I've done a bit of travelling in the last month and with no basis in science whatsoever I thought I'd share some covid observations. I should also say I had Covid about a month ago so would not have passed a PCR test - lateral flow was the way to go!
I'd start by saying that near everywhere people wore a mask on the plane and in the airport. The only real exception is Heathrow arrivals where most people probably don't. It actually feels a bit weird having worn a mask for the past few hours standing is a passport queue or at a luggage belt next to people without a mask. There was no "social distancing" anywhere in the world.
1) Flew to Paris at the end of March. Home test. Didn't need the test, rules were changed a few days before. Did check my NHS vax pass on arrival - at Heathrow departures they did not care. Reasonable amount of mask wearing in public. Many worn out covid signs.
2) Flew to Atlanta and then drove to Georgia at the start of April. Used the test I got from France, changed the date and put an extra little box in the QR code so it wouldn't work. No issues with travel - the fact that I had a bit of paper was fine nobody checked it. In the US south there are no/few signs that there even has been a pandemic. Outside the airport don't think I saw more than 10 masks. My temperature was checked once. This was like 2019.
3) Flew direct from Atlanta to Johannesburg. No tests needed just vax pass. Pass was checked while in the passport queue at arrivals. Near universally masks are worn indoors by EVERYONE. Restaurants were an exception where maybe half wore a mask walking to their table. Most shops had "security" at the entrance spraying sanitiser on your hands. There is sanitiser everywhere!! If there is a keypad - there is sanitiser next to it. Cashiers in supermarkets sanitise before scanning your groceries. Temperature was checked on average every second day by someone (once even at a rugby match - 50% stadium capacity in case you are wondering)
4) Last week went to Amsterdam. Nothing was checked. Mask wearing etc. about the same a France. Few covid warning signs.
So basically in in 3 European countries plus the USA - the pandemic is over and may as well not have happened.
In one African country people really stick to the mask rules and have an obsession with watered down hand sanitiser.
My only useful insight for everyone is don't bother with travel covid tests. It's a scam, nobody checks and they are easy to fake anyway.
I think that looking at the responses on this topic over the last couple of weeks. Folk are either losing interest or they think the pandemic is now over. The later I think, well itâs definitely not over. I feel the sleeping monster is waiting to be poked with a big stick. At the moment though itâs carry on as you are.
Re travels.
Week last Saturday I returned from Majorca. Shops and restaurants everyone wore them. Airports the same, but on the plane it is announced you do not have to wear a face mask. Most British didnât. We did.
February, I was in Lanzarote. Exactly the same as being in Majorca re restraunt, shops airports and planes.
Nov/December I was in GdaĹsk. Exactly the same everyone wore masks and yet they had a spike in COVID cases just after we left.
Off to Majorca next month, I expect exactly the same re mask wearing.Shops and restraunts will continue to wear them. If travellers have the option. They will not wear them.
What has changed over the last 5 months is having to show a COVID vaccine passport. My strong advice is to make sure you have one on your phone at the very minimum. We have always had one to show, but it has been hit and miss re whether it has been checked. When we arrived in GdaĹsk/ Poland. They sent a guy back to the UK because he had not had his vaccinations.He was Polish.
If you are travelling abroad, double check that you have all relevant travel documents.