Heads up for those getting a travel test for the US who have recently been in the US

[damo]

If you need to get an antigen test for USA travel and have been in the USA in the past 14 days, both Walmart and Costco will not let you test.

Shopper's will....their pre-screening is "have been in the USA in the past 14 days AND were asked to quarantine"

Rexall will as well...their pre-screening says, "
In the past 14 days, did you or anyone in your group return from travelling outside of Canada?

Please select "No" if you are exempted from federal quarantining requirements (vaccinated)"



I had a minor panic attack when I went to fill out my Costco prescreening and failed! Not sure why they have that requirement on there since fully vaccinated people don't need to quarantine.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

If you need to get an antigen test for USA travel and have been in the USA in the past 14 days, both Walmart and Costco will not let you test.

Shopper's will....their pre-screening is "have been in the USA in the past 14 days AND were asked to quarantine"

Rexall will as well...their pre-screening says, "
In the past 14 days, did you or anyone in your group return from travelling outside of Canada?

Please select "No" if you are exempted from federal quarantining requirements (vaccinated)"



I had a minor panic attack when I went to fill out my Costco prescreening and failed! Not sure why they have that requirement on there since fully vaccinated people don't need to quarantine.

I find that to this day, people and even businesses/organizations don’t know this. Thank you for the heads up - we are going to Disney for Christmas and thought maybe to take a day trip the week before just to buy a few things and have dinner. Will probably skip that now.
We had used Shoppers back in August for our California trip and at the time it was the only one doing the $40 antigen test. How was your experience with Costco?

 

[damo]

I find that to this day, people and even businesses/organizations don’t know this. Thank you for the heads up - we are going to Disney for Christmas and thought maybe to take a day trip the week before just to buy a few things and have dinner. Will probably skip that now.
We had used Shoppers back in August for our California trip and at the time it was the only one doing the $40 antigen test. How was your experience with Costco?

I had to cancel my Costco test because I failed the pretest because I have been in the US in the past 14 days. I ended up using Shoppers.

I bet, though, if you called Costco or Walmart, they would say that if you are double vaccinated that the 14 day US thing probably does not apply. I just couldn't be bothered going through that hassle.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

I had to cancel my Costco test because I failed the pretest because I have been in the US in the past 14 days. I ended up using Shoppers.

I bet, though, if you called Costco or Walmart, they would say that if you are double vaccinated that the 14 day US thing probably does not apply. I just couldn't be bothered going through that hassle.

Oh my forgive me for asking a dumb question lol. You did say you failed the screening. It’s early… lol

 

[KNovacovschi]

I find that to this day, people and even businesses/organizations don’t know this. Thank you for the heads up - we are going to Disney for Christmas and thought maybe to take a day trip the week before just to buy a few things and have dinner. Will probably skip that now.
We had used Shoppers back in August for our California trip and at the time it was the only one doing the $40 antigen test. How was your experience with Costco?

Just wondering why you are skipping your day trip? You no longer need to test to come back into Canada if your trip is 72 hrs or less and you don't need to test going over the land border into the US.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Just wondering why you are skipping your day trip? You no longer need to test to come back into Canada if your trip is 72 hrs or less and you don't need to test going over the land border into the US.

Just in case we can’t get a test done for our Christmas trip, some people are reporting for example Costco won’t give you one of you travelled out of Canada last 14 days. We were thinking of going over for a day a week before our longer trip to Orlando. However we are driving to the US and then flying to Orlando out of Buffalo, so I guess we don’t need a test at all to enter the US.
I thought a couple of days ago this might change with today’s announcement.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Just in case we can’t get a test done for our Christmas trip, some people are reporting for example Costco won’t give you one of you travelled out of Canada last 14 days. We were thinking of going over for a day a week before our longer trip to Orlando. However we are driving to the US and then flying to Orlando out of Buffalo, so I guess we don’t need a test at all to enter the US.
I thought a couple of days ago this might change with today’s announcement.

Gotcha but yeah no test required to cross over the land border, only if flying out of Canada. I was watching for that change as well but glad it didn’t.

 

[wdwmom3]

Just in case we can’t get a test done for our Christmas trip, some people are reporting for example Costco won’t give you one of you travelled out of Canada last 14 days. We were thinking of going over for a day a week before our longer trip to Orlando. However we are driving to the US and then flying to Orlando out of Buffalo, so I guess we don’t need a test at all to enter the US.
I thought a couple of days ago this might change with today’s announcement.

While I don’t normally condone not being honest. But Costco won’t know if you travelled or not.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

The advantage for me with Westjet is to know that every one except very young children will be vaccinated on the plane there and back and tested before leaving and returning home .

It’s a crapshoot on an American airline as it’s not required and those are some close quarters. I live in spitting distance of the land border but I chose to go out of Toronto this time. We love flying out of Buffalo but we will be trying hard to not be exposed to Covid and end up having to quarantine.. the Canadian flights seem like the better option.

Sigh… I didn’t even think about this for our Southwest flight out of Buffalo.
Though when we flew out Toronto in August, not everyone was vaccinated either. We got some N95 masks for the flight itself and I guess we’ll hope for the best!

The White House announcement says one day, and they have all been pretty clear up to now that it's one day (not 24 hours).

• Strengthening global pre-departure testing protocols: Early next week, the United States will tighten pre-departure testing protocols by requiring all inbound international travelers to test within one day of departure globally, regardless of nationality or vaccination status. This tighter testing timeline provides an added degree of public health protection as scientists continue to assess the Omicron variant.

This makes a huge difference IMO -it could then be nearly 2 days in some cases, not 24 hrs. For example you test Monday morning and fly out Tuesday evening. I think anyway. I know not having to count the hours was much easier for our flight to California in August.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

While I don’t normally condone not being honest. But Costco won’t know if you travelled or not.

That’s true, but still not sure if I could go through with it, would stress me out I think. Don’t know…at this point we don’t have to worry about it as we don’t need a pre departure test to enter the US by land as we are driving to Buffalo then flying from there.

 

[von Monster]

That’s true, but still not sure if I could go through with it, would stress me out I think. Don’t know…at this point we don’t have to worry about it as we don’t need a pre departure test to enter the US by land as we are driving to Buffalo then flying from there.

When are you leaving - I posted this in another thread but figured I might as well post it here U.S. to require Canadians and other foreign travellers to get COVID-19 test day before entry - The Globe and Mail

One senior government source said the Canadian government’s understanding is that the new 24-hour testing rule will also apply to people crossing into the U.S. at the land border. The Globe is not identifying the source because they were not permitted to disclose that information.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

When are you leaving - I posted this in another thread but figured I might as well post it here U.S. to require Canadians and other foreign travellers to get COVID-19 test day before entry - The Globe and Mail

Dec 19. I’m going to book the tests just in case. I hope it’s still the antigen one.

 

[petunia]

Can someone clarify..I thought we always needed to test prior to entering US (we did this in August) is the only difference that we now need one sooner than 3 days prior entry?

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Can someone clarify..I thought we always needed to test prior to entering US (we did this in August) is the only difference that we now need one sooner than 3 days prior entry?

Yes 1 day prior in flying in - at this point they have not included the land border.

 

[petunia]

Yes 1 day prior in flying in - at this point they have not included the land border.

Thank tyou! And no change for return correct, as in still PCR to back into Canada?

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Thank tyou! And no change for return correct, as in still PCR to back into Canada?

Yes - the only thing they changed in Canada is that they will be testing all arrivals at the airport now (as opposed to random for those vaccinated), molecular test still required 72 hrs prior.

 

[CanucksRock]

*does not include US flights to Canada. Currently. Just international.

No dayhopping to the US for me. Too far North.