😷 COVID - Latest info about covid-related travel regulations/procedures (outbound)

Wouldn’t it be useful to have a sticky on International Travel called ‘Updates’?

The situation seems to be changing every day–especially relating to the booking of PCR tests. It would be good to know where to look rather than needing to scroll through tens/hundreds of irrelevant posts in the hope of finding new information.

Personally, I have an eye condition that makes the above procedure very painful. But I am sure it would save everyone a lot of time.

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Good idea, I will change the thread title and allow only post with relevant new information about traveling related to Covid.

:exclamation:NOTE
BELOW, PLEASE ONLY POST RELEVANT NEW INFORMATION.
EVERYTHING ELSE WILL BE DELETED.

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How about adding a short summary of the info on top of each post? Easier to go through the info that way.

I will try to do it with each new post. Let’s see how that goes.

So if there is anything in brackets at the top of a post it’s added by the Mod.

Thanks moderator for the flexibility. Things that would be useful for me (and others too, I guess) would be news about best places for PCR test, places to avoid, problems faced with booking PCR, etc. Also, sudden changes to flight schedules or airport procedures, etc. Anything that might be useful to someone considering international travel during this phase of covid.

Thanks.

[TAIPEI - SAN FRANCISCO VIA GUAM]

I flew TPE to SFO recently, which had an added technical stop in Guam. If I understood the explanation correctly, the technical stop was added because non-TW based flight crews are no longer allowed to stay overnight in TW. So for this flight, they were flying to TPE with a Guam-based crew and then in Guam the Guam-based crew gets off and the SFO-based crew gets on. No passengers get on or off.

Sure this changes the economics of keeping certain routes going (flight was 16 hours instead of 12) so if the situation continues to deteriorate, I’m guessing airlines might have to make adjustments to these routes, like reducing flights where the costs are higher and/or demand is decreased.

Maybe something to think about when planning travel.

I would think getting a PCR test 72 hours before travel is becoming an issue with travellers. I have wasted a lot of money on my phone being told that tests are not being conducted for foreigners. I do not speak Chinese very well, so this is another issue. I live in Taoyuan and have decided to try and get the test in Taoyuan, Hsinchu or even Taichung. That seems safer than being directed to New Taipei where you might actually pick up what you are trying to prove you don’t have.

Can ammyone sugest a good procedure for finding a place that will give a test right now?

I got my test at a walk-in hospital thingie in Zhonghe, although I had an appointment booked a few days later in Taipei. I just wanted to get out a few days earlier. Not a good experience but what can you do? Just pay attention to the people around you and protect yourself the best you can.

I think you’re going to have to go down the list of hospitals that offer self pay COVID tests and make phone calls. If you don’t speak Chinese, try to find someone who can help you.

Unfortunately I don’t think it’s realistic to expect that you’ll be able to do a test in a completely “safe” place at this point.

[SELF-PAID COVID TESTS AT TZU CHI HOSPITAL AND FAR EASTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN TAIPEI]

I was able to get an appointment at Tzu Chi Hospital in Taipei for the week after next. It looks like now they have appts starting June 9th and later.
Self-paid Covid-19 Test - 台北慈濟醫院 (tzuchi.com.tw)

Also Far Eastern hospital, but you can only book 13 days in advance so I think you just need to be really quick when you want the appointment

FAR EASTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL-Out-of-pocket COVID-19 PCR testing (femh.org.tw)

I hope this is helpful to someone. I spent a long time yesterday calling around to different hospitals trying to get an appointment.

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Thanks. I found the Far Eastern form impossible to submit.

Yeah, me too, that’s why I gave up on it. The Tzu Chi one was very easy, although for some reason it wouldn’t accept my entire name so I just used my last initial. Taipei Veteran’s hospital in Shipai was the easiest - they have an online form and bookings for a new day open every night at midnight (I called and asked). You can book 13 days in advance, but you have to be quick. It’s like getting tickets to a rock concert - all the bookings filled up in about an hour so try exactly at midnight 13 days before you want the test.

Thanks again. Do you know any-

Online forms that work?
Hospitals you can phone that speak English?

If so, links would be appreciated. I tried Tzu Chi Memorial Hospital but the recorded message was wholly in Chinese.

And if there is an online page for booking a PCR at the Veteran’s Hospital. I can’t see it. But the page–in English–is very long and gives exhaustive details about the departments.

I found an online form for a Taichung hospital.

Unfortunately, there are 18 pages to complete–including one where you download a hospital PDF and complete it. 18 pages!

Did you try this? Register for out-of-pocket PCR testing for COVID-19 (vghtpe.gov.tw)
The first page lists all the requirements, scroll down and click “I understand” and then follow the prompts. Starting at midnight, they should open is for the next day (June 8th in this case). I couldn’t figure it out either, so I called them and they were really helpful. I was able to get someone on the phone who spoke really good English. Also, MOHW hospital in Xinchuang (sorry I don’t know a link right now) does walk - ins and I was able to talk to someone there in English. She told me come before 7 am on the day that you want the test, have your passport, plane ticket and the application form ready and you can do it that day. That’s going to be my last resort if for some reason Veterans cancels my appointment. Hope that helps you. I know how discouraging it is to try to find an appointment.

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Thanks for taking the time. I don’t have my flight ticket yet. I aim on flying around 17 June. But I want to do my research to avoid a last second dash. The situation is changing and while it was probably easy 10 days ago, it is now difficult.

What was the first hospital? Is it the one you are using? Both in Taichung?

No, they are both in Taipei. I’m not sure about hospitals in Taichung, sorry. But you definitely do need to book an appointment 13 days in advance at most hospitals, so I would get a few in mind and then closer to your flight start trying to book. Or maybe some you can even book now, I saw a few that were booking 3-5 weeks in advance. (For instance, Tri Services in Neihu is booked for the next 5 weeks!)

Sorry, my confusion. I am in Taoyuan and Ia[prp wpo;d be fine. I think Taichung got mentioned as a place where one might easily get tested.

Could we just name a few hospitals in Taipei where you can still book?

Tri Services? Would you very kindly just write the names of the 2 or 3 best possibilities in Taipei? ?

Why are Tri Services free?

It would be great if we could make a list of about 10 hospitals here that give a good chance of success.

If I can find a hospital that will do it in the next few days, I might go easrly…

https://shh.tmu.edu.tw/upload_files/covid/ask.htm

Show up early, wait in line, get your test, get the results same day or next. Yes, it’s in Zhonghe. But at this point my opinion is that you don’t have many/any “safe” hospital options anyway, and the longer you wait, the higher the risk that going to a hospital gets even riskier.

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True enough. But I am just not sure what’s going on in New Taipei right now and I would avoid going there until I had exhausted all possibilities in Taoyuan. In extremis I would go to Taichung fir a day.

A consideration is how expensive all this phoning is. I have spent 1000 NTD in a couple of days, getting nowhere.