When will DR open for International travel??????

[austriaco]

Agreed and many more will die in moto accidents to and from work this year in DR than die of coronovirus. Shouldn't all motos seized ?

Can you explain your calculation? There is less then 3000 death for all traffic accidents in DR. Take the 1% death rate and you get 100 000 death from the virus.

Just today reading about a Dominican doctor telling the newspaper that there is many more death then reported. Its entirely possible that in one month there was already more dead of virus then of motor in a complete year.

 

[KyleMackey]

That is correct.

Jetblue is currently using Embraer 190's (smaller) instead of their normal A-320's for repatriation purposes.

Delta/Jetblue/AA are all showing regular flights resuming to the DR in early May..................those will likely be cancelled this week if Medina's State of Emergency powers get extended.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Nice aircraft looks like a smaller A320 or 737.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

From Canadian Embassy Santo domingo

SUBJECT : Repatriation to Canada: Important information on returning to Canada

The Embassy of Canada in the Dominican Republic is attempting to organize a final repatriation flight. If successfully scheduled and approved by authorities in both countries, this repatriation flight would be the last flight returning to Canada from the Dominican Republic for the foreseeable future. As such, if you wish to depart please provide the following information via email – at sdmgo.consul@international.gc.ca - as soon as possible so that the Embassy can contact you starting on Monday, April 27, regarding your prospective booking and departure:

Name:
Accompanying travellers’ names:
Contact information (cell phone number and email):
Location in the Dominican Republic:
Final destination in Canada:

If you are unable to take this flight and need to remain outside Canada for an indeterminate period, review our important advice on what you should do while abroad: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/covid-19-security

Given the closure of all land, sea and air borders by the Dominican Republic on March 19, the Embassy of Canada is coordinating with the local authorities and WestJet to attempt to arrange a repatriation flight from Puerto Plata or Santo Domingo direct to Toronto, Canada. This flight would depart in the first week of May.

Please note:
• You must be in possession of a valid passport in order to travel.
• This will be a Government of Canada contracted chartered flight and, as such, we cannot accept WestJet credits. Each passenger will have to pay for a ticket which is now estimated at to cost CAD $870. All refund or credit inquiries should be directed to WestJet via their normal operations and scheduled flights.
• Travelers that require onward travel after arrival in Toronto are required to make their own arrangements separately.
• In order to board the flight, you will need to bring your own non-medical mask or face covering and wear it as directed by authorities to your final destination. A mask will not be provided at the airport and is mandatory for travel. For further information and guidance, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/public-hea...tructions-sew-no-sew-cloth-face-covering.html.
• Due to seasonal restrictions, in cargo pets cannot be accommodated by the airlines. In cabin pets are at the discretion of the airlines. For more details please check the airlines animal acceptance policies for:

a. service and emotional support animals - https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/travel-info/special-needs/service-animals
b. pets in the cabin - https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/travel-info/pets

• If you present symptoms related to COVID-19, WestJet will deny your boarding in order to ensure the safety of other passengers on the plane.
• The airline will permit each passenger on this flight one (1) standard carry-on item of maximum 10 kg and one (1) 23-kg piece of checked luggage. The weight limit and amount of luggage will be strictly enforced.

Who can board this flight?

Ticketing will be limited to Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents of Canada, and their immediate family members (parent, spouse, dependant child) who hold valid visas to Canada (or eTA pass where applicable) and who will be travelling to Canada for an essential purpose, as well as other very specific categories of individuals exempted from the current entry restrictions. This is in accordance with the Government of Canada’s Interim Order to Prevent Certain Persons from Boarding Flights to Canada due to COVID-19. If you do not currently hold a valid visa, the Embassy of Canada will not be able to issue one in advance of this flight.

COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program

If you decide not to take this flight, you may no longer be eligible to the COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program. More information on the loan program is available at https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/emergency-info/financial-assistance/covid-19-financial-help

When you arrive in Canada

Upon return to Canada, you must self-isolate (quarantine) for 14 days upon arrival even if you do not have COVID-19 symptoms. For additional information regarding your obligations after returning to Canada, including specifics on provincial regulations, please see: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-hea...us-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html.

Please consult the Government of Canada’s latest updates on COVID-19 for information regarding who may enter Canada at this time: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...s-covid19/travel-restrictions-exemptions.html.

Transport Canada’s new requirement

Transport Canada (TC) has implemented measures requiring air operators to verify that all travellers have a removable cloth face covering available for use during their trip, even if the travellers are not showing any symptoms.

When travelling by air, Canadians will be asked to cover their mouth and nose where possible, and must do so when a two-meter distance between them and others cannot be observed. Travelers who do not have one available for their trip will be denied entry into the sterile area, or boarding on the aircraft.

It is the travellers’ responsibility to bring the required cloth face covering to the airport. They will not be provided with one if they do not have one. Canada’s embassies, high-commissions and consulates abroad are not in a position to provide face coverings.

For further information and guidance, you may visit:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-hea...tion-risks/instructions-sew-no-sew-cloth-face covering.html While still abroad While you are still in Dominican Republic, we would like to remind you to adhere to local quarantine and curfew measures to prevent the spread of the virus, and to continue to check with other commercial airlines for upcoming flights that might be departing the country.

Please share this important information with other Canadian citizens in your area.

Thank you,

The Embassy of Canada in the Dominican Republic

 

[playacaribe2]

7 days ? The quarantine should be 14 days. Well, at least, that s the number, they keep on throwing.

I don't think it would be feasible if/when commercial flights resume, don't think DR has facilities for quarantine for daily flights. I suspect it will be self-quarantine for logistic reasons.

She is currently quarantined, according to her, for 7 days at an Aduana hotel? As she arrived, she had her temperature taken, was fumigated (her words) and when she asked if anyone has tested positive on the flight............the answer was a polite "not allowed to say".................but the facial expression accompanying the statement left her with a different impression.

Not sure why it is 7 days and not 14.........but the quarantine facility is apparently quite a nice place..........they just cannot use the pool.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[Africaida]

She is currently quarantined, according to her, for 7 days at an Aduana hotel? As she arrived, she had her temperature taken, was fumigated (her words) and when she asked if anyone has tested positive on the flight............the answer was a polite "not allowed to say".................but the facial expression accompanying the statement left her with a different impression.

Not sure why it is 7 days and not 14.........but the quarantine facility is apparently quite a nice place..........they just cannot use the pool.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

That is the scariest part

 

[nickdr]

My wife and I are stuck here in Puerto Plata.

We originally had a flight with United POP-EWR for May 7 that was canceled. We booked another one with AA POP-MIA-DCA. This morning it stopped showing up as for sale to the public. We called AA and said it is "zeroed out"; meaning not canceled yet but will be canceled in the future because POP is not allowing flights in.

We want to get out of here ASAP. Looking at JetBlue flights from Santo Domingo to JFK for May 5 or 6 (they are still available on JetBlue website). Does anyone know when POP will open up. We have never been to Santo Domingo. Are there any reliable taxi services to get us from POP to Santo Domingo and are there roadblocks / travel restrictions that are still in place? (we heard they were lifted?)

Thanks for any info.

- Nick

 

[Tonchi]

A friend of my wife's, a Dominican citizen from Moca, was repatriated from NY last evening on a Delta flight. They are all now in 7 day quarantine in Santo Domingo.

The takeaway is that any possible commercial flight resumption, and there seem to be many here waiting/hoping for a speedy resumption, would likely come with a quarantine for at least 7 days..........and if this repatriation flight is an example....................it is not a self quarantine.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

So a legal resident that just returned had to go into some mandatory government run hotel?

I am guessing its not a brothel or attached to an open massage shop, which could make the time pass faster.

 

[chico bill]

Can you explain your calculation? There is less then 3000 death for all traffic accidents in DR. Take the 1% death rate and you get 100 000 death from the virus.

Just today reading about a Dominican doctor telling the newspaper that there is many more death then reported. Its entirely possible that in one month there was already more dead of virus then of motor in a complete year.

Let's just stick to the government's official numbers, not some word of mouth, and there are 282 deaths so far from the virus. If you want to project that 100,000 will die feel free. That's just doomsday projections. Let's hope it doesn't come true and the doctors are better than that

 

[playacaribe2]

My wife and I are stuck here in Puerto Plata.

We originally had a flight with United POP-EWR for May 7 that was canceled. We booked another one with AA POP-MIA-DCA. This morning it stopped showing up as for sale to the public. We called AA and said it is "zeroed out"; meaning not canceled yet but will be canceled in the future because POP is not allowing flights in.

We want to get out of here ASAP. Looking at JetBlue flights from Santo Domingo to JFK for May 5 or 6 (they are still available on JetBlue website). Does anyone know when POP will open up. We have never been to Santo Domingo. Are there any reliable taxi services to get us from POP to Santo Domingo and are there roadblocks / travel restrictions that are still in place? (we heard they were lifted?)

Thanks for any info.

- Nick

Contact the embassy in SD. There is a repatriation flight tomorrow afternoon from SDQ/JFK. I do not recall if it is on JetBlue or Delta....or if space is still available.

Good luck.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[playacaribe2]

So a legal resident that just returned had to go into some mandatory government run hotel?

I am guessing its not a brothel or attached to an open massage shop, which could make the time pass faster.

Actually, she is a citizen of the DR and was stranded in the US when flights got shutdown.

The facility is the Club de Aduana, Santo Domingo East. From her accounts, quite a nice place to be quarantined.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[Timotero]

Contact the embassy in SD. There is a repatriation flight tomorrow afternoon from SDQ/JFK. I do not recall if it is on JetBlue or Delta....or if space is still available.

Good luck.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

To receive information from the U.S. Embassy while in the DR, it is helpful to be enrolled in the State Departments STEP program (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program). You should be able to enroll here:

STEP

step.state.gov

The U.S. embassy in SD also been sending out a daily email with updates on the questions you inquired about. You should be able to subscribe to it here:

Homepage

The mission of the United States Embassy is to advance the interests of the United States, and to serve and protect U.S. citizens in the Dominican Republic.

do.usembassy.gov

Good Luck.

 

[Caonabo]

Can you explain your calculation? There is less then 3000 death for all traffic accidents in DR. Take the 1% death rate and you get 100 000 death from the virus.

Just today reading about a Dominican doctor telling the newspaper that there is many more death then reported. Its entirely possible that in one month there was already more dead of virus then of motor in a complete year.

Can you please provide the link to the article you were reading just today. I am pretty sure many of us would like to be kept up to date of details as such.

 

[johne]

She is currently quarantined, according to her, for 7 days at an Aduana hotel? As she arrived, she had her temperature taken, was fumigated (her words) and when she asked if anyone has tested positive on the flight............the answer was a polite "not allowed to say".................but the facial expression accompanying the statement left her with a different impression.

Not sure why it is 7 days and not 14.........but the quarantine facility is apparently quite a nice place..........they just cannot use the pool.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Who pays the hotel bill??

 

[playacaribe2]

The government is picking up the tab for the quarantines.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[Tonchi]

The government is picking up the tab for the quarantines.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Have they seen how much I can eat?

 

[Tom0910]

My wife and I are stuck here in Puerto Plata.

We originally had a flight with United POP-EWR for May 7 that was canceled. We booked another one with AA POP-MIA-DCA. This morning it stopped showing up as for sale to the public. We called AA and said it is "zeroed out"; meaning not canceled yet but will be canceled in the future because POP is not allowing flights in.

We want to get out of here ASAP. Looking at JetBlue flights from Santo Domingo to JFK for May 5 or 6 (they are still available on JetBlue website). Does anyone know when POP will open up. We have never been to Santo Domingo. Are there any reliable taxi services to get us from POP to Santo Domingo and are there roadblocks / travel restrictions that are still in place? (we heard they were lifted?)

Thanks for any info.

- Nick

I went to SDQ from Sosua by taxi and went SDQ-JFK_BOS on April 14th. There were two roadblocks but we went right through,I was prepared with a printed copy of my flight itinerary and passport. Those roadblocks have been removed since then but I would be prepared by having flight itinerary handy. My biggest rpoblem was getting an Uber once I landed in Boston,there basically weren't any because the airports are empty. 9 people on one plane and 10 on the other.

 

[rubio_higuey]

Can you explain your calculation? There is less then 3000 death for all traffic accidents in DR. Take the 1% death rate and you get 100 000 death from the virus.

Just today reading about a Dominican doctor telling the newspaper that there is many more death then reported. Its entirely possible that in one month there was already more dead of virus then of motor in a complete year.

If the whole country would get infected that would be about 10,000 deaths, as the death rate in such case is estimated to be 0.1%

And of course there are more deaths than reported... because there are way waaaay more infections

I point you the the Stanford, NY City, USC and Imperial College studies...
also see El Caribe looong but very explanative article today

see the link below where it's been posted

Coronavirus - In the DR

And this is the plan (which no one will accept) to reopen businesses. No way they can enforce this. August 22 for restaurants - ridiculous. The proposed plan for reopening announced I won't list all the businesses but there will be 5 stages : Stage 1: (May 11th) - Call Centers, fumigators...

dr1.com

 

[rubio_higuey]

So a legal resident that just returned had to go into some mandatory government run hotel?

I am guessing its not a brothel or attached to an open massage shop, which could make the time pass faster.

Everybody has to... in most countries. In some countries it's home isolation, but most countries escort you to a government run quarantine facility.

 

[johne]

Do you think that 99.9 % of the people are following the day by day life in the DR during the crisis? Do you think that when it is all said and done the background on covid-19 will read any different (or worse) than any city, state or country in the world. I sometimes believe that we here on DR1 believe, and I don't know why, that the recovery will be far worse than ALL other destinations. Why believe that people will have a burning image in their head around Aug or Sept (when the fireplaces get lit in the damn cold of the N.E. or up in the frost mountains of Canada ) that they will say "Hey, cross the DR off the list". Hell no. Why? Same excellent reasons as always. Caribbean island less than 4 hours away from the now Capital Of Covid-19.That didn't change. And a whole bunch of reason we discuss day after day.

Maybe, we are too close to the forest? So, I went to Google and put in the magic words of covid and the Dominican Republic. The first page of the first 15 hits reads just like any other city or state or country that has been afflicted . Of course there is a travel advisory at level 4. That is during the crisis and while the DR is locked down. Thats normal and the same as NYC my friends. They will read all of the same stuff in a couple of months that every country is going to report.
Don't underestimate the will of the Dominican people, the need to vacation, the ability of hotels and airlines to attract people. And pray.

 

[Clandestino]

Hello,

There’s been a price change on the following destinations and dates: Newark to Santo Domingo Thu, Jul 2–Mon, Jul 6 Round trip · 1 adult Your tracked flight 12:23 AM – 4:15 AM United · Nonstop · EWR–SDQ $2,242 $374

Received the above Google Flight alert at 6:48 pm. Checked other locations like POP for JUL and AUG from EWR and regular economy jumped from 524 (yesterday) to 866 now. I hope this is not a trend for the other airlines. I suspect they are anticipating the removal of the middle seat and raising fares immediately. I guess I could reach Platinum status at these prices if they remain this high.