaccines are effective but I guess the govt is still going to be cautious about travel from red list. I have been double vaxxed and everybody in my family is the same except for ppl below 21.

Does double vaccinated mean fully vaccinated 🤞🏻🤞🏻 My DH has had j and j and so will not be getting a second dose. He’s not eligible for any other vaccine so I hope we’ve not snookered ourselves with j and j. I assume given that it’s been approved in the UK it will be allowable. Being able to avoid quarantine will make a huge difference.

@newstart1234

Does double vaccinated mean fully vaccinated 🤞🏻🤞🏻 My DH has had j and j and so will not be getting a second dose. He’s not eligible for any other vaccine so I hope we’ve not snookered ourselves with j and j. I assume given that it’s been approved in the UK it will be allowable. Being able to avoid quarantine will make a huge difference.

Yes, fully means have been as many doses are required depending on the vaccine so , j&j 1 an the rest 2. 1 AZ/pfizer or moderna wouldn't be fully vaccinated

Phew, thanks.

Wonder what the proposal for quarantine free travel for those who are vaccinated will say about children? DH and I have both been vaccinated but obvs DS wont be as he is only 10. Wonder if we will still have to isolate as he cant be jabbed?

[quote QuentininQuarantino]@EasterIssland my parents are staying in France and doing my school run for me every day in Spain - I think it’s okay now. They’ve even got a uk numberplate

I was just coming on to mention the news about considering vaccines as a way to avoid quarantining! Good news - what about the private day 2&8 tests?[/quote]
@QuentininQuarantino apparently they are proposing you've to still do the tests, just not the SI.

The testing over quarantine is a fantastic step forward if it comes off, I just hope it isn't another way to line private testing companies' pockets...

@LivinLaVidaLoki

Wonder what the proposal for quarantine free travel for those who are vaccinated will say about children? DH and I have both been vaccinated but obvs DS wont be as he is only 10. Wonder if we will still have to isolate as he cant be jabbed?

In other countries covid entry requirements for children follow fully vaccinated parents.