Pandemic travels
Published Nov 2, 2021 12:05 am
Under the microscope
Dr. Raymund W. Lo
(Part 1)
One thing I miss during the pandemic is the freedom to travel. I love exploring new places, meeting new and old friends in my journeys. When I was fully vaccinated last April and the airlines started accepting passengers, it was a golden opportunity that I grabbed last May. With my son Richard, I booked a flight to the USA to exhibit my Pekingese at the annual Pekingese Club of America National Specialty show.
But navigating the myriad and confusing travel directives was a big challenge. Taking the RT-PCR test as required two days before the flight was the easy one. Finding out what was needed at the destination took some effort. It turns out we didn’t have to do anything. There were no requirements for vaccinations, testing or quarantine on arrival in the United States. Compare that with the local requirements for returning travelers which included a mandatory ten-day quarantine and RT-PCR test before exiting quarantine. No wonder people were discouraged from traveling aside from fears of being infected of course.
I anticipated many changes to the way travelers are processed at the airport but aside from the now routine safety measures of face masks and face shields, all we had to do was show our RT-PCR results at check-in. The shock was on seeing how few passengers there were with us on the flight. Surely, the airlines are taking a beating on operating during these times. They can always load more cargo but I’m sure profits are better with passengers. But one thing noticeable was how warm the aircraft cabin was during the flight. It turns out Korean Airlines had a directive to maintain cabin temperatures at 24C to conserve fuel and it resulted in a warm and stuffy atmosphere more conducive to virus transmission. Aircraft ventilation systems are known to have good air handling systems with HEPA filtration but a more humid atmosphere favors more aerosol hanging in the air. Since we have to take off our masks during meals, there is still that chance of inhaling the virus if present.
On arriving at the Incheon airport for a layover, we were greeted with deafening silence as it was totally empty aside from a few other passengers. Many shops were closed. It was an eerie sight considering it was jampacked on my previous flight then. The long-haul flight to Chicago had a bit more passengers so we didn’t have the luxury of stretching out on a whole row of seats for a good sleep. On arrival, the Immigration procedure was easy. When I offered to show our negative RT-PCR results, the Immigration officer just waved it off saying he didn’t need it. Apparently, they badly needed tourists there and were more than happy to welcome us.
At that point in time, America has had the chance to vaccinate a majority of its people and the mask mandate was being relaxed and required for enclosed spaces only, so we were greeted by the sight of mask less people going about their business as if the pandemic never happened. There were a few more cautious who still wore masks even outdoors in crowded places and that included us. My son was overjoyed by the freedom he had by chucking the face shields we carried and inhaling the fresh air without the hindrance of masks that I had to restrain hima bit.
Our stay was just week and we savored the relative freedom of mobility that we had during that time, renting a car and driving around, shopping and dining in restaurants and visiting with friends (still masked though and social distancing).
All too soon, we were on our way home. After an uneventful flight, we found ourselves going through a gauntlet of health checks and inspection for Health pass QR codes, then shunted to a room where we were interviewed about our quarantine hotel reservations and scheduled for swab after a 10-day quarantine. After clearing customs, we were met by the hotel shuttle which whisked us off to the Manila Hotel.
We counted the days to our swab though the accommodations were nice. We were given a veranda room with access to a terrace so had fresh air when we opened the French doors except, we were not allowed to out on the terrace. The view was not bad either with the Luneta Park visible as well as the Intramuros walls. I was kept busy WFH (H for hotel this time) but my son was getting antsy with cabin fever so when it came time to leave, it was a relief for both of us.
Was it worth the trip? I still say yes for the reason that it brought a measure of normality and sanity to our topsy-turvy pandemic world. Would I take another trip> Yes, of course? And we did (wait for part two).
Dr. Raymund W. Lo
(Part 1)
One thing I miss during the pandemic is the freedom to travel. I love exploring new places, meeting new and old friends in my journeys. When I was fully vaccinated last April and the airlines started accepting passengers, it was a golden opportunity that I grabbed last May. With my son Richard, I booked a flight to the USA to exhibit my Pekingese at the annual Pekingese Club of America National Specialty show.
But navigating the myriad and confusing travel directives was a big challenge. Taking the RT-PCR test as required two days before the flight was the easy one. Finding out what was needed at the destination took some effort. It turns out we didn’t have to do anything. There were no requirements for vaccinations, testing or quarantine on arrival in the United States. Compare that with the local requirements for returning travelers which included a mandatory ten-day quarantine and RT-PCR test before exiting quarantine. No wonder people were discouraged from traveling aside from fears of being infected of course.
I anticipated many changes to the way travelers are processed at the airport but aside from the now routine safety measures of face masks and face shields, all we had to do was show our RT-PCR results at check-in. The shock was on seeing how few passengers there were with us on the flight. Surely, the airlines are taking a beating on operating during these times. They can always load more cargo but I’m sure profits are better with passengers. But one thing noticeable was how warm the aircraft cabin was during the flight. It turns out Korean Airlines had a directive to maintain cabin temperatures at 24C to conserve fuel and it resulted in a warm and stuffy atmosphere more conducive to virus transmission. Aircraft ventilation systems are known to have good air handling systems with HEPA filtration but a more humid atmosphere favors more aerosol hanging in the air. Since we have to take off our masks during meals, there is still that chance of inhaling the virus if present.
On arriving at the Incheon airport for a layover, we were greeted with deafening silence as it was totally empty aside from a few other passengers. Many shops were closed. It was an eerie sight considering it was jampacked on my previous flight then. The long-haul flight to Chicago had a bit more passengers so we didn’t have the luxury of stretching out on a whole row of seats for a good sleep. On arrival, the Immigration procedure was easy. When I offered to show our negative RT-PCR results, the Immigration officer just waved it off saying he didn’t need it. Apparently, they badly needed tourists there and were more than happy to welcome us.
At that point in time, America has had the chance to vaccinate a majority of its people and the mask mandate was being relaxed and required for enclosed spaces only, so we were greeted by the sight of mask less people going about their business as if the pandemic never happened. There were a few more cautious who still wore masks even outdoors in crowded places and that included us. My son was overjoyed by the freedom he had by chucking the face shields we carried and inhaling the fresh air without the hindrance of masks that I had to restrain hima bit.
Our stay was just week and we savored the relative freedom of mobility that we had during that time, renting a car and driving around, shopping and dining in restaurants and visiting with friends (still masked though and social distancing).
All too soon, we were on our way home. After an uneventful flight, we found ourselves going through a gauntlet of health checks and inspection for Health pass QR codes, then shunted to a room where we were interviewed about our quarantine hotel reservations and scheduled for swab after a 10-day quarantine. After clearing customs, we were met by the hotel shuttle which whisked us off to the Manila Hotel.
We counted the days to our swab though the accommodations were nice. We were given a veranda room with access to a terrace so had fresh air when we opened the French doors except, we were not allowed to out on the terrace. The view was not bad either with the Luneta Park visible as well as the Intramuros walls. I was kept busy WFH (H for hotel this time) but my son was getting antsy with cabin fever so when it came time to leave, it was a relief for both of us.
Was it worth the trip? I still say yes for the reason that it brought a measure of normality and sanity to our topsy-turvy pandemic world. Would I take another trip> Yes, of course? And we did (wait for part two).