Riobard

*their own versions (last paragraph line 4-5 above)

Thanks, @Xclay Just so you know, the NYT and WP links have paywalls, though I read the former piece extolling vaccine virtues a while back, cannot remember how accessed. Sometimes one can Google the title and find a ‘pirated’ full version or the print media eventually unblocks it for non-subscribers. At times if it’s not too lengthy I’ll share an article here on the Board by entering a few screenshots that capture the full text. On my smartphone I can pinch the borders in order to reduce the number of files selected from Photos. —— I’m certain as well that I recently received research trial vaccine rather than placebo. —— CommonPass is interesting ... apparently non-profit, has Swiss chocolate neutrality, and seems to be flexible for all modes of cross-border travel. The IATA initiative may be too specific. Yet various countries appear to be developing there own versions and there is the usual bickering about scientific merit and legal legitimacy, so the system may evolve to one of ‘right of passage’ nationalism rather than a single unified global documentation protocol.

Hahaha ... but y’all know by now Imma informal and non-academic in writing style. Yes, I meant semantically “couldn’t”, and I was using the counter-intuitive version. However, “could care less” can also be a bit of a burn and is not necessarily directly antithetical to “couldn’t care less”, as one is implying that one cares on one’s own terms and that it is not the recipient of care that merits or drives the degree of caring allocated.

I don’t think that pharmaceutical companies will be getting into the business of immunity passports per se, but there will be eventually a systematic way of getting access to services or countries using documentation, likely biometric, in which reasonable proof of vaccination, natural immunity, etc are integrated to meet the bar that is set. At this point it would not be surprising to have restrictions, as already set by precedent, based on regional infection incidence and known problematic variants. As there is already chatter about heterologous inoculation it is questionable whether one vaccine one format one company will be the norm down the line. Expect privacy-related pushback as well ... not from me; I could care less what authorities know about my CoV status. I don’t expect that a paper system such as exists for YF will be workable because there are too many variables and a mosquito is (presumably) not needed to bridge coronavirus transmission. Being in a double-blind RCT myself, for which efficacy analysis is a long way off, I am curious about the Moderna (& Pfizer/BioNTech) unblinding protocol. I believe that you were likely notified about a ‘vaccine transition option’. I assume that it included the choice to go the distance of about 12 months total, or to have your study assignment unmasked and receive vaccine currently if so desired. Perhaps there is a subgroup that will stick it out and salvage some degree of longer-term efficacy evaluation. But I am also wondering if there is a ‘blinded crossover’ sub-study on offer in which those vaccinated are given placebo and vice versa, a partial cohort that is followed to the original endpoint, but that makes no assumptions about when they received vaccine (originally versus the crossover design) while enabling a comparison of immunity bio markers between two time frames. Obviously, ongoing efficacy is out the window in such a protocol following the point at which vaccination is uniform. Last but not least, do you have your final Moderna walking papers? Are you completely opted out due to unblinding or will they do follow-up serology for immunogenicity data?

Bad luck for you. You need to treat the 20-day limit the same as any deadline. Perhaps this is occurring more because of general travel instability. What is not missing in online searches is info on the hassles of getting an extension, the fine (about BRL120 per day) for overstaying without formal authorization, the likely requirement to pay it at a bank (not directly to customs) thereby risking missing your departing flight home, the misdemeanour stamp in passport with possible future restrictions etc. If staying longer is completely out of your control they might let it go. Their discretion works both ways. For all my few dozen entries I have had it left blank or marked in as 90 days by the officer.

I found what looks like a paper version, but it might be more detailed than the current online declaration form, and perhaps also aimed at contact tracing. Do you actually need to enter your accommodation addresses? That would suggest you should have them handy at the point of doing the electronic form entry. From what I’ve read written in Portuguese by travel guides, etc, your addresses in Brazil are not required. The version below might, however, have been for the H1N1 influenza pandemic of 2009. Some of the symptoms are not among the usual signature signs of CoV.

Well now you seem to be providing a different version of the contents of the email that you received. You did not earlier indicate that the email contained your name and passport number! it seems to me that those personal details along with acknowledgement of receiving your declaration ticks all the boxes. And perhaps you did receive two notices. The first one indicating your email was registered to complete the form, along with the link to the declaration form. The second one the confirmation that the completed form was received. The thing is: if there is yet again a follow-up confirmation with more details, then the total email notifications would amount to three. Anyway, do what you think you need to do. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it the night before your flight. Bon voyage.

I have it on very good authority, a personal contact, that you just need to produce the simplistic email that indicates receipt of the declaration. It means you agreed to, and made, the statement, etc. Strange, I know. I too would have expected something more elaborate required to produce to boarding agents, with my name on it, etc. Online materials in Portuguese are ambiguous and do not specify the format, other than printed or digital, but there are some references to needing to produce the “confirmation”. My email address contains my name. If not (eg, if you are babybear at yahoo), it is on your device and I guess that is satisfactory. If you are worried, show up early enough tomorrow, with your negative RT-PCR, for airline assistance.

Yeah, nobody’s clearing the SoCal protocol bar doing the limbo rock.

Never say, at this point in time in my presence, something ‘sucks’ ... unless I can get in on that. lol

It may be the national health minister who is a bit anxious today as he is to give testimony regarding a federal investigation into his dismissive conduct regarding the pandemic. Another of Bozo’s apuppepointments from the military.

... and trained to sniff out ‘low dead space’ syringes.

São Paulo abruptly decided to dial back the weekend restrictions. Starting this weekend it will be the regular Phase 2 Orange, not a hybrid of Phases 1 & 2. Restaurants etc permitted open every day until 20:00 hrs. Alcohol while seated, 40% capacity, blah blah blah.

Weird how certain props and behavioural adjustments are starting to emerge, with barely an explained rationale, all seemingly out of nowhere.

... to Cuba and Dominican Republic for the next full 3 months. We don’t want to export our fairly high levels of novel coronavirus into their vulnerable populations.

That SS surge just west of BKK really jacked up the exposure risk metrics for that area. Any random group of 14 people contains a carrier at a 1% probability level. Still peanuts though.

I don’t mean to interfere but I would not hold my tongue for a personal close relation, so ... Thailand has committed to the Sinovac vaccine but the efficacy data are poor. It is launching in Brazil which was a main research location and was given emergency authorization there mainly due to political wrangling and desperation. You might consider holding out for the AstraZeneca vaccine that is also planned by Thailand. The low case incidence may allow the luxury of waiting a bit. The volume of doses is much higher than the SinoVac contract. There is a little Phase 1 vaccine research study apparently starting up at Chula U. It is mRNA model like the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna models. Everybody gets the vaccine; it is not placebo-controlled at this stage.

And one other, CanSino’s ongoing vaccine trial of 40,000 participants globally ... the ph # looks like one extra digit, may be incorrect. The research centre is 999 920 4004

Novavax has launched an additional Phase 3 study in USA and Mexico following its recently reported UK and South Africa results. Randomized double-blind placebo-control. May be of interest to some locals as it will be a coin-toss chance to get a vaccine sooner than ... probably ... much much later for non-priority categories.

That would be convenient, buying it from the street vendor along with your chiclets snack pack, considering that tourism reps in Mexico are suggesting getting it done through a lab is complicated and requires an appointment, and there is a long list of labs (without much added info) in a recent Washington Post piece that would deter most tourists. All over the news is the newly installed testing module at Mérida airport. Reading between the lines, it could get overrun depending on service request volume and on-spot backlog, as it is intended as a backup plan. How many people will not want the convenience?

Screenshot same piece ...

I am also posting the article on CoV testing here ... unfortunately new articles are bumping it down the list and you may have to scroll down to find it. I will try to screenshoot it. https://dominicantoday.com/dr/tourism/

Since many travellers were stranded this week, a local journalist has attempted to explain where to get CoV tested. Once the link opens you may need to click on the headline to get the full text. https://dominicantoday.com/dr/tourism/

Recent partial listing of RT-PCR locations Salvador Bahia ...

Yeah, seems to be a reasonable testing lead all over ... https://pickvisa.com/covid-19-test-centers/mexico/merida The listings in Rio don’t dovetail with the places already referenced on our forum, that are RT-PCR, so pickvisa is not likely fully comprehensive.