Where to go for vaccine tourism?

[khinkali]

Thanks for your travel report @Bagpacker

96% are Iranians

This was most evident when I went. There was no chance of maintaining an orderly queue. Two of them started fighting. The nurse in charge took pity on me after a couple of hours.

it is a Georgian organisation

Those words don't go together. I'm only half joking, some things in Georgia are weirdly efficient and other things are not.

I'm pretty high risk so I'm glad I flew. I would like to do the train one day, mainly for the views.

In terms of OP's original question USA, Russia and Armenia are all possible vaccine tourist destinations. Maldives too. Armenia is certainly low-hassle and low-cost if you're in Europe/West Asia. Yerevan is rather pleasant so I'm pleased that I went there. And the restaurant prices are embarrassing.

 

[jjrapy]

Thanks for your travel report @Bagpacker

This was most evident when I went. There was no chance of maintaining an orderly queue. Two of them started fighting. The nurse in charge took pity on me after a couple of hours.

Those words don't go together. I'm only half joking, some things in Georgia are weirdly efficient and other things are not.

I'm pretty high risk so I'm glad I flew. I would like to do the train one day, mainly for the views.

In terms of OP's original question USA, Russia and Armenia are all possible vaccine tourist destinations. Maldives too. Armenia is certainly low-hassle and low-cost if you're in Europe/West Asia. Yerevan is rather pleasant so I'm pleased that I went there. And the restaurant prices are embarrassing.

USA certainly is. At least at Miami, Orlando and NY you could get a jab.
Maldives I’ve read about their vaccine offering to tourists mainly..

 

[Shlomo]

Thanks for your travel report @Bagpacker

This was most evident when I went. There was no chance of maintaining an orderly queue. Two of them started fighting. The nurse in charge took pity on me after a couple of hours.

Those words don't go together. I'm only half joking, some things in Georgia are weirdly efficient and other things are not.

I'm pretty high risk so I'm glad I flew. I would like to do the train one day, mainly for the views.

In terms of OP's original question USA, Russia and Armenia are all possible vaccine tourist destinations. Maldives too. Armenia is certainly low-hassle and low-cost if you're in Europe/West Asia. Yerevan is rather pleasant so I'm pleased that I went there. And the restaurant prices are embarrassing.

How would one go about getting the vaccine in Russia or Armenia? As far as I know, the border to Russia is closed. And if going to Armenia, how would one go about getting vaccinated?

 

[khinkali]

@Shlomo do you mean from Georgia? The Border to Russia isn't closed, but there are no direct flights. I opted for Yerevan for ease and also it seemed a nice place to go for a few days.

You need a PCR test taken within 72 hours to avoid quarantine in Armenia. And again to come back to Georgia. And again on the third day in Georgia.

I flew to Yerevan, got an Armenian SIM card at the airport and took a Yandex taxi to my hotel. I went to the NCDC ambulance in Northern Avenue for the jab. Another ambulance across the street does PCR tests for about $29. Dalma Garden Mall and Megamall also give vaccines to foreigners (hospitals and polyclinics don't seem to).

@Fred took the train instead and he seemed pleased with it.

 

[khinkali]

Sorry I meant @Bagpacker took the train. I was reading two threads at once.

He described his trip earlier in this thread.

 

[Shlomo]

I am not in Georgia, but I can just fly to Yerevan if I do a PCR test 72 hours in advance, then receive the Sputnik jab at either the Dalma Garden Mall or Megamall? What is the purpose of the ambulances with the PCR tests you mention? Is it when you went back to Georgia that you went there to do another PCR test? And what is the cost to receive the Sputnik jab at either Dalma Garden Mall or Megamall?

 

[khinkali]

The first ambulance I mentioned is the vaccination site at Northern Avenue. I assume that Dalma Garden Mall and Megamall also have ambulances, but I didn't look. You wait for a few minutes after the vaccine, if you have a reaction then the ambulance can take you to hospital. It's a good service (though queue system would be nice).

The second ambulance I mentioned is the PCR testing, it was about 20 yards from the Northern Avenue vaccination ambulance so very convenient for me to get a PCR (next day collection) to let me back into Georgia.

There is no cost for vaccination. I was offered AZ or some Chinese vaccine; I expect the options vary depending on supply.

You are asked for your address in Armenia; I gave the hotel name and room number. I have seen mention that an Armenian phone number is needed, so I got a SIM at the airport.

 

[backpacker]

I am not in Georgia, but I can just fly to Yerevan if I do a PCR test 72 hours in advance, then receive the Sputnik jab at either the Dalma Garden Mall or Megamall? What is the purpose of the ambulances with the PCR tests you mention? Is it when you went back to Georgia that you went there to do another PCR test? And what is the cost to receive the Sputnik jab at either Dalma Garden Mall or Megamall?

Please note that Sputnik is rarely available. As @khinkali already pointed out, it is mostly Sinovac or Astra Zeneca which is on offer. This was the same during my visit.
I spoke to the concierge at my hotel about it and he told me that every time he asked there was no Sputnik available.

 

[backpacker]

@khinkali
In an earlier post you mentioned to haven taken out GPI travel insurance. What do you use as a general health insurance: A local Georgian company or one of the international Expat health insurances like BUPA?
My Expat health insurance (not BUPA) is getting ever more expensive and it now reached a point where I have to question its value. Hence looking for an alternative.

 

[khinkali]

@Bagpacker I have GPI as I'm here all year and can just take travel insurance to go elsewhere. Some people on FB groups don't like it for some reason, but it's a big insurance group and inexpensive. I haven't needed to claim yet. The coverage amounts seem low by international standards, but then healthcare bills are also low.

 

[backpacker]

Thank you @khinkali
I just checked their offered plans. Many things seem to be excluded but plans are definitely affordable.
As we both know, it can be challenging to get reimbursed in this country. Therefore my final question: Did you ever make a claim? If so, does GPI make it difficult to get reimbursed? Or do they settle directly with the clinic?

 

[khinkali]

I haven't made a claim. Some people complained in FB about GPI but they didn't give any reasons. When I subscribed a while ago, GPI was the biggest provider to the Georgian Government so I figured they must have some reach.

When it comes to insurance I have no interest in claiming for small things I can afford. I just like to know it's there so if I'm rushed to hospital they can see I'm covered by an insurer they know well.

I can't imagine living somewhere and not getting insurance. Even if some emergency care is free, you don't want to start negotiating and going through credit cards when you're dizzy and bleeding.

 

[backpacker]

@khinkali
Fresh in the news

Foreigners living in Georgia will be able to receive Covid-19 vaccine | AGENDA.GE

Foreigners living in Georgia will be able to receive Covid-19 vaccines, the Georgian Ministry of Labour and Health announced earlier today.

agenda.ge

It might be helpful if this entire COVID hysteria requires repeated vaccination (which it probably will). The regulation is not too bad since the "3-months requirement" excludes most vaccine tourists.

 

[khinkali]

@Bagpacker I agree, it's not much use for vaccine tourists. But it's handy for someone in GE who would otherwise look to be a vaccine tourist. Armenia now requires you to have been in the country for ten days before getting the jab. That's fine (Yerevan is nice) but with cases rising, there is some risk of getting stuck due to a border closure. I expected GE to loosen up for short term visa holders and was very pleased to find they're also including visa free people.

 

[backpacker]

Armenia now requires you to have been in the country for ten days before getting the jab.

@khinkali Thank you for the info.
Is this ten-day requirement only for people who are in Armenia for their first jab? Or does this also affect You & Me who already had our first jab weeks ago and now only go there for the second (and final) shot?
Did you already take your second jab?

 

[khinkali]

@Bagpacker from what I read, it looks like a general rule. It might be worth asking if they will relax it for the 2nd jab. My concern was with cases rising in GE, the border might be closed while away and I had no real plan for that.

I don't have the second jab. I was weighing up the risk of going to AM but now I'm happy to wait 5 weeks (to satisfy 3 months in GE) and get it here. My understanding is that the vaccine card for 2nd dose just has the second dose info if the 1st dose was abroad, but that should be OK for travel.

 

[backpacker]

@khinkali A new total border closure is not what Georgia and the government can afford - politically and financially. However, they will most likely introduce severe limitations or even a complete ban on unvaccinated travellers once tourism season is over (probably not before September).

What makes me reluctant to take the second jab in Georgia is the mix of two jurisdictions. The Armenian vaccine card confirms that we received the first dose in Armenia. Georgia does not have access to the Armenian ARMED system and I doubt they accept the Armenian hand-filled vaccine card as proof of having received the first dose. If you now take the second dose in Georgia you will get a basic Georgian confirmation that you received the first dose or "a dose" in Georgia.
Georgia will most likely not give you a vaccine certificate if you do not take up both jabs in Georgia. Travelling without a certificate will get more and more difficult: When reading on places like "flyertalk" it seems that border-control of most countries requires conclusive vaccine certificates to accept your vaccination status.

I found these two local articles quite useful to understand the new system:
Armenia COVID-19: Electronic registration system to be introduced also in other mobile vaccination sites

Armenia is the new 'vaccination tourism' spot for Iranians

A new tourism trend has emerged as Iranian citizens now travel to get coronavirus vaccines in Armenia free of charge

jam-news.net

 

[khinkali]

@Bagpacker governments face hard choices if they believe their health system will be overloaded. Some people think that masks are the answer, others think that vaccines create herd immunity, some think that social distancing will solve the problem and some think that border closure is how to keep new variants out. If there is one thing we should know by now, it's that the media and public pressure will not necessarily align with the epidemiology.

I don't think that Georgia are about to close the borders. My personal calculation is based on what the hell would I do if that unlikely event happened...again. I didn't have a plan for that unlikely eventuality. So getting the second jab in GE gives a better risk/reward.

As for vaccine cards, we don't know how it will play out. Cyprus ask for evidence of two jabs. UK requires evidence of two jabs given in UK. EU seem to be heading for evidence of two jabs of some vaccines that have had EMA marketing approval. As if some how lack of EMA marketing approval has some epidemiolocal significance. And AZ from Serum Institute (the Word's top vaccine producer) is not recognised? Sick.

Vaccine nationalism, PPE nationalism, virus nationalism are now facts for us to deal with. At every moral juncture, the EU have seem to taken the immoral turn. That is something for us to worry about more generally, for the next few decades.

 

[backpacker]

And AZ from Serum Institute (the Word's top vaccine producer) is not recognised? Sick.

Indeed, total confusion due to illogical handling. What else to expect form these monkeys in Bruxelles.
Nevertheless, the AZ they give out in Armenia is Vaxzevria. That's at least what the Health Ministry says AstraZeneca Vaccine Used in Armenia Recognized by EU, Says Armenian Health Minister