As of today, the Covid-19 vaccine is still being tested for how long it protects against Zika. There have been some recent cases reported of travelers returning to the US and testing positive with this virus after a routine vaccination was performed before a vacation. This can be a scary time for anyone who tests positive while traveling or during travel-related travails that include international locations.
The first important thing you should know about your situation is that, according to professionals in the field who are studying COVID-19 and its application, there are certain factors that come into play when trying to understand what could happen if you test positive for this virus while traveling via airplane or cruise ship.
For one thing, many people will not experience any symptoms at all, even if they are highly contagious. For others there may be an incubation period which could be as short as a week or as long as several weeks. This would depend on many factors including your physical health, your exposure to the virus, etc. Plus, once you have been infected with COVID-19 it is important that you follow through with recommended testing for this very serious condition before leaving consideration of travel up to another entity.
The next thing to keep in mind about what happens when you test positive with Covid-19 after an international flight has departed is that not all airlines will allow people who are showing signs of having contracted this particular disease–especially those requiring upon arrival back into the US or home country upon leaving an international destination–to board aircraft. If you wish to discuss what happens when COVID-19 has been contracted and you plan to fly home, it would be wise to check with your insurance carrier as some policies allow for such scenarios as well as covering costs associated with medical treatment during the course of a trip, should that need arise after having tested positive for this virus.
It is also important to keep in mind that if you test positive during travel and return home on your scheduled flight dates, there will likely be no charges against your airline ticket and/or hotel room fees due to any delays caused by testing positive with COVID-19 while traveling abroad. However, it might be best not to book any additional travel for a period of time after returning home just to be safe.
Please know that, should you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of testing positive for Covid-19 while traveling, there are many sources of help and support available to you. Airlines, your insurance carrier, local health officials, and online resources can all provide you with guidance during this difficult time.
