Everyone is getting vaccinated. Ok, not everyone. But a lot of people. In my home state of Florida, about half of the adult population (18+) has had at least one dose. A bit more than half of those are fully vaccinated against COVID19. People are starting to travel in larger numbers, even those without a vaccine.
About five weeks ago, I traveled to Guatemala, where I am planning to be for most of 2021. While very few people here are vaccinated at all – smaller, poorer countries can’t afford to buy up as many vaccines as the United States government has – the Guatemalan government does require all visitors to test negative for COVID19. This means, before I came, I had to take a test in the United States. It was the only time I’ve taken a COVID19 test. And it was not fun. In fact, a few minutes after the nurse stuck the stick up my nose, I blacked out and passed out.
The Guatemalan government isn’t the only country requiring a negative COVID test to enter. The U.S. government started requiring one in January. However, in late February, the Guatemalan government updated its policy. If you have been fully vaccinated (at least two weeks before you travel into Guatemala), you no longer need to take a COVID test. Your proof of the vaccine is all that is needed. And that is totally common sense.
I travel internationally quite a bit and I’ve been vaccinated for everything from Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, and Yellow Fever. Some of those vaccines are required, others are simply recommended.
I was personally not interested in getting a vaccine for COVID19 anytime soon. I’m younger and healthy and have a strong immune system. I never get the flu shot. I also never get the flu. (Knocks on wood).
However, I don’t want to ever take that COVID PCR test again if I don’t have to. So, I will be signing up for the vaccine as soon as I return to the United States in late May. I might even wait out the two weeks if it means that I meet the Guatemalan standard to re-enter their country without needing a COVID PCR test.
Here’s my gripe: The United States government has not yet updated its policy. Even if a vaccinated U.S. citizen is trying to re-enter our country from an international destination like Guatemala, we still have to be subjected to an inhumane COVID PCR test. That really defies logic. It’s hard to believe the Guatemalan government is more in line with common sense than the U.S. government. I think it’s now past time for the United States to lift this policy for vaccinated citizens. After all, if we are trying to persuade more people to get vaccinated against COVID19 – trust me, it is a great incentive!
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AmericanActionNews.com
Francisco Gonzalez
Francisco Gonzalez is founder and CEO of Fearless Journeys and host of the Agents of Innovation podcast, where he interviews entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and artists. He is also visiting professor at the Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala City, teaching courses on entrepreneurship and innovation. He was previously the director of philanthropy for National Review Institute. He serves on the boards of The Philadelphia Society, AMIkids Orlando, and on the Advisory Council for Turning Point USA.
Update for national use & make public
Update data & quit moving “goalposts” on lockdowns & masks
Everything COVID MUST BE ENDED ALREADY. It was a pre planned operation by the CCP, Gates, Fauci, the WHO, BIg Pharma, Central Bank, and the big corporations to cause death and economic destruction. This then allows the globalist elites to initiate their “reset” to begin manipulating and controlling the entire world. Don’t cooperate with this evil plan. Take back your Constitutional rights. They have utilized fascist techniques to conquer and divide us all, because they know there is power in numbers. There are more of us than them–so we have to stand up for freedom. There are perhaps 3000 of these “elites” and millions of us, not just here in America, but worldwide! Just because an emergency was initiated, doesn’t give any of these elites the right to force any of this including the experimental vaccines. It is all illegal and now every step the “Biden” administration is taking moves us further away from Democracy and closer to totalitarian control.
The reason that Trump was leading most states by 20% to 40% and around 0300 globalist media simply stopped counting votes and simply created numbers to appoint globalist puppet, chester the molester biden .
Francisco all the vaccines are probably no good for you. However you are a smart man check the “ingredients” in the new ones including aborted feta; cells. Finally see HenryMakows’s website and the recent article by Gary Barnett on the real end game. Not pretty – in fact satanic. You really want to participate in face masks, no love hugs (what “they” call social distancing) and a so called “test” that is “accurate” that you described graphically. Come on Francisco the test itself, from the inventor of the test no less he says the test IS NOT ACCURATE! Why participate in this scheme. Tell them to shove it and if more folks did this would stop and stop fast. Wise up and quit sharing JUNK SCIENCE at best and at worst demonic propaganda and indoctrination. Truly the TRUTH does make you free and there is NO TRUTH in the covid vaccine, social distancing or the test itself. The TRUTH “ain’t” pretty BUT it is the truth. – LP Greenville SC
“It’s hard to believe the Guatemalan government is more in line with common sense than the U.S. government.” Why? Because they require that ” we … be subjected to an inhumane COVID PCR test.” Gimme a break – I had a couple, and they weren’t that bad if the person administering it knows how to do it correctly. Since I have already had COVID-19 at 74 and it wasn’t that bad, I will skip the shot(s) and take the tests any day of the week that end in Y. You can enjoy all of the adverse effects if you want them (since you haven’t read much about the “vaccine”).
Correction to next-to-last sentence: “I will skip the shot(s) and YOU can take the tests any day of the week that end in Y.”
You might also point out that the U.S. is allowing thousands of illegals through the southern border without bothering to care or test. Supposedly some have tested positive and released into the country anyway. What a joke!
No standards for the illegal alien international travelers at the border. Covid 19 positive. Doesn’t matter let them in. No passport, no ID, let them in. Meanwhile, the legal travelers jump through an array of hoops. Total BS.