Backup Plan if you test positive

[MyGirlLovesTink]

I am trying to prepare myself in the event we test positive for Covid during our test for return to Canada. Curious to know what other people’s backup plans in case this happens.

 

[PalmettoPath]

I am trying to prepare myself in the event we test positive for Covid during our test for return to Canada. Curious to know what other people’s backup plans in case this happens.

We leave in less than a week. I'm not sure we have much choice in that worst-case scenario. I guess the two options are 1) finding a reasonable hotel to wait it out (and test every few days) or else 2) try to find a rental car that we can drive home (if that works for you) and then drop at the border. It would be one of those two options: wait it out or try to drive home and walk across the border. Also, I'll retest immediately if I can find somewhere to do it fast (in case it was a false positive).

 

[MyGirlLovesTink]

We leave in less than a week. I'm not sure we have much choice in that worst-case scenario. I guess the two options are 1) finding a reasonable hotel to wait it out (and test every few days) or else 2) try to find a rental car that we can drive home (if that works for you) and then drop at the border. It would be one of those two options: wait it out or try to drive home and walk across the border. Also, I'll retest immediately if I can find somewhere to do it fast (in case it was a false positive).

What happens if you drive to the border with a positive Covid test? What do they do with fully vaccinated Canadians now if they are positive?

 

[PalmettoPath]

What happens if you drive to the border with a positive Covid test? What do they do with fully vaccinated Canadians now if they are positive?

From what I've been told they will not turn back Canadian citizens at the land borders, even if positive. We're all fully vaxed, so it would be to have a 14-day quarantine plan (which would be homebound for us).

 

[MyGirlLovesTink]

From what I've been told they will not turn back Canadian citizens at the land borders, even if positive. We're all fully vaxed, so it would be to have a 14-day quarantine plan (which would be homebound for us).

My problem is that I live on Montreal and I don’t think there are any suitable border crossings that you can walk across in Quebec.

 

[PalmettoPath]

My problem is that I live on Montreal and I don’t think there are any suitable border crossings that you can walk across in Quebec.

Nothing from Vermont or New York? You could always cross in Buffalo and take VIA rail back.

Just for the record, here's what the government of Canada website said when I went through the questionnaire as if I were positive and returning by land:

Based on your answers, you can enter Canada. You will need to follow testing and isolation requirements to keep Canadians safe, particularly given the new COVID-19 variants in Canada and around the world.

What you need to do next

• do not take public transportation (such as aircraft, municipal transit, taxis or ride-share services)
• use private transportation only, such as your private vehicle
• wear a medical mask (if possible) or a mask
• read and follow the mandatory isolation requirements
• have a suitable place and plan to isolate
• read and follow the provincial or territorial restrictions
• use ArriveCAN to submit your information

 

[MyGirlLovesTink]

The Via rail train isn't running from Niagara, and the quarantine rules would prevent me from being able to travel from Niagara to get home. Road block at every plan I try to come up with.

 

[ellbell]

The Via rail train isn't running from Niagara, and the quarantine rules would prevent me from being able to travel from Niagara to get home. Road block at every plan I try to come up with.

You could rent a car.

 

[PalmettoPath]

The Via rail train isn't running from Niagara, and the quarantine rules would prevent me from being able to travel from Niagara to get home. Road block at every plan I try to come up with.

Oh right. Shoot. I guess car rental in Niagara would be the only option to try. Not sure how hard it is to get one from there right now.

 

[MyGirlLovesTink]

You could rent a car.

I tried looking for car rentals a few days out in case we do need to alter our plans, and nothing is available. You can't get a car rental for a few weeks out. I would have to rent the car now, not knowing if we would need it or not in a few weeks from now.

I have been researching every angle and cannot find a suitable way to get home if we cannot board our flight.

 

[damo]

I tried looking for car rentals a few days out in case we do need to alter our plans, and nothing is available. You can't get a car rental for a few weeks out. I would have to rent the car now, not knowing if we would need it or not in a few weeks from now.

I have been researching every angle and cannot find a suitable way to get home if we cannot board our flight.

You can pre-rent a car without paying up front for it. If you don't need it, just cancel it.

 

[Juventus]

rental car from orlando? I checked a few days back and found some...Enterprise I believe. I just searched for orlando pick up and buffalo airport dropoff.

Our plan would be rental.

 

[HumblePie]

I grappled with this issue too. I couldn't find a rental car company that would allow us to rent in Orlando and drop off in Canada, and we don't live close enough to the border to drive there and walk across. I briefly considered using a car service to pick us up near the border to drive us across and home, but wouldn't want to expose a driver to covid. We felt our only real option was to find a place to hunker down.

We planned to bring our laptops so we could work remotely from Orlando, and we booked a hotel with a kitchen for ten days following our Disney stay in the event that we tested positive and couldn't fly home. The thinking was that we would have it as a fallback, and cancel it once we got our negative tests 3 days before flying home.

In the end it was moot as we cancelled our trip due to the rising case numbers and our unvaccinated under 12 year old.

 

[ellbell]

I grappled with this issue too. I couldn't find a rental car company that would allow us to rent in Orlando and drop off in Canada, and we don't live close enough to the border to drive there and walk across. I briefly considered using a car service to pick us up near the border to drive us across and home, but wouldn't want to expose a driver to covid. We felt our only real option was to find a place to hunker down.

We planned to bring our laptops so we could work remotely from Orlando, and we booked a hotel with a kitchen for ten days following our Disney stay in the event that we tested positive and couldn't fly home. The thinking was that we would have it as a fallback, and cancel it once we got our negative tests 3 days before flying home.

In the end it was moot as we cancelled our trip due to the rising case numbers and our unvaccinated under 12 year old.

Quick question though. If you were out and got your results while say you were at Magic Kingdom how would.you.get back to your room without exposing a driver or someone else on some form of transit?

 

[HumblePie]

We would have to rent a car to get to our "hunker down" hotel and to go get re-tested periodically. Just not one we would drop off in Canada.

 

[Starwind]

Nothing from Vermont or New York? You could always cross in Buffalo and take VIA rail back.
...
do not take public transportation (such as aircraft, municipal transit, taxis or ride-share services)

VIA Rail is "public transportation" and would not be allowed to be used in such a situation.

 

[ellbell]

We would have to rent a car to get to our "hunker down" hotel and to go get re-tested periodically. Just not one we would drop off in Canada.

Understood, but what is the difference between getting a shuttle or cab to go get the rental car vs taking a cab from the car rental drop off to the border?

 

[HumblePie]

I meant a drive from the border to our home which is several hours.

 

[ellbell]

I meant a drive from the border to our home which is several hours.

I'm sorry I'm not sure I understand your backup plan. I only am curious because I'm trying to plan mine too bit I don't drive and won't have a car. So at some point if I were to get the email that says one of us is positive for covid we would need to take a cab or uber to a hotel we are "hunkering down" in or a cab to the border if we test in buffalo or in the case of people who will rent a car and drive a cab to the car rental place. All of these options involve some kind of public transportation and exposes someone to covid. I'm not even sure that you can stay at a disney resort if you test positive.

 

[HumblePie]

It would be very difficult to manage without driving yourself. I am sad we cancelled our trip but glad we didn't have to figure it out for real.