You Tested Positive in a Foreign Country. Here’s What You Should Do Hannah Sampson - Washington Post
go to original January 20, 2022

A honeymoon. A work assignment. A family visit abroad.

These and untold other trips were disrupted in the past several weeks as the highly transmissible omicron variant pushed global coronavirus cases to new highs. And as travelers stuck in France, Dallas, Dubai, Costa Rica and elsewhere discovered, getting back home after testing positive on a trip can be a tricky proposition.

Everyone who leaves the United States needs to present a negative coronavirus test or proof of recent recovery from the virus before reentering the country. But aside from that overarching rule, the nuances can vary widely.

John Rose, chief risk and security officer for the travel management company Altour, said the country a traveler is visiting may be much more strict than the one they left.

“They’re not trying to punish the traveler; they’re trying to keep their population safe,” he said. “They may have more stringent quarantine policies than the United States does.”

You asked: How do I find a coronavirus test in a foreign country?

And while those rules can be “all over the place,” he does have some universal recommendations, including buying travel insurance that covers hospitalization, trip interruptions and delays, and learning about travel restrictions in the destination country from a site called Sherpa.

The U.S. State Department warns citizens traveling internationally that they may have to extend, at their own expense, their stay abroad if they test positive. Travelers also are subject to the quarantine requirements in the country they are visiting. The department offers country-specific information on U.S. Embassy websites, which may include instructions for what to do in case of a positive test.

The department says citizens who test positive abroad should contact their accommodations and airlines about options for staying longer and rescheduling a flight; check embassy websites for English-speaking health-care providers if they need medical treatment; and contact the nearest embassy or consulate if they need help or have questions. Many countries will require proof of a negative test to leave quarantine, the department says.

The Washington Post spoke to several travelers who tested positive on recent trips — domestic and international — to hear their stories and learn from their experiences. Here’s what they learned.

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