OBSOLETE COVID THREAD Protocol after a positive covid test

[Michael Swanberg]

One and possibly two of Joe’s group have tested positive for Covid. We are unsure what to do at this point. They are in Sarria and I’m not sure what the procedure is. Can somebody help me

Our Covid-19 test was Positive as we were preparing to fly from Lisbon back home to the United States. Portuguese health officials suggested a 7 day quarantine, but our airline required a 10 day quarantine from the date of the positive covid-19 test, and also required a LETTER OF RECOVERY signed by a physician before we could enter the United States. Be prepared, even though we were both fully vaccinated and had two boosters, Covid-19 is spiking in Portugal. We are very fortunate to have our health, but there is a significant cost that you should anticipate: an additional 10 days in a private hotel room; groceries and meal preparation for 10 days, the cost of rebooking your flight, and the difficulty and expense of finding a private physician who speaks your language and will provide a printed copy of a LETTER OF RECOVERY for you. The Camino was a priceless experience, the 10 day quarantine before we were able to return to the United States cost an additional one thousand Euros. Stay safe, buen Camino.

 

[peregrina2000]

Sooooo. She went to the pharmacist and the pharmacist said because she didn’t have a lot of symptoms but she only had to wear a mask around all the people and the people needed to wear masks around her. Joe was going to buy a bunch of sanitation wipes and wipe everything down and I guess that’s it. So even though she tested positive, because she didn’t have a lot of symptoms except for a deep cough I guess they didn’t consider her to be very contagious. I’m pretty sure she’s gonna have a problem if she test positive before she flies out however that time will tell.

Annie, I don’t have personal experience here, but I think that you guys should think about how this will play out a few days from now. What happens when this person wants to go home? She will need a negative covid test to get on the plane or a certificate of recovery, as @Michael Swanberg has so helpfully detailed. But to get that certificate of recovery she needs to show that she is 10 days beyond the date of a positive test result that the authorities will accept. To my understanding, that has to be an officially recognized test, easy to get in a lab in Spain. I don’t know about pharmacies.

Siince so many people with covid still test positive many days after they are not considered infectious, I would think that an official test dated at least 10 days before she wants to go home would possibly save her a lot of time. That’s because, at least to my understanding, if she tests positive before the flight (and doesn’t have an official test done earlier) she will then need 10 MORE days before she can get the certiicate.

In other words, rather than rely on the hope that she tests negative in a few days, I would also make sure to have an official, recognized positive test result that will start the clock ticking for the 10 days “recovery from Covid” option. You don’t mention how she found out she was positive, so this may be unnecessary information for you if she does indeed have an official result.

I also say this with some doubts about its accuracy, so if there are people with better information, let me know and I will edit or delete this post.

 

[MargieMac]

Annie, I don’t have personal experience here, but I think that you guys should think about how this will play out a few days from now. What happens when this person wants to go home? She will need a negative covid test to get on the plane or a certificate of recovery, as @Michael Swanberg has so helpfully detailed. But to get that certificate of recovery she needs to show that she is 10 days beyond the date of a positive test result that the authorities will accept. To my understanding, that has to be an officially recognized test, easy to get in a lab in Spain. I don’t know about pharmacies.

Siince so many people with covid still test positive many days after they are not considered infectious, I would think that an official test dated at least 10 days before she wants to go home would possibly save her a lot of time. That’s because, at least to my understanding, if she tests positive before the flight (and doesn’t have an official test done earlier) she will then need 10 MORE days before she can get the certiicate.

In other words, rather than rely on the hope that she tests negative in a few days, I would also make sure to have an official, recognized positive test result that will start the clock ticking for the 10 days “recovery from Covid” option. You don’t mention how she found out she was positive, so this may be unnecessary information for you if she does indeed have an official result.

I also say this with some doubts about its accuracy, so if there are people with better information, let me know and I will edit or delete this post.

What you have advised is good. I have Covid on VDLP now in Salamanca in hotel for 4 days and know of at least one other pilgrim here with it too. I had positive RAT test but was asked by my Insurance company to get a PCR.done at the Hospital here which I have done for the reasons you point out. They told me at hospital that it is possible that I might test positive on RAT for several months.

 

[StevenT]

I tested positive at the end of April on the day before my flight from Madrid to home. The airline didn’t make any other requirements beyond having a negative RAT before flying which took 7 days.
I did buy the personal testers from the local pharmacy, this gave me a rough idea of how infectious I was based on the strength of the line on the tester (the darker the line, the higher the viral load - though this is only an approximate and not fully scientific ).
I wore a mask at all times except when alone in my hotel room. I only went out for groceries and to get tested. I didn’t want to spread more disease and I didn’t think people would appreciate me infecting them.

 

[BombayBill]

Someone in the past few days, perhaps @Tincatinker , posted something about Spain having a program to assist pilgrims with Covid. Can anyone elaborate on this?

 

[Theatregal]

Someone in the past few days, perhaps @Tincatinker , posted something about Spain having a program to assist pilgrims with Covid. Can anyone elaborate on this?

Perhaps it was this (free) insurance program for Galicia?

Galiciayou have to come for sure! - Galicia safe destination - GALICIA

If you come to Galicia, you’ll be safe for sure!During your holiday in Galicia, you’ll be covered by the new COVID-19 travel insurance.A destination is much more ...Much ...

www.turismo.gal

And this one for Andalusia - valid until June 30, 2022

Seguro turístico

Seguro turístico

www.andalucia.org

 

[Suzanne A]

I too had a positive home Covid test in France ( Geneva way) confirmed by PCR. I don’t go home until June 17th. In the event I still test positive, my personal physician stated she will write me a statement of recovery. I think it’s important to get a confirmation “official “ test if you are positive for that reason. I was able to isolate and my husband never got it. Be safe out there pilgrims. Hope to start the Primitivo in a few days s l o w l y.

 

[Marbe2]

If I were part of a group and I tested positive, I would get an official test and isolate immediately. One should not continue walking with a group! The infected person can spread it to other group members. Members of the group might also want to self test every couple of days. The local pharmacist isn’t likely taking into account what will happen when this person tries to depart Spain…. as @peregrina2000 describes.

And if the person who is infected, does not isolate, and others in the group get infected?? Ugh!

 

[trecile]

The protocol for Portugal is at this site (thanks to @jungleboy for the link)

SNS 24

www.sns24.gov.pt

I used the Chrome browser to translate to English.

Here's a screenshot of the basics.