PCR testing

My wife and I flew to Rome, Italy, Jan. 2, 2022, in order to see the Torlonia Marbles exhibit (ending Feb. 27). We transited through Munich, Germany.

Shortly before we flew to Germany, the country changed its COVID testing requirements for those transiting and required a 24-hour rapid antigen or 48-hour PCR test. (The previous requirement was a PCR test taken within 72 hours.) This caused us to scramble because we had appointments for tests that would not meet the new requirements.

During three months of heavy travel in late 2021, I experienced difficulties when it came to the COVID-19 testing, tracing and reporting requirements imposed by multiple countries. Here are some choice examples of what a nightmare it was to comply with a few countries’ COVID-entry requirements.

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Tired of being at home and thinking things might be getting back to normal, in April we booked a family vacation for six that seemed manageable: a 7-day small-ship cruise in Alaska’s Inside Passage, departing July 21, 2021.

My wife and I planned a trip to Antigua for July 10-17, 2021. Antigua requires proof of a negative RT-PCR test for COVID taken, at most, seven days before entry. As such, my wife and I went to our local CVS Pharmacy on a Monday, five days before our Saturday morning departure, and had the nasal swabs administered. We fully expected to receive our test results from CVS no later than Wednesday morning.*