How Covid testing is affecting new sits

Sitters Questions, Advice & Chat
#1

We’ve just arrived at a beautiful house sit in Burgundy, France where we are looking after 3 dogs, 1 cat and 2 llamas. It’s interesting how sits are evolving at the moment with home owners crossing borders (which is quite common in Europe and permissable with testing).

The testing requirement for our owner to return to the Netherlands to see family means we’ve all had to wait 72 hours to see if their test is positive or negative. We are staying in the separate holiday gite and enjoying a slow handover, having arrived yesterday, and have just heard the owner is clear to travel tomorrow. But it could have been a positive retult meaning the sit wouldn’t have gone ahead. We did know this in advance.

This is the third sit since Christmas where we’ve had to wait for test results, all fortunately have been fine and we’ve got the flexibility to be able to go with the flow. Having a base and the campervan is certainly making these sits easier at the moment.

Really just raising it as something for other sitters to consider when booking sits under these conditions where tests are mandatory. And, just wondered if others have the same or similar experiences? Has anyone encountered a situation where the sit couldn’t proceed?

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#2

I don’t understand why owners living in France ask you a test : I sat last xmas in Saintes, in the west of France and the british family who lives there never asked me any test.
I sit next week in a house belonging to an australian lady living in France, she does not ask me any test. Is it because you are a foreigner ?

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#3

Not us… the owners have had to test, before they can leave France to go to the Netherlands. We haven’t ever been asked to have a test. But most French residents crossing borders out of France in Europe are having to 72 hours prior, and of course that means you can’t guarantee a sit will take place.

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#4

ok Vanessa, I was wrong then. Thanks for the information.
I planned to sit last Xmas in Switzerland as the owner wanted to go to Spain, but we both feared to be stuck in foreign countries…
This is why I sit only in France since last summer (we had been lucky to be able to avoid quarantine when we arrived in Kent, and when we came back to France. Just in between. People who were coming to England faced quarantine before and after our stay.)
But now when I apply I tell owners I’ve got tests, all negative. Problem it’s not valid long !

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#5

Thank you for this information @HousesittingMag which highlights the fact that COVID protocols vary widely and also highlights the need for thorough two way communication prior to confirming a sit.

Once both parties are happy with the arrangement and the sit is confirmed it’s important to keep communicating and plan the handover according to the prevailing local situation and everyone’s mutual agreement.

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#6

My last sit was in Dec 2019 and still am not able to take a sit due to restrictions for Canadians. When you arrive from out of the country you are taken directly to a gov’t assigned hotel (At Your Expense) for 3-day quarantine & testing. If you test negative you get to go home & quarantine for 2 wks. I have heard horror stories from people who got charge astronomical hotel prices, unlocked doors (the remove the locks) & abuse, people who had tests before arriving but they refused to acknowledge them. …a risk I don’t want to take.
from BC Canada

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#7

@Patsylittle Are you sure it’s when you’re tested negative you are obliged to go home and lock for 2 weeks ? What happened If you’re positive then?

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#8

Yes, it’s definitely something to think about where testing policies are in place. All of our sits so far have had additional accommodation and happy to provide a space to stay in should the sit not have been able to go ahead. A question to add to the pre-sit chat for sure!

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#9

Quarantine and isolation procedures are a whole other level for sure. We personally wouldn’t take any sits out of our country of residence at moment, for the reasons you say. Even for us to go back to the UK in May (our country of citizenship) we have to isolate and test on days 2 and 8, so we’ve turned down several sits this week as we don’t want to risk not getting back and upsetting someones vacation plans. Sorry you can’t house sit still in Canada. We are lucky it’s permitted here in Europe and can get our pet fix every now and then :slight_smile: Hopefully Canada will be able to ease up soon.

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#10

Not sure - guess you have to stay locked up in that hotel room. Those who have told of conditions have all tested negative after 3 days & thus went home.

#11

:scream:Holy :sheep:… I send many virtual hugs,a smile & a nuce cuppa your way. Perhaps when we can visit my family in Canada again, we may cross paths :slightly_smiling_face:.

My thought is-This is why I support the 14 day hotel quarantine system here in OZ &NZ… Yes, it’s not a perfect system, has created some disasters for Melb/Sydney but I don’t trust anyone to do home quarantine if they’re coming in from overseas. Freak out moment when after 55days there was 1 community case in Sydney the other day from a hotel quarantine worker…

A friend mentioned the other day how guilty they feel telling family overseas of how most of Aus has faired over the last year & it’s bizarre in some respects.

Sorry for the rant!

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#12

We have had our first vaccines
We our still very nervous at present about the sits.
Have to wait till the end of April for our last one.
Would be much happier when thats done.

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#13

My international (UK and France) sits have all been cancelled since the restrictions started. In each sit, the HO and I agreed that we would check in 6 to 8 weeks before the sit and decide then whether to move forward. We’ve agreed to cancel 6 sits so far because of the quarantine requirements both for me and for the HO who was hoping to travel.
I’ve got a string of 3 UK sits scheduled starting in mid-Sept and waiting to see what the new rules to be announced next Monday will be.
Fortunately my airline, Delta, is fully refunding my points and the tax $s whenever I reschedule or cancel.

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