Hello All:
I know there are a lot of posts re: the COVID vaccine in this sub-forum. The audience for my post is other DR1 members who seek a vaccine ASAP and are running into problems.
If we can advise each other by way of leads, maybe that will be a help.
So this post is not for the vaccine hesitant but for those who have made up their mind and want to be vaccinated.
There are three options: the Dominican Republic, one’s home country (for me that’s the U.S.), and a third country.
The latest information I gather on the D.R. is that only citizens with a CEDULA are eligible for vaccination. At least that’s the case indicated by the national website, vacunate.gob.do Some weeks back the same site offered passports as an option but that choice has since been deleted. It’s possible that in late Q2 or Q3, when most of the population has been vaccinated, that the national policy on foreigners will change.
And then there is the possibility of jumping the line. My wife’s sister knows a physician who says that she will offer me the SinoPharm vaccination. Maybe you too have someone you know. My view on that is that it cannot be counted on and it’s better to start making serious plans that have a good chance of success.
So, for the time being, I am ruling out the D.R. as being viable except for the slim chance offered by luck and speculation.
Another option is a third country. A few days ago the NYT had an article about “vaccine tourism” in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Vaccine hesitancy in the general population is high and the writer interviewed medical personnel who are eagerly providing tourists with vaccinations. I explored airfares and COVID testing requirements (American Airlines via MIA) but when I explored hotels, I found that the cheapest was a whopping RD$10,000 per night multiplied by about three weeks for the second injection, which would come to about $3,500 USD, so I ruled out that option.
I hear that China is waving some visa requirements for travel to China if you agree to a vaccination, part of their “vaccine diplomacy” strategy. Their embassy is in Sto. Dom., so this should be easy to investigate. I stayed in Shanghai for several months in hostels at about $8.00 per night and the airfare is cheap, so I’d have no problem doing this. This is still on my list to investigate.
As regards the United States, if that is your home country, I had the idea of waiting for the one jab Johnson and Johnson vacc. and doing a quick turn around via CVS pharmacy in Miami. I began to explore this via the CVS website. That website is blocked in the D.R. To unblock it, use the cross-platform browser, Opera. Go to the Advanced section of settings and turn on the VPN (free), and you will get through.
Bad news! Only FL residents are eligible. When I go to my home state’s site, CA, more bad news. I tried making an appointment at myturn.ca.gov and the only appointments I could find in the state were in the rural area 30 miles from Fresno, an out-of-the-way city. Your home state may have its dedicated website. Additionally, a U.S. mobile phone number was required for identification for CA residents and, obviously, I don’t have that as I live in the D.R. There is a number to call if you don’t have a mobile phone, and I’ll follow up on that. (I can get one when I’m in the U.S.).
I’m fearful that in spite of being a U.S. citizen, the fact that I’m a resident of no state, could be an obstacle. Last year I sold my property in CA and discovered via my C.P.A. that for 12 years that I have been living in the D.R., that I was never a CA resident (per terms of FTB), and that I needlessly paid taxes. I did receive refunds for three years, the maximum, and I no longer pay state taxes. You might want to investigate that angle for your home state if you are paying state taxes . . .
Don’t know yet if I’m between a rock and a hard place: can’t get vaccinated in the D.R. because I’m not a citizen and can’t get vaccinated in my home country because I’m not a state resident.
Then there is the possibility of being vaccinated by your home country’s insurance/Medicare, etc. For me, I have Kaiser Senior Advantage and, thus far, there are no appointments available at Kaiser. I have written membership services. In this case, too, I would spend several thousand dollars for RT airfare as well as a hotel room for a month. I want to be rock solid on an actual vaccination if I’m going to make this sacrifice.
I have also found detailed information about testing requirements to enter the U.S. I did this via documentation at American Airlines. There are about seven tests that have eligibility. I would opt for the rapid antigen rather than PCR, as it’s simply a blood draw and is cheap and has a turn around time of hours. I have had bad experiences with Reference Labs in this country. If I need testing I will try Amadita and compare.
As I’ve enumerated my various attempts, of course, I am speaking for myself. YMMV.
If we can advise each other in a helpful way, I’ll be happy, and I hope you will too.
I know there are a lot of posts re: the COVID vaccine in this sub-forum. The audience for my post is other DR1 members who seek a vaccine ASAP and are running into problems.
If we can advise each other by way of leads, maybe that will be a help.
So this post is not for the vaccine hesitant but for those who have made up their mind and want to be vaccinated.
There are three options: the Dominican Republic, one’s home country (for me that’s the U.S.), and a third country.
The latest information I gather on the D.R. is that only citizens with a CEDULA are eligible for vaccination. At least that’s the case indicated by the national website, vacunate.gob.do Some weeks back the same site offered passports as an option but that choice has since been deleted. It’s possible that in late Q2 or Q3, when most of the population has been vaccinated, that the national policy on foreigners will change.
And then there is the possibility of jumping the line. My wife’s sister knows a physician who says that she will offer me the SinoPharm vaccination. Maybe you too have someone you know. My view on that is that it cannot be counted on and it’s better to start making serious plans that have a good chance of success.
So, for the time being, I am ruling out the D.R. as being viable except for the slim chance offered by luck and speculation.
Another option is a third country. A few days ago the NYT had an article about “vaccine tourism” in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Vaccine hesitancy in the general population is high and the writer interviewed medical personnel who are eagerly providing tourists with vaccinations. I explored airfares and COVID testing requirements (American Airlines via MIA) but when I explored hotels, I found that the cheapest was a whopping RD$10,000 per night multiplied by about three weeks for the second injection, which would come to about $3,500 USD, so I ruled out that option.
I hear that China is waving some visa requirements for travel to China if you agree to a vaccination, part of their “vaccine diplomacy” strategy. Their embassy is in Sto. Dom., so this should be easy to investigate. I stayed in Shanghai for several months in hostels at about $8.00 per night and the airfare is cheap, so I’d have no problem doing this. This is still on my list to investigate.
As regards the United States, if that is your home country, I had the idea of waiting for the one jab Johnson and Johnson vacc. and doing a quick turn around via CVS pharmacy in Miami. I began to explore this via the CVS website. That website is blocked in the D.R. To unblock it, use the cross-platform browser, Opera. Go to the Advanced section of settings and turn on the VPN (free), and you will get through.
Bad news! Only FL residents are eligible. When I go to my home state’s site, CA, more bad news. I tried making an appointment at myturn.ca.gov and the only appointments I could find in the state were in the rural area 30 miles from Fresno, an out-of-the-way city. Your home state may have its dedicated website. Additionally, a U.S. mobile phone number was required for identification for CA residents and, obviously, I don’t have that as I live in the D.R. There is a number to call if you don’t have a mobile phone, and I’ll follow up on that. (I can get one when I’m in the U.S.).
I’m fearful that in spite of being a U.S. citizen, the fact that I’m a resident of no state, could be an obstacle. Last year I sold my property in CA and discovered via my C.P.A. that for 12 years that I have been living in the D.R., that I was never a CA resident (per terms of FTB), and that I needlessly paid taxes. I did receive refunds for three years, the maximum, and I no longer pay state taxes. You might want to investigate that angle for your home state if you are paying state taxes . . .
Don’t know yet if I’m between a rock and a hard place: can’t get vaccinated in the D.R. because I’m not a citizen and can’t get vaccinated in my home country because I’m not a state resident.
Then there is the possibility of being vaccinated by your home country’s insurance/Medicare, etc. For me, I have Kaiser Senior Advantage and, thus far, there are no appointments available at Kaiser. I have written membership services. In this case, too, I would spend several thousand dollars for RT airfare as well as a hotel room for a month. I want to be rock solid on an actual vaccination if I’m going to make this sacrifice.
I have also found detailed information about testing requirements to enter the U.S. I did this via documentation at American Airlines. There are about seven tests that have eligibility. I would opt for the rapid antigen rather than PCR, as it’s simply a blood draw and is cheap and has a turn around time of hours. I have had bad experiences with Reference Labs in this country. If I need testing I will try Amadita and compare.
As I’ve enumerated my various attempts, of course, I am speaking for myself. YMMV.
If we can advise each other in a helpful way, I’ll be happy, and I hope you will too.