Alleluia!!! Removing pre arrival covid 19 testing is on the horizon

[accm]

No matter the regulations, there is nothing saying you can’t test a few days in advance. Bring rapids if you can. You just can’t use those results to cross border. In our case, travelling companion was having symptoms. So she did rapid and was positive. That same day we were able to get her a free PCR test. She is en route back to Canada. The rest of us did rapids and were negative, so just waited for it scheduled Walgreens tests the next day. Of which I was +, the other two -.

This is exactly what we had planned on doing for our trip. I ordered tests from walmart to be delivered to our resort, and my husband and I were planning on testing every 3 days or so just in case. Of course, we all ended up getting covid the week we were supposed to leave, so those tests ended up being useless.

 

[OkanaganAmanda]

Agreed. I had Covid last week. Symptoms started on Wednesday, tested + on Friday. My 5 days was technically up on Monday. Took a test on Tuesday and it was still VERY positive. Scary to think I was permitted to be out and about. (Symptoms were gone).

I work with covid swabbing . I personally haven’t found your statement “most will test negative after 5 days accurate “ that’s not what I’ve seen at work at all.
Just a heads up for those who might think they would be good to return with a negative rapid on day 6 technically ( first day positive or with symptoms is day 0)

 

[samsteele]

At this point, have to say I am completely lost re testing with all the changes. I'm no dumb bunny but find the changing time windows and fallout from a positive test stressful to even follow. I don't plan to get on a plane for at least 6 months and hope by then, testing is either not necessary or very straightforward. I can understand wading through the extra stress for work trips. Not for me for a vacation. But do appreciate that many on this forum have DVC and need to use it or lose it. Wishing all who travel the best working through changes and challenges. Please let it all end soon.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Of course after I buy the switch LAMP tests *sigh*. I honestly thought to start they would just go back to what it was for 2.5 weeks in December, if travel is less then 72 hrs and fully vaccinated no test required to cross back over by land and maybe change the PCR test to antigen, especially this close to March Break. But obviously I know nothing, lol. Guess I'll be still doing a test to come home on our trip in 21 days.

 

[FinnFogg]

I’ve noticed much more Switch RT- LAMP test marketing ads on my Facebook feed, etc. We purchased them back in November for a December trip (and they were great) but I have not visited their website lately or otherwise looked into them at all recently. But suddenly the ads are everywhere. Hopefully they know something that we don’t and are trying to off-load them while they still can.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

https://news.paxeditions.com/news/b...-testing-require-antigen-tests-instead-report
This article states we will still be doing Antigen tests, and it could be active at the end of the month...hopefully there is an official announcement Monday.

 

[Juventus]

I'm thinking Friday announcement, rapid test only, and, for land crossing, quarantine at home for 5 days if positive.

Would coinside nicely for my March trip.

 

[starlite_]

Cross fingers, I don't travel again till end of May but I'm so tired of all the constant changing rules.

 

[Frozen2014]

I'm thinking Friday announcement, rapid test only, and, for land crossing, quarantine at home for 5 days if positive.

Would coinside nicely for my March trip.

I'll take it

 

[spewey]

https://news.paxeditions.com/news/b...-testing-require-antigen-tests-instead-report
This article states we will still be doing Antigen tests, and it could be active at the end of the month...hopefully there is an official announcement Monday.

Yeah, that's REALLY frustrating. All the experts quoted say mandating testing to travel is unnecessary, outdated, pointless, a waste of resources, and against the science. So the government hears them, acknowledges they've got a point, things have changed, and responds by .... mandating testing to travel.

Still means you're trapped in a foreign country if you test positive. Still will dissuade nearly everyone from travelling.

 

[CaptainCook]

Now reports are saying Ontario is set to drop all Covid restrictions by end of March (to be officially announced tomorrow), and I think Ontario is slower in this regard than many other provinces. I would hope if there are no domestic Covid restrictions then travel testing would also be a thing of the past. But we’ll have to wait and see.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

So my question is, with the antigen test, I'm sure it's not just going to be an antigen test that you use yourself without any medical professional watching to make sure you are actually doing it properly. How do they know that you didn't just use tap or distilled water to complete the test. This doesn't help much beyond what we are already having to do.

I hope that they will follow in the UK footsteps where you test once you have returned, and if it's positive, you quarantine at home.

Guess we will have to see what they roll out next.

 

[hcortesis]

So my question is, with the antigen test, I'm sure it's not just going to be an antigen test that you use yourself without any medical professional watching to make sure you are actually doing it properly. How do they know that you didn't just use tap or distilled water to complete the test. This doesn't help much beyond what we are already having to do.

I hope that they will follow in the UK footsteps where you test once you have returned, and if it's positive, you quarantine at home.

Guess we will have to see what they roll out next.

I'm sure you will still have to test under the guidance of some sort of health care official. However, I'm feeling that there will be no tests needed to board a plane and they will do random tests at airports in Canada upon arrival. Dr. Tam speaks this week. Looking forward to her talk.

 

[spewey]

A RAT is useless unless, as noted, done under or through the guidance of a health professional. So I would assume that if they mandate a negative to get on a plane/cross by land one option will be the same as what we do now to fly to the US - go to a pharmacy that offers this service, and pay to test there. Another would be bringing the tests with you, and testing with a company remotely - I am curious as to how that would be considered an acceptable "attestation" - but I think others have done that with with PCRs while in the US.

If the above plays out, my family will just stick with the tried and true Walgreens NAAT. Fast, free, and convenient (if you have access to a vehicle) - no discernible benefit to using an antigen in this scenario.

Now, testing upon arrival is a whole other story - that would be a game-changer. Given the omnipresence of the virus many experts feel using testing to prevent it from crossing a border is futile - however, there are sound public health reasons to track the spread of new variants, which is why random testing of travelers coming into a country could make a lot of sense.

 

[HeatherLassell]

I'm hoping that if they do require any testing it's only for unvaccinated.

Same. UK and several other countries have switched to that already. No pre-arrival test as long as you can show proof you are fully vaccinated.

 

[Sue M]

This is what I’m hoping. Testing only if you’re unvaccinated. I’ve skipped my usual January trip and just booked Universal for Aug. Hopefully this testing will be over by then.

 

[Etch]

Well, my first hope would be that they end all pre-entry testing into Canada for fully vaccinated Canadians.

If not that, then hopefully they at least align the rules with the US in which a rapid test is required to fly in but no test is required for entry at the land border. This would at least give Canadians travelling to the U.S. more options and the confidence they can return home without issue.

 

[boogienights]

I hope that all travel testing other than surveillance testing is dropped. I'm certainly not in a position to say whether such a course of action would or would not be prudent (I leave that up to the infectious disease specialists), but I am selfish and just want to go on a stress free holiday with my family, drink butterbeer in Diagon Alley and scream my head off on Velocicoaster. Unless the testing goes away entirely or is modified in such a way as to significantly reduce expense, hassle and stress, I fear I will be cancelling October.

 

[Minniemoo15]

Conference to announce border updates is today at 1:00pm EST!

 

[hdrolfe]

Conference to announce border updates is today at 1:00pm EST!

of course i have a meeting then! someone post an update if possible please