Aruba authorities, two weeks to save our holiday

[sundialSoft]

We live in the UK, now classed as very high risk (unlike the USA which is high risk only).

Triple vaccinated plus the flu shot and living in an area of low risk, never had covid and being very careful so it's annoying to be classed as very high risk when we are as near to no risk as anyone could be.

Covid is in decline here and has never been as bad as in the USA because vaccines are free and hospitals are free. Tests are free too.

The Aruban authorities have not explained why the UK is in the current category however if they do not move the UK to a category which actually meets the situation here then in two weeks we will once again have to move our holiday into the future. More expense and hassle.

My guess is that the USA provides so many tourists that the island decided for economic reasons to keep the USA at 'high risk' artificially. It should be very high. So many anti-vaxers and surges of covid in the states that is seems unlikely to have been a medical decision. Anyway that's just me moaning about the unfairness I perceive.

So this is a plea to the decision makers to use real current data when making decisions.

If you do make it to the sunny shores of Aruba have a great holiday.

[robin]

I am hoping Aruba allows you to visit. I do know the UK is strict. We went through Heathrow in Sept. and had to show proof of vaccination and PCR tests just go go through the airport.

The US also has free testing and vaccines and in many areas the numbers are declining as are hospitalizations. In NJ alone, the new daily positive cases have dropped by 75% in 12 days.

[Andrea J.]

here's hoping that your trip happens.

feel free to moan all that you need to moan about.

We live in the UK, now classed as very high risk (unlike the USA which is high risk only).

Triple vaccinated plus the flu shot and living in an area of low risk, never had covid and being very careful so it's annoying to be classed as very high risk when we are as near to no risk as anyone could be.

Covid is in decline here and has never been as bad as in the USA because vaccines are free and hospitals are free. Tests are free too.

The Aruban authorities have not explained why the UK is in the current category however if they do not move the UK to a category which actually meets the situation here then in two weeks we will once again have to move our holiday into the future. More expense and hassle.

My guess is that the USA provides so many tourists that the island decided for economic reasons to keep the USA at 'high risk' artificially. It should be very high. So many anti-vaxers and surges of covid in the states that is seems unlikely to have been a medical decision. Anyway that's just me moaning about the unfairness I perceive.

So this is a plea to the decision makers to use real current data when making decisions.

If you do make it to the sunny shores of Aruba have a great holiday.

[Arawak]

This is just the name of the game when traveling during a pandemic. Countless countries, including the US and the UK give out warnings of risk which are almost always outdated. Currently Aruba has a "do not travel" warning from the US still on because they have seemingly been incapable of updating accordingly. Makes me question their professionalism because while they are quick to sound alarm without taking local context into account, they do not lower the risk level with the same enthusiasm.

Last year, just before Omicron hit, we had months of very low cases and an empty hospital. Yet, Aruba was still marked as level 4, do not travel from the CDC. And when did they finally come around to removing it? When the cases were already on the rise due to Omicron.

Aruba is currently about to relax measures though according to the health Minister.

When it comes to vaccination status, besides the first couple months when vaccination began, Aruba never requested for vaccination status. That was when it became clear that the vaccine does not stop transmission and they stopped bothering with vax status altogether and switched back to the mandatory negative PCR test rule. The data does show that vast majority of travelers to Aruba are vaccinated anyways(90% ish last I heard). It turns out that our visitors would prefer to vaccinate instead of having a bigger risk of testing positive and having to go in isolation on the island.

[joehick]

I've just read that the UK is eliminating all mandates and travel restrictions. Here's hoping the US does it as well.

[LK1]

I just wish our government in Canada would not make it so difficult to travel internationally. Cash grab for all the testing that is required.