philo Loc: philo, ca

I'm booked for a photograph workshop from 10/20 to 10/28 in Costra Rica.
What do you think the odds are for this to take place.?
International travel is so touch and go.
I'm packed and ready to go.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

I'm afraid your guess is as good as ours!

ricardo00

According to the CDC website, Costa Rica is a level 4 COVID-19 destination (ie. the highest level). So even if Costa Rica allows you in, the two questions one must think about (and believe me, I have been asking these myself), is: 1) is it worth it (ie. the risk of getting COVID versus going), and 2) what will you have to do to get back into the US? I believe that you might require a negative COVID test? So does the resort you go to last have tests available and if so, at what cost (some people recommend bringing a test kit along so you can do the test and get the results before getting on your flight home).
As time goes on, one loses the opportunity to travel (as one gets older). However, break through cases for vaccinated people appears to be happening and not sure what variants could be circulating in Costa Rica (don't know if they are testing for variants there). Not easy questions and one I have struggled with as well (have just cancelled a trip to the Pantanal for November). That said, I know several people who have been traveling and saying how great it is to go places and not have tons of people.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

With the Delta variant of COVID-19 and what is still unknown about the new Mu variant, all bets are off. Did you include travel insurance that covers COVID-19 cancelations? It is still likely you will be able to go, but these days thing change weekly and daily. One thing I am fairly certain of: if you do not have your COVID-19 shots, travel becomes 10X harder - if at all possible.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

If the trip happens and you still decide to go, I recommend taking in consideration:
- Make sure your travel insurance covers any medical bills caused by COVID-19, just to be 100% sure.
- Be aware that if you catch it and test positive before returning, you will probably have to stay in CR longer than expected and isolated. If that happens is not only an additional cost, but also will affect your return date.

philo Loc: philo, ca

i checked with the insurance company and i think everything is covered if s.... happens. However i trust the travel company and believe they will act in the best interest of their customers. I can't see them putting anyone in harms way for a few dollars.

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

My wifa and I were booked for a photography trip to Costa Rica offered by Road Scholar for early November, but we pulled out. As far as I know, the trip is still going. We had booked it a year ago, but made sure that there would be no penalty if we canceled. Going to a place with such a low vaccination rate seemed crazy to us. The only way these trips could be offered, it seems to me, is to keep the participants in such a bubble that you get virtually no exposure to the local population.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Hard tellin not knowing. I would cancel any trips to countries that do not have good protocols in place for Covid.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I hope you can get a refund in case of a cancellation. I was scheduled for an event in PA, but it was cancelled. The event sent me a refund, but the hotel, so far, is non-refundable. I'm still working on that. Get some KN95 or N95 masks for the plane. If I had to bet on this, I'd bet you'll be staying home. Sorry. We won't be free and clear for another year - at best.

https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=212741

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

If you decide to go, in the weeks before your trip, research the current Costa Rican government policy for foreign travelers to ensure that you won’t be forced to spend time in a quarantine hotel at the start of your trip because of some Covid testing requirement.

berchman Loc: South Central PA

I have a house reserved for the month of January in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico plus a deposit on a Spanish language school there plus hotel reservations for Mexico City plus plans to join a gym. I hope I will not be committing suicide. I'm fully vaccinated and will get a booster before I leave.

nikon123 Loc: Toronto, Canada

traderjohn - that would include several states in the USA. Just saying!

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

It seem that a lot of people feel that just because they are vaccinated, they are safe. Data is showing this not to be true, so do be careful. New variants are looking like they will not be deterred by a vaccine, so you are putting yourself into a situation like it was at the start of all this, when there was no vaccine. Only thing is that now the virus is worse than the original. Ask yourself if your future health and possibly your life, is worth a risky trip to anywhere, right now.

Better to be able to walk and talk and pick up a camera in a year or two from now that to think you have to take a trip anywhere right now, that might open you to contracting what ever virus is out there. You have no idea of who each person is that you will be coming into contact with from the moment you step outside until you are home.

I feel those that travel right now just for fun are the risk takers and due to that, we have no idea how risky they live their lives. Therefore, for me, I would rather not be around any of these types for the time being. I value my health, future health and life far more than the urge to take a trip somewhere, that I can do next year or the year after or the year after that.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Have you checked with your workshop organizer? What is the current situation with the virus in Costa Rica?
Has the workshop organizer required vaccination to be on the trip?
Does Costa Rica currently require masks or vaccination?
Find out the answer to these questions and then you may be able to answer your own question.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

For users mentioning low vaccination rate, that would apply only taking in consideration fully vaccinated (either single-dose vaccines or already received both in two-dose ones). Taking into account partially vaccinated, CR is close to USA.
I don't researched which vaccines they are using in CR. Probably they use two-dose ones and they are behind with the second dose.

(Source: https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations)