COVID SAFETY REGULATIONS

COVID-19 Update: February 2, 2022 - Proof of Vaccination is required for Travel with Photo Quest Adventures.

As worldwide travel has resumed (albeit not in all destinations), our intention is to operate different photography tours throughout 2022, as conditions permit. At all times, however, the well-being of our guests and staff will continue to be our highest priority. For all of our photo tours and workshops, CDC-approved vaccinations are required. (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson and Johnson vaccines). If you are medically unable to be vaccinated, you must bring a negative PCR COVID test with you taken not more than 48 hours from the start of the workshop. At PQA, we operate our photography workshops and tours with the safety of our participants and guides as our highest priority. Our staff, leaders and local guides are all vaccinated and boosted. Our PQA Staff members are also certified Covid Compliance Officers and will travel on each Quest to make sure safety protocols are implemented. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are taking extra precautions to protect our Questers, guides, and the communities we visit. We are closely following new developments and will adjust our response accordingly.

Covid Safety Protocols:

-Most countries require a CDC card for entry—as well as a negative PCR COVID-19 test. A PCR COVID-19 viral test is required for all Questers to all destinations outside of their home, taken 48 hours prior to departure.

-We are committed to using the resources provided by the U.S. State Department, the CDC, the health authorities of respective countries, as well as our on-site travel partners to determine the safety of visiting a particular destination. If it is deemed unsafe to travel to a specific destination, we will alter the itinerary accordingly. We also will consult with our Locals on site for guidance on conditions where they live and work. Any additional protocol, other than in this notification, will be discussed in advance of each photography tour.
-Our small group sizes (generally less than 10 participants) already help provide a safe environment.

-Meals in restaurants will be managed according to the protocols in place. Each situation will require unique management and will be dealt with to the best of our ability for the comfort of all our Questers. We will monitor all eating establishments on a regular basis and will utilize only those that commit to maintaining a high level of cleanliness.

-Lodging: Guests will be in single rooms as long as they are available, and a single supplement will be charged.

-Transportation: We will have as few guests per vehicle as possible, and everyone should be masked while sharing a vehicle. In buses and vans, we will endeavor to have a seat open between guests. We will make sure vehicles will be regularly disinfected each day and that our drivers are fully vaccinated, boosted, and masked at all times.
-Portfolio reviews and instruction: All portfolio reviews will be in a room where social distancing can be maintained.

We ask all participants to comply with the following measures to ensure their safety and that of others:

-Do not attend a photography workshop/tour if you, or someone you have been in contact with, have had Covid-19 in the previous 7 days
You have NOT experienced symptoms of (please read carefully) (1) fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, (2) cough, (3) shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, (4) chills, (5) muscle pain, (6) sore throat, (7) new loss of taste or smell, (8) fatigue, (9) body aches, (10) headache, (11) congestion or runny nose, (12) nausea or vomiting, (13) diarrhea, or (14) any other symptoms relating to COVID-19 or any communicable disease.
Until it is found safe by the CDC, face masks will be required when indoors, in vehicles or when social distancing of six feet or more between people is not possible. Please be extra vigilant while traveling-Advise our PQA Staff immediately if you are feeling unwell or start to exhibit symptoms during a workshop/tour, and follow any instructions they provide.

Before any workshop/tour provide one of the following:
-Certificate of vaccination against COVID-19
-Certificate of previous COVID-19 infection
-Certificate of a negative PCR-test for COVID-19 administered within 48 hours of the photography workshop/tour. Bring your digital and printed copy.

-You must have mandatory Travel Insurance in place, including Cancel for any Reason coverage, in case of illness or an emergency – and because government travel restrictions and border entry rules can change at short notice.
-Bring 2-4 self-administered rapid test kits with you on our Quest in case you start to have symptoms.
-Bring a supply of face masks and hand sanitizer. Don’t use cloth masks. Use KN-95 or N-95 only.
-Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from individuals who are not part of your photography workshop/tour
-Adhere to all regulations, restrictions, and safety measures implemented by authorities in the region of travel.
-Stay up to date on government travel restrictions for your country of destination, plus returning to your home country – rules can change with short notice regarding destination entry requirements,

COVID-19 testing

We recommend Abbott Labs monitored BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test that has received emergency FDA approval. This is something that you should plan on getting ahead of your trip. Currently, all foreign nationals and returning US citizens will need to have a negative COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than one physical day, as opposed to a stricter 24-hour time frame, before you travel by air into the United States. Please note that these test kits are not the same as the ones you can buy in person at your local drug store. The Abbott Labs tests have testing monitored by professionals over the Internet.

We’ve now partnered with Covac Global to protect your return trip home!

Should you be diagnosed with COVID-19 while traveling more than 300 miles from home, Covac Global will arrange for medical transport back to your home country of record at no expense.

International travel back to the US at end of the workshop:

U.S. Entry Testing Requirement Lifted

Starting June 12, 2022, testing is no longer required for customers entering the United States. Foreign nationals must still be fully vaccinated to enter.. For these reasons it is extremely important to have the right travel insurance for each trip.

So, when the time is right for you, we look forward to welcoming you on Photo Quest Adventure, as we have already done for several hundreds of photographers in recent months. And while we know that travel will look different going forward, we also want to ensure that you still will enjoy an engaging and enlightening once in a lifetime experience, with opportunities for spontaneous photos and events. Communication with our Questers is important to us and we will strive to keep you up to date as conditions change. Please email us here for any questions you may have.