Lingering COVID-19 Restrictions Are Costly Hazards

A friend of mine and his wife recently took a trip to Europe that almost ended in disaster because of positive COVID-19 tests.

"All air passengers 2 years or older with a flight departing to the US from a foreign country at or after 12:01am EST on December 6, 2021, are required show a negative COVID-19 viral test result taken no more than 1 day before travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, before they board their flight," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Travel agents and travel insurance companies say they are hearing more tales of travelers stuck abroad due to the U.S. government's rule that people produce a negative test to enter the country by air," The Wall Street Journal reported last week.

"Vacationers and business travelers testing positive face pricey extended stays and rebooked flights, confusion over which quarantine rules reign and a near daily scramble to test negative or get a doctor's note vouching for recovery from Covid." "For Americans traveling internationally, a positive COVID-19 test before returning home can result in thousands of dollars in additional costs for extending hotel stays and rebooking flights," adds Healthline.

Asked in May if the federal government had any plans to eliminate testing requirements for entering the country, then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said she was "Not aware of a timeline for that." Thousands of dollars in unanticipated costs and uncertain return dates threaten to make travel a luxury once again, accessible only by those with time and money to burn.

"From declining test scores to widening achievement gaps, teachers, parents and advocates have raised concerns about the negative impact the pandemic may have had on students. Beyond academic woes, experts also warn that these disruptions could have lingering effects on young people's mental and emotional well-being," Pew added.

"Entering the United States by air requires a negative coronavirus test," The New York Times observed at the end of May. "Some people who can't provide one are using a workaround: flying to Canada or Mexico, then entering via a land border." Even hockey players in the NHL are taking advantage of the loophole.
 

https://reason.com/2022/06/06/lingering-covid-19-restrictions-are-costly-hazards/