Entry after having the Cononavirus

OK... Let�fs say I was exposed, contacted, confirmed positive, and then, four weeks later, survived being infected with the Coronavirus.

Or, when the vaccine is available, I am vaccinated against the Coronavirus?

I am not contagious, and I am not longer threatened by the Coronavirus. Basically, I am a safe traveler.

What is going to happen when I travel to Japan, and go through Customs? Will I need to bring some sort proof of safety from transmission with me?

For the record, I do not believe I have been exposed yet, but I probably will eventually. I do love going on cruises, and actually was on the Diamond Princess in August of 2018, for a festival cruise of Japan. Have you seen the prices for cruises lately? I will not book a cruise right not, but If I end up becoming a safe traveler, I will.

So... what is going to happen to anyone who presents a passport at customs, and says �gYes, I have been exposed to Coronavirus, but I am not contagious�h?

How do Japanese customs/authorities know that you already had Corona?

How would they know? I was thinking they might ask at the customs check. During an epidemic, don�ft you think custom might ask?

Has anyone traveled over lately? Is that question coming up in customs?

I'm going to Japan in April to get married and I had similar concerns. I'm coming from the UK where more people are getting the virus every day. But honestly I'm sure how Japan will handle you depends mostly on which country you're coming from.
Speaking from my knowledge, if you're from the UK then everything should continue as usual. You land, pick up your luggage, pass immigration and you're good to go.
But let's say you come from a country where the virus is more prolific, you could be screened upon entry to check if you have the virus. If you have it, you'll be under quarantine for 2 weeks.
If you are coming from China/South Korea, then you will be put under quarantine immediately upon arrival to Japan. Those are the current rules. Also, if your flight has a layover in China or South Korea, then you will be under 2 weeks quarantine, too.
What I'm very sure of is that if you're British or American, you should be treated as per usual. But I would keep updated on it, as procedures can change in a day.

If they are going to check you, you'll be screened. I have been checking the news every couple of days since my flight to Japan is next month and I haven't seen any other procedures. No paperwork to say you've been infected or could be infected or anything of the sort. Just screening.

All they can check is your temperature and where you have been in past 2 weeks (or whatever duration they decide). So, if you pass those criteria (and assuming you don't have any criminal record) you are good.

Substitute covid-19 with any number of other viruses or diseases (Zeika, Ebola, flu, measles) does it make a difference to your question - unlikely.
If you arrive with a temperature that is picked up in screening, then you will get questioned, but that is pretty normal at many airports.

There is evidence that the new coronavirus can be re-contracted; i.e. if you get it once and recover, doesn't mean you won't get it again. You could also still carry the disease and transmit it to others, even without experiencing symptoms yourself. There is no such thing as a "safe" traveller, and how would the authorities check this anyway?

I want to thank everyone for their response. It has confirmed to me why travel insurance exists.

I was on the Celebrity Diamond Princess in 2018, and on a Royal Caribbean cruise last year. There were Purell hand cleaning stations set up in front of every Restaurant on the ship. This was before the current outbreak. I believe that they are doing their best to keep their ships safe for travel, even before the current outbreak.

My wife had a bout of Shingles last year, which is a re-occurrence of Chickenpox. If this can happen with Chickenpox, why not Coronavirus? It was naive of me to even think about the �gsafe traveler�h idea.

I have also learned that about 30% of the world�fs population has been exposed to tuberculosis, and that it�fs just dormant in our bodies, waiting for our immune system to be weakened. That�fs what is meant by �gflu related illness �g.

As for the virus itself, I read an article about the Seattle health officials were using genetic markers on the virus to try and track the path of infection. At the time of the writing of that article, the genetic markers showed there were now 124 subtle but unique versions of the virus.

When I do get the virus, my doctor may be able to tell me that I have the �gSeattle�h or �gTuscany�h strain. Depending on how widely the virus mutates, it will be possible to get re-infected. I can now see new versions of the Coronavirus being added to the seasonal flu shot I get each fall.

Once again, Thank You, for all your responses. I think I now have a better perspective on what is going on.

Of course you can get reinfected. Covid-19 isnt rhe only sars-cov virus circling the globe.

Everyone would've already had multiple versions of the sars-cov strains in their lifetime and just thought it was a bad flu. First known corona virus was found in the 1960s.

After re-reading my last post, I felt that it might be a bit of a �gDoom and Gloom�h downer. I think I now have a more positive view of the outbreak, and I understand that this is now the new way of life.

I am also blown away by our auto-immune system to keep us safe. This has been going on for years, and the new infection keep on coming, and our bodies adapt.

It was almost 80 years ago, that H. G. Wells wrote �gWar of the Worlds�h, where it wasn�ft human technology that defeated the alien invaders, but the lowly germs that infected them.

I get the feeling I should go out to lunch today, and get dessert, just so I can thank my auto-immune system for protecting me. Either that, or I am just fishing for an excuse to have cheesecake.

War of the Worlds was 1897 - 122 years ago!!

Cheesecake. Yum!

122 years... You are correct... I was confused about 1897 - 1898 time. It was serialized in 1897, and first published in 1898.

The event I referred to was the 1938 Radio Show, by Orson Wells. That was about 80 years ago.

Thank You... for the correction.

And... Cheesecake is yum...

Totally OT but:

I recommend New York Style, I find Italian style is just too light when you are in the mood for cheesecake. And get one that doesn't use gelatin because that means they're skimping on the usual ingredients to make it. No traditional cheesecake recipes use it.

Please don't confuse sars and sars like coronaviruses with other human cornaviruses. Cornaviruses are a large family of viruses that infect many species including human, bats, other mammals, birds and even salamanders. But each of these viruses is different, the viruses which infect birds for instance do not affect mammals. Few coronaviruses infect humans, some of them are part of seasonal cold and flu and they are called human coronaviruses, others such as sars and mers emerged from potentially bats through civet cats and camels into humans and caused severe diseases. The jury is still out on sars-cov-2 the current virus causing covid-19. But having had other coronaviruses doesn't provide you with immunity against this one. So please be careful about giving out false information.

And now I want to eat cheesecake. Nom nom.

@mishcka Avian Influenza (e.g. H7N9) are viruses adapted for birds but can infect (and kill) mammals, including humans.

Yes there are some viruses shared between mammals and birds, west nile, JEV, influenza a, to name a few. Coronaviruses are not one of them (so far).
In general viruses that are shared between mammals and birds are either helped by insects (mosquitoes or ticks) or remain poorly adapted to new hosts (avian flu).

News just in:
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/03/58d3ae2df4bb-japan-to-ask-t...

And... We are back to my original question.

Japan is now recommending a 14 day self quarantine upon entry. What if I have documentation that I have had the virus, and now test as non-contagious? Do I still need to self quarantine for 14 days?