ワクチンを３回接種済みであれば日本到着時にホテルでの強制隔離がないと知り、初めは消極的であった三度目のワクチンを急遽ボストンで受けました。友人数名のアドバイス通り接種後は水を多量に飲んだためか副反応も出ずまずは安堵。
飛行機搭乗前に受けるPCR検査は日米ともに費用は高額ですが陰性証明なしでは飛行機に乗れないため、空港内で検査を受け４５分後に結果を受け取り無事飛行機へ。機内での乗務員はマスクとゴーグルと手袋、食事サービス時は加えて防護服姿。接触を避けるためかサービス時間も短縮している印象を受けました。乗客は常時より随分少なくゆったりと過ごせたものの飛行時間は１４時間あまり。
到着空港や時間によって違うようですが、同機から降りた乗客が一団となって一体どこへ行くのかと思うほど空港内を歩き、それから椅子に座って順番を待つこと２時間。赤ちゃん連れの母子や家族連れにはお気の毒でしたが文句も言わずひたすら待機。やっと検疫所で数種の書類チェックとPCR再検査、スマホへのアクセスなど、通して３時間半を超え、皆ぐったり。普通ならその日の内に滋賀に帰れるところを結局東京の友人宅で一泊させてもらって翌日滋賀に帰りました。入国者数に制限がある現在の降機後の時間がこれだけかかるのですから、今後はどうなることでしょう。
Since I knew if I had a third vaccination, I was not required to be quarantined at the hotel after arriving in Japan from Boston, I decided to get it while I was in Boston although I had a little hesitation about it before. A couple of my friends in Boston advised me to drink a lot of water after vaccination, so maybe because of that, I didn't get any serious side effects which made me relieved.
The PCR test which we need to take before boarding is very expensive in both US and Japan, but we can not avoid it to get on board without negative proof of it, so I went to the facility to take the test and get the proof after 45 minutes waiting for the result in Logan airport. In the plane, crew members put face covering, goggles and gloves in the cabin and wore protective suits during meal service. I guessed they cut the time of serving because of trying not to contact passengers very much. Since the number of the passengers was much smaller than the flight before covid-19 epidemic, we could stay relaxed in the airplane but still the flight time between Boston and Tokyo is very long, about 14 hrs.
The situation must be different depending on the airport and arrival time, when I arrived at Narita airport, I was put in a group along with all other passengers from the same plane. We needed to take a long walk to reach the quarantine area and waited for over two hours on the folding seat. There was a mother with a baby and a family with small children among our group, and it must have been tough for them but nobody complained about the long wait. Finally it was our turn and checked several kinds of documents, PCR test, accessing each one's smartphone for checking health condition, location, etc. and the total time was 3.5 hours. Usually I get back to my home which is in the west district of Japan within the same day of arrival but this time I was so late so I decided to ask my friend to stay over on that night and came back home the next day. Foreigners are not allowed to come to Japan but even in that situation, it takes such a long time. I wonder what it will be like from now on.
