Canadian travellers fined $5,700 each for getting wrong COVID-19 test before returning from U.S.

[BlancheNeige7]

Title sums it up... Canadian travellers arrive at canadian airports with wrong tests (antigen) an are fined $5,700 each. It is so important to double and triple check that the right test is documented. I previously posted about our experience at the Anaheim Covid Clinic and the error in test type. The documents said we had completed a Rapid Antigen Test when we had done the Molecular Naat test. Would we have not corrected the mistake, we could have been fined $5,700 x 2!!!

Agents at the airport in the US are looking to see if the COVID test is negative and can easily miss the Molecular vs. Antigen portion. This is what likely happened. What is interesting is that we were never asked to show our results once in Canada at Pearson last week.... The story is from Vancouver.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/canadian-trav...d-19-test-before-returning-from-u-s-1.5560090

 

[Jrb1979]

Title sums it up... Canadian travellers arrive at canadian airports with wrong tests (antigen) an are fined $5,700 each. It is so important to double and triple check that the right test is documented. I previously posted about our experience at the Anaheim Covid Clinic and the error in test type. The documents said we had completed a Rapid Antigen Test when we had done the Molecular Naat test. Would we have not corrected the mistake, we could have been fined $5,700 x 2!!!

Agents at the airport in the US are looking to see if the COVID test is negative and can easily miss the Molecular vs. Antigen portion. This is what likely happened. What is interesting is that we were never asked to show our results once in Canada at Pearson last week.... The story is from Vancouver.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/canadian-trav...d-19-test-before-returning-from-u-s-1.5560090

IMO it's another reason to not travel right now. It's not worth all the hoops and extra money.

 

[BlancheNeige7]

IMO it's another reason to not travel right now. It's not worth all the hoops and extra money.

It definitely is a more complicated time to travel and it is definitely not for everyone. What is most frustating about stories like these is how a bit of planning and research would have avoided these hefty fines. If you choose to travel now, you must do your research on official sites and not rely on others... in these cases, airline agents and american testing centers.

 

[Susan2771]

IMO it's another reason to not travel right now. It's not worth all the hoops and extra money.

Our family is at Disneyland now and we are having a fantastic time. Travelling at this time isn’t for everyone but the accommodations we have had to make for the Covid testing isn’t a major inconvenience for us anyway. We knew that we would have to pack patience when it came to Pearon airport . While it still isn’t the same as 2019, it hasn’t been to bad.

 

[bcwife76]

Am I the only one who thinks $5700 a person is just a wee bit excessive? It's not like they faked a test, they legit got the wrong one. Having said that, when we got our tests back when we were in Punta Cana last week you can bet we went over each one with a fine tooth comb!

 

[BlancheNeige7]

Am I the only one who thinks $5700 a person is just a wee bit excessive? It's not like they faked a test, they legit got the wrong one. Having said that, when we got our tests back when we were in Punta Cana last week you can bet we went over each one with a fine tooth comb!

It seems excessive since they did not try to get into the country without a negative test. They were misinformed and allowed to board their plane with the wrong test (antigen). They honestly should not have been allowed to board in the first place... As we move forward and agents are more informed, we should hear less of these stories.

 

[gskywalker]

This is part of the reason I have appointments made at Beepermed and will make appts at Walgreens as well. Will double up on free tests just in case.

 

[sheilafri]

Yep. Our daughter just returned to Canada from the US and she took two tests to help ensure that one was back before her departure.

 

[Yahweh]

My guess is that amount will be knock down a lot.

"In a statement, Health Canada says it’s the traveller’s responsibility to know the rules but that 'all persons issued a ticket for non-compliance have an opportunity to dispute their charges”'

I'll still be curious to see how much they do actually pay.