AK - Test Negative or Stay Home

[Sccritterkiller]

And yes....for the record....I do think the next potential logical step for Alaska (and other states) could be to lock out travelers from states with excessively high positive test results. I've said all along that almost anything can happen wrt the pandemic and subsequent social restrictions. Personally....I think we're at a point where Alaska hunts could simply get wiped this (remaining) season.

What is the determining factor to declare a excessive high positive. I live in SC...Charleston proper is has like 11k cases...my county, which is 2.5hrs away from Charleston hasn't just broke 900 total since March? Very interesting discussion...Good Luck to all you trying to navigate this mess.

 

[KJH]

I guess I did it already... kind of...

I just got back from a couple weeks of being in AK and doing a remote float/fish/scout trip. I left on June 30th and came back on July 17. I went to a local clinic about 56 hours before I departed and they emailed me the results as I landed in Anchorage. I paid for the tests and they said they would arrive within 48-72 hours and they did.

Once you get there, it was a really simple and easy process. You get on your phone when you get there and fill out the form, then you show them your results and after that its like going any other time. It went so much smoother than I expected and I was worried about it, but now I know it was all for nothing. They were still testing people at the airport who agreed to quarantine until the results were in, but apparently that isn't going to happen anymore.

We got a voucher to get tested after 2 weeks in AK (not sure if this will be in effect with the new rules). You can do it at several places in the State or at the airport.

The only thing I caution is that there are towns and villages in the State that have their own rules and you need to get a permit ahead of time to travel there. If you get off the plane without it, the police greet you with a $1000 fine (i.e. Dillingham). I saw it happen. They don't tell you you need one when you get on the plane to go there and several people were surprised, pissed, and $1000 poorer when they landed.

I wouldn't let this scare you off, but you'll need to plan ahead. If they prohibit travelers from other states, then it doesn't matter anyway. I hope it works for everyone who plans to hunt there.

On a lighter note, I saw 3 awesome bulls. That made me happy.

 

[Robinhood21]

I guess I did it already... kind of...

I just got back from a couple weeks of being in AK and doing a remote float/fish/scout trip. I left on June 30th and came back on July 17. I went to a local about 56 hours clinic before I departed and they emailed me the results as I landed in Anchorage. I paid for the tests and they said they would arrive within 48-72 hours and they did.

Once you get there, it was a really simple and easy process. You get on your phone when you get there and fill out the form, then you show them your results and after that its like going any other time. It went so much smoother than I expected and I was worried about it, but now I know it was all for nothing. They were still testing people at the airport who agreed to quarantine until the results were in, but apparently that isn't going to happen anymore.

We got a voucher to get tested after 2 weeks in AK (not sure if this will be in effect with the new rules). You can do it at several places in the State or at the airport.

The only thing I caution is that there are towns and villages in the State that have their own rules and you need to get a permit ahead of time to travel there. If you get off the plane without it, the police greet you with a $1000 fine (i.e. Dillingham). I saw it happen. They don't tell you you need one when you get on the plane to go there and several people were surprised, pissed, and $1000 poorer when they landed.

I wouldn't let this scare you off, but you'll need to plan ahead. If they prohibit travelers from other states, then it doesn't matter anyway. I hope it works for everyone who plans to hunt there.

On a lighter note, I saw 3 awesome bulls. That made me happy.

Wow, good info, thanks for filling me in. We'll be flying into Dillingham

 

[Kevin Dill]

I really don’t see that happening but then again I’m a glass half full kinda guy

I am too actually. But age and experience has tempered my expectations toward being pragmatic and realistic also. A simple speck of non-living protein has proven that anything we thought could or would never happen....cannot be ruled out. All we can do is stay healthy, prepare, adapt...and HOPE things work out. I want all of us to get there and have great trips.

 

[Steve O]

The moral to MY story was, be proactive, talk to your doctor to get his advice on how to avoid a testing issue, and come up with a plan A, B, and C so you have as little chance as possible of getting screwed out of you trip.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

How convenient that he does this right after tourist season and right before hunting season. Wonder what the significance of August 11 is? I’ve had relatives wait 14 days to get their results in the lower 48. I’ve been tested in AK 3 times now and haven’t had to wait more than 2.5 days.

I’m sure there’s an expedited test for a nominal fee. someone is getting filthy rich on these test though.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

My family came down with a minor cold 2 weeks ago. My wife works in a big hospital, and, since she had a cough, she needed to get tested. Her test results took 6 days to get back. In the meantime she couldn't work and was required to use up her PTO. Now she's going to be short on PTO for our fall plans. I also had to get tested and got my results in 3 days, which was surprising. 4-10 days was the norm from what I was told when they did my test.

Not to derail the thread, but if she is working in the US, the Cares Act says that she gets up to 2 weeks of PTO that won't affect her accrued time off for testing and quarantine.

source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave

 

[sndmn11]

At the beginning of July wife traveled to WI to sit in on a surgery for her sister, and then three days later, drove her home to GA. Their mother met them in GA, and on the 4th had a headache and cough. My sister in law developed the same on the 5th, and my wife on the 6th. My wife flew home to CO on the 5th. She got her test on July 7th, and the doctors were convinced that since they all presented symptoms within days, that it was not Covid. I started with sinus headache and shivers on the 11th, and our toddler son the same on the 10th. I have a history of sinus issues and have had multiple surgeries, so our doctor treated it as such.
This past Friday the 24th, two and a half weeks after my wife was tested, the results came back she was positive. I was tested yesterday, and told to expect another two to three weeks until my results were available.

You guys who are able to get test results quicker than that are fortunate.

 

[NoWiser]

Not to derail the thread, but if she is working in the US, the Cares Act says that she gets up to 2 weeks of PTO that won't affect her accrued time off for testing and quarantine.

source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave

The hospital she works at has over 500 employees so, apparently, they are exempt. Bad deal.

 

[Buddro]

I was told 2 to 7 days for my results to come back, they told me about 3 days later my results were negative but they wouldn't put it in writing until it was posted on the official New Mexico covid website. It's been over a month and still nothing...

 

[mcseal2]

I live in Kansas and have been checking the Topeka and Kansas City areas for a test site that will guarantee 72 hour results. I have not found anything yet. I asked my physician and a couple friends that work in the medical field. A friend going on the hunt from Wichita has found nothing either.

We are supposed to fly out mid September for caribou. I don’t yet have a new plan on how to make that work. I was tested once and results took 4 days. I hope to get something figured out.

 

[keller]

I can't believe the inconsistency in testing times. Supply and demand? I'm from wi my daughter had symptoms got tested. 20 hrs later positive result. County said rest of family needed to get tested with no symptoms.30 hours later the 3 of our tests came back negative.then the hospital didn't want to test us they were worried about false positives and negatives due to having no symptoms. The county said well either you have it or you don't??? So are these tests actually accurate????

 

[dieNqvrs]

I recently traveled into ANC airport. I had a test completed prior to leaving and I didn’t get the results in time. The Paperwork can be prefilled out and you get emailed a QR code for testers
To scan to view your info with out transmission. Or can scan a QR code in line and fill out while waiting in line. The form had a check box for been tested and awaiting results. Was no big deal. Told me when I get them to email to a specified account. If you go the testing route instead of quarantine you have to do a second test if staying longer than 14 days in state. Second test has to be after day 7. I went day 6 and they wouldn’t test. For 2nd test the Voucher for area clinic was way better than waiting in line in airport(day 6 attempt). I have been tested several times for work and the newer PCR nose swabs are greatly less painful than the older ones. It’s really no big deal now.

 

[KJH]

Wow, good info, thanks for filling me in. We'll be flying into Dillingham

Here's the link to the application. I'm just glad my pilot told me about it before I left. The City turned it around in 24 hours. :https://www.dillinghamak.us/vertica...Use_Travel_Permit_Application_2020-07_(1).pdf

 

[Panhandler80]

Not to derail the thread, but if she is working in the US, the Cares Act says that she gets up to 2 weeks of PTO that won't affect her accrued time off for testing and quarantine.

source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave

500 ee or less, and he said a really big hospital system.

 

[Panhandler80]

What is the determining factor to declare a excessive high positive. I live in SC...Charleston proper is has like 11k cases...my county, which is 2.5hrs away from Charleston hasn't just broke 900 total since March? Very interesting discussion...Good Luck to all you trying to navigate this mess.

I'm pretty much middle of the road on this thing, with a slight lean towards taking it seriously. However, Charleston doesn't HAVE 11,000 cases. Charleston has had 11,000 positives. It's been a standard practice of most counties adn states to parrot the aggregate and not their best guess as to "active" (if you will) positives. Of those 11,000 a handful have died, and the majority are back at work and living life. Just one thing to consider.

 

[Panhandler80]

I can't believe the inconsistency in testing times. Supply and demand? I'm from wi my daughter had symptoms got tested. 20 hrs later positive result. County said rest of family needed to get tested with no symptoms.30 hours later the 3 of our tests came back negative.then the hospital didn't want to test us they were worried about false positives and negatives due to having no symptoms. The county said well either you have it or you don't??? So are these tests actually accurate????

There are lots of different tests out there. Some are FDA approved, some are not. In Florida (at least where I am) only certain tests are accepted by the state. It's so messed up. Rather than trusting each county to test and report numbers, the county test... sends the info (if an approved test was used) to Florida Dept of Health, then they disseminate the info BACK to the counties to go public with. It's insane.

Here's what else is insane... if you get a negative with a non approved test, folks are sent about their way because the test are pretty darn accurate. However, because Tallahassee doesn't take those test results, those negatives are never reported.

Another issue that I have yet to get an answer for are second and third rounds of positive tests. Some employers require people to test negative before returning. As a result individuals are re tested. A friend of mine was tested three additional times after her initial positive. The third subsequent test was finally negative. What I don't know, and get an answer for is this: Did the state report her as ONE positive case, or THREE due to the other two positives that she got?

It's a mess.

Also, because everthing here must be run through the state, there is often a massive lag time in reporting. A report will come out "X cases today and Y deaths." However, that number might represent several days of sickness.

I'm so over it.

I'm coming into work but not seeing people. Having all groceries delivered. Seeing my parents and wifes parents only (need them for child care) and that's it. Not even doing drive through. Her parents are old and her mom is obese with diabetes. Wife pretty much has one functioning lung thanks to a bad car wreck (guy ran a red light at high speed). My boss is in hospital as of Tuesday morning. Co-workers brother in law went to hospital yesterday. I probably know 40 people who have come down with it. Don't know anybody personally who has died, but know of a couple. So yeah...we're taking it seriously, but the numbers are FUZZY! Back of my mind a big portion of the whole deal does stink. Time will tell.

 

[NoWiser]

My grandpa died from it this morning.

It's frustrating that it's almost impossible to get good information on this virus. But, I can understand why states like Alaska want to take an overly cautious approach. For many it's just an annoyance like the common cold, but obviously for some it's much, much worse.

 

[KHNC]

So much for US citizens rights to move freely between states.

 

[Trial153]

My grandpa died from it this morning.

It's frustrating that it's almost impossible to get good information on this virus. But, I can understand why states like Alaska want to take an overly cautious approach. For many it's just an annoyance like the common cold, but obviously for some it's much, much worse.

I am sorry for your loss.