Passenger Trains > Here are the Amtrak COVID-19 PreCheck Questions

Last month the Amtrak COVID-19 PreCheck was discussed. I don't think anyone has posted the questions asked. My phone saved the screen shots as PNG so I cannot post those here and don't have the time to convert them tonight. Instead I retyped what was asked to give an idea of what they are after. More or less what the airlines ask.

It actually has the questions arranged like this with the bullet points. A couple of things are linked to other sites or the Amtrak site.
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• You do not have symptoms of COVID-19
• Within the past 14 days, you have not been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19
• You have not tested positive for COVID-19, or if you have you meet the CDC criteria for coming out of isolation.
• No member of your household (including you) is waiting for the results of a diagnostic COVID-19 test, which was taken because of COVID-19 symptoms..
• You agree to wear a mask at all times in compliance with federal laws and Amtrak policy.

If you cannot confirm that all the above is true, reschedule your trip without any change fees on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (fare difference may apply), see our COVID-19 travel and safety policy.

                                                              ACKNOWLEDGE (Goes to another screen after acknowledging)

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I figured this may be helpful to others. I mean you can study up for the questions before you get asked before your trip. Don't cheat though!

Jim

So I assume these questions are asked when you book on line. I recently booked AutoTrain with a friendly actual live person on the Guest Rewards line (because there were certain rooms I didn't want) and wasn't asked any of them. If one could ever get through, it would be interesting to see if airlines ask similar questions when doing in person booking. Of course when you check in...similar questions are asked. No need to check in on Amtrak. 

I've received emails from  Amtrak with a link to the questionnaire the day before a trip is scheduled.

The email reads in part:

"All travelers are required to fill out a short pre-trip check within 24 hours prior to departure to confirm that they are free of Covid symptoms, have not been in close contact in the previous 14 days with anyone who was positive for COVID-19, and are not awaiting a diagnostic covid test. The check can be found at Amtrak.com/covidcheckeml, in the Amtrak mobile app, or can be filled out for you by a contact center or station agent."

Policy is not law and there is no federal mask law. The mandate is just that-a mandate that is nothing more than a request of which you have the right to decline without repercussions. Denial of service is discrimination and violates existing federal laws.

Michael Fair
Royal Oak, MI



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/21 23:24 by bath_wildcat.

bath_wildcat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Policy is not law and there is no federal mask
> law. The mandate is just that-a mandate that is
> nothing more than a request of which you have the
> right to decline without repercussions. Denial of
> service is discrimination and violates existing
> federal laws.

I believe that this will ultimately be found to be true. Many states, including Pennsylvania, had such mandates in place and went as far as fining and filing charges against people who didn't comply, only to drop the penalties once challenged in court. These mandates are being used as intimidation tactics, pure and simple. 

But meanwhile be ready to be set off the train at the next stop. I have seen that happen several times now. But ingeneral enforcement is variable, so it may or may not happen.

bath_wildcat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Policy is not law and there is no federal mask
> law. The mandate is just that-a mandate that is
> nothing more than a request of which you have the
> right to decline without repercussions. Denial of
> service is discrimination and violates existing
> federal laws.

While I agree with you, repercussions are occurring and are draconian. An obvious example is the number of cases that have been reported following an airline passenger refusing to wear a mask- at a minimum removed from the plane at the next stop and arrested, and likely put on a terrorist no fly list. As for Amtrak, myself and a friend on the SWC in April were threatened by an angry conductor with being thrown off the train at the next stop for not wearing masks while taking too long to finish our drinks (coffee and water) in the lounge car. While we might not have been arrested, on the ground in Lamar, CO was not something to look forward to. BTW, both being senior citizens and being fully vaccinated would not be a factor in the conductors decision.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/21 08:26 by Cumbresfan.

mask mandate is still being enforced in NY on subway, buses, LIRR and Metro North. 
CDC mandate is an order published in the federal register 

bath_wildcat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Policy is not law and there is no federal mask
> law. The mandate is just that-a mandate that is
> nothing more than a request of which you have the
> right to decline without repercussions. Denial of
> service is discrimination and violates existing
> federal laws.

The transportation mask mandate is by executive order - much more than a request. It is governed by the federal law permitting the issuance of enforceable regulations to limit the spread of disease during a public health emergency.  There are fines for non-compliance.  Like it or not, it is law.

Public Heath Emergency
​Federal Register

Some people will never understand an executive order is for all practical purposes law, not just Helpful Hints From Heloise.

People are still being put off trains in middle of nowhere or causing disruptions in flights who never learned civics.

Given the 4th wave we are entering with Delta and Lambda variants, along with non-improving vaccination rates, more mask requirements are coming back.

Posted from Android

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Some people will never understand an executive
> order is for all practical purposes law, not just
> Helpful Hints From Heloise.
Unfortunately you are correct

> People are still being put off trains in middle of
> nowhere or causing disruptions in flights who
> never learned civics.
Been there, almost done that. See my earlier response above.

> Given the 4th wave we are entering with Delta and
> Lambda variants, along with non-improving
> vaccination rates, more mask requirements are
> coming back.
Again you are most likely right. But mask mandates are more about social control than actual prevention of Covid transmission. See below:

Our study has implications for respiratory virus mitigation. Public health measures should ethically promote behaviors that prevent communicable diseases. The sudden onset of COVID-19 compelled adoption of mask mandates before efficacy could be evaluated. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates decrease with greater public mask use. As masks are required in public in many US states, it is prudent to weigh potential benefits with harms. Masks may promote social cohesion as rallying symbols during a pandemic [31], but risk compensation can also occur [32].
Prolonged mask use (>4 hours per day) promotes facial alkalinization and inadvertently encourages dehydration, which in turn can enhance barrier breakdown and bacterial infection risk [33]. British clinicians have reported masks to increase headaches and sweating and decrease cognitive precision [34]. Survey bias notwithstanding, these sequelae are associated with medical errors [35]. By obscuring nonverbal communication, masks interfere with social learning in children [36]. Likewise, masks can distort verbal speech and remove visual cues to the detriment of individuals with hearing loss; clear face-shields improve visual integration, but there is a corresponding loss of sound quality [37, 38]. Future research is necessary to better understand the risks of long-term daily mask use [30]. Conversely, it is appropriate to emphasize interventions with demonstrated or probable efficacy against COVID-19 such as vaccination [39] and Vitamin D repletion [40].
Mask mandate and use efficacy in state-level COVID-19 containment
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.18.21257385v1.full-text

Simple rules:
!. Get the damn shot; not just for your benefit, but for others as well.
2.Wear the damn mask, if requested; don't be an argumentative butt-hole.

Many folks have chosen to refuse vaccination. A small % of them comprise a large % of people recently hospitalized for Covid-19 infections.

I am interested in the decision by long time vax opponents like Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) to get the shots for himself and his family this week.

bath_wildcat Wrote:
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> Policy is not law and there is no federal mask
> law. 

There is on public transportation.  It has the force of Federal Law.

Dave

And I'm gonna wait to return riding Amtrak once this stupid law's eleminated!

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Many folks have chosen to refuse vaccination. A
> small % of them comprise a large % of people
> recently hospitalized for Covid-19 infections.
>
> I am interested in the decision by long time vax
> opponents like Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) to get
> the shots for himself and his family this week.

Think of the psychological impact of medical workers with some patients in their 20's - 40's about to be put on a ventilator with its low survival rate,  pleading to get the vaccine, but are told, sorry, it's too late for that now. 

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Many folks have chosen to refuse vaccination. A
> > small % of them comprise a large % of people
> > recently hospitalized for Covid-19 infections.
> >
> > I am interested in the decision by long time
> vax
> > opponents like Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) to get
> > the shots for himself and his family this week.
>
> Think of the psychological impact of medical
> workers with some patients in their 20's - 40's
> about to be put on a ventilator with its low
> survival rate,  pleading to get the vaccine, but
> are told, sorry, it's too late for that now. 

That seems to be what's happening in Florida.  It was a mark of virility and strength not to need / take the shots.  As folks are now being hauled off in body bags, some people are re-thinking their no-vax decision.

Teens are lined up for the shots now that football, cheer team, etc requires a shot to participate.