Possible travel late August

[GossipGirl88]

This is interesting information. I thought we couldn't come back home if we were positive. Otherwise, what's the use of the test. If we're vaccinated we don't have to quarantine on return. But we could still catch it and spread it so I can see why they'd want to know so people would be forced to quarantine.
Do you happen to have a reliable source for that? If we could still cross the border by land even though positive, that would take some stress off trying to plan a trip.

Good question, it’s been my understanding that if you are a Canadian citizen they would not refuse you entry to Canada at the border (even if positive for Covid); however, now I‘m curious and would like to find a concrete reference. I couldn’t find a government source where this is clearly spelled out (as clearly as I’d like it to be, anyway!) so I’ll probably double check by calling, but I did find two sources of information:

1) You can use this tool here to see if you’re allowed to enter Canada:

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/wizard-start
If you click that you are a Canadian citizen, that you are showing symptoms of Covid, and that you are going to cross at a land border, you can see that it says you are allowed to enter Canada but (of course) you’d have to go straight to isolation.

2) There’s also this page where it seems to indicate (under ‘Getting Tested to Enter Canada’ > ‘Providing Proof of Your Result’ > ‘Testing Positive or Possible Exosure Within 14 Days of Your Return’) that you’d be permitted entry at a land border but required to isolate for 14 days if you test positive.

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/t...checklist/covid-19-testing-travellers-driving
If others have a different understanding or have other sources, please share!

 

[Blue Belle Ballerina]

Following this thread!!! Thanks to those offering info! We too are travelling in August. I'm the only one fully vaccinated and hopefully we can get my husband's vaccine moved up shortly. My oldest is 14 and just had her first dose June 10 and my youngest is not old enough for any vaccine. I do have a question for anyone that knows about the rapid antigen tests for entering the US...so I do work in health care and could have the luxury of swabbing my family myself...so i would see the results obviously in a few minutes. Do you need "official" rapid swab results from a health care provider or is filling out the form for the CDC and attesting enough? I know with tests like PCR you get the official lab report (I am subject to them weekly in my field of work) but what about the rapid antigens?

 

[Duck1]

Good question, it’s been my understanding that if you are a Canadian citizen they would not refuse you entry to Canada at the border (even if positive for Covid); however, now I‘m curious and would like to find a concrete reference. I couldn’t find a government source where this is clearly spelled out (as clearly as I’d like it to be, anyway!) so I’ll probably double check by calling, but I did find two sources of information:

1) You can use this tool here to see if you’re allowed to enter Canada:

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/wizard-start
If you click that you are a Canadian citizen, that you are showing symptoms of Covid, and that you are going to cross at a land border, you can see that it says you are allowed to enter Canada but (of course) you’d have to go straight to isolation.

2) There’s also this page where it seems to indicate (under ‘Getting Tested to Enter Canada’ > ‘Providing Proof of Your Result’ > ‘Testing Positive or Possible Exosure Within 14 Days of Your Return’) that you’d be permitted entry at a land border but required to isolate for 14 days if you test positive.

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/t...checklist/covid-19-testing-travellers-driving
If others have a different understanding or have other sources, please share!

I have a cousin who works for customs. He has told me that if you’re positive you just need an isolation plan. They can’t deny you entry. Basically you just need to show that you can self isolate without coming into contact with others outside of your household.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We are in a very similar boat, aiming for later August and had kids booked for Aug 19, but just got an email tonight for rebooking earlier, so have you may be able to rebook now.

So our health unit just posted today that starting tomorrow second doses can be moved up for the kids! If we can move my son’s appt up then we may be able to travel mid to late August.

 

[LauraLap]

We are here now (at WDW) and I can help with these questions .

1.) Yes- the US requires a test within 72 hours regardless of vaccination status. However, they do accept antigen (rapid) tests, whereas Canada does not currently accept these. The pilot program at Pearson ends at the end of June, so since you are in Toronto, I would suggest taking advantage of the $40 kits from Shoppers.

2.) Yes- you would still test within 72 hours of your flight home. We are going to do ours at Walgreens as their Rapid “ID Now” test is NAAT which is accepted for returning to Canada. Furthermore, their test comes back within 24 hours and is FREE.

3.) As it stands now, yes, you will be tested on arrival back home and must self-isolate until the results come back. I think it should only be a day or two.

4.) The vaccination date only needs to be 14 days prior to returning to Canada. It doesn’t matter where you get it or how long ago you left the country. I would give it 15-16 days to be safe in case they don’t count the day of travel (return).

Are you sure the pilot program at Pearson ends at the end of June?? I am booked for next week?

 

[Sue M]

We are here now (at WDW) and I can help with these questions .

1.) Yes- the US requires a test within 72 hours regardless of vaccination status. However, they do accept antigen (rapid) tests, whereas Canada does not currently accept these. The pilot program at Pearson ends at the end of June, so since you are in Toronto, I would suggest taking advantage of the $40 kits from Shoppers.

2.) Yes- you would still test within 72 hours of your flight home. We are going to do ours at Walgreens as their Rapid “ID Now” test is NAAT which is accepted for returning to Canada. Furthermore, their test comes back within 24 hours and is FREE.

3.) As it stands now, yes, you will be tested on arrival back home and must self-isolate until the results come back. I think it should only be a day or two.

4.) The vaccination date only needs to be 14 days prior to returning to Canada. It doesn’t matter where you get it or how long ago you left the country. I would give it 15-16 days to be safe in case they don’t count the day of travel (return).

Please report back on how long it takes for Walgreens results. I phoned and they told me results in 3-4 days.

Also on entering US did you have to fill out an attestion form that you were fully vaccinated? I also noticed they have an app for entering US. Did you use it? Thanks!

 

[Queenjacko]

Following this thread for all the great info here, thanks everyone! Hoping someone can shed light on the testing once we are back in Canada side of things for me. We are flying orlando-Toronto-Vancouver. Do we need to test and isolate in Toronto until the test results come back and we can move on to Vancouver? Anyone want to take bets on whether that will change by September or have any tips for me?

 

[bookbabe626]

Are you sure the pilot program at Pearson ends at the end of June?? I am booked for next week?

Think it ends July 7 or 9th. It’s definitely ending soon, though

 

[bookbabe626]

Please report back on how long it takes for Walgreens results. I phoned and they told me results in 3-4 days.

Also on entering US did you have to fill out an attestion form that you were fully vaccinated? I also noticed they have an app for entering US. Did you use it? Thanks!

We got our Walgreens Rapid ID Now results back at 12:30pm after testing at about 10:30am on a Friday. Not sure if the return time varies by time/day of week. (But if you actually ask them, they give you a longer time and a cost for the tests…so there’s an obvious solution there.)

For entering the US in early June, we used hard copy printouts of our test results and the signed attestation forms. They were checked by a Pearson staffer while we were in line before reaching security, then again by the border agents after security.

FYI, there’s no priority or Nexus lane at the moment, or at least there wasn’t in early June. Allow extra time, even with the low numbers the lines are slow because of all the steps.

 

[pangyal]

Are you sure the pilot program at Pearson ends at the end of June?? I am booked for next week?

I guess maybe they extended it or are honouring existing reservations? The nurse told us that June 18th was the last day. I’m hopeful for others’ sake it does get extended, although we got our results literally with five minutes to spare and I would not do it the morning of travel again! It was very, very easy, though.

 

[pangyal]

Please report back on how long it takes for Walgreens results. I phoned and they told me results in 3-4 days.

Also on entering US did you have to fill out an attestion form that you were fully vaccinated? I also noticed they have an app for entering US. Did you use it? Thanks!

I think for PCR it’s (worst case scenario) up to three days. However, their Rapid ID Now test is NAAT and they complete the testing onsite so they can guarantee the 24 hour turnaround.

With regards to the forms- we filled out our attestation forms online through the Delta website. The US didn’t seem to care whether we were vaccinated or not- the requirements and the form were the same whether or not you checked that box. I did not see any kind of app or I would have been all over it! I’m not sure what that is.

It’s interesting that @bookbabe626 had to show the test results more than once. We were not asked for our results at all after showing them on our phones to the gate agents while checking in for the Delta flight.

 

[Sue M]

We got our Walgreens Rapid ID Now results back at 12:30pm after testing at about 10:30am on a Friday. Not sure if the return time varies by time/day of week. (But if you actually ask them, they give you a longer time and a cost for the tests…so there’s an obvious solution there.)

For entering the US in early June, we used hard copy printouts of our test results and the signed attestation forms. They were checked by a Pearson staffer while we were in line before reaching security, then again by the border agents after security.

FYI, there’s no priority or Nexus lane at the moment, or at least there wasn’t in early June. Allow extra time, even with the low numbers the lines are slow because of all the steps.

Which Walgreens did you go to? I guess I’ll try Uber to take me thru the drive thru.
you booked it online right? How far ahead did you have to book?

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

I think for PCR it’s (worst case scenario) up to three days. However, their Rapid ID Now test is NAAT and they complete the testing onsite so they can guarantee the 24 hour turnaround.

With regards to the forms- we filled out our attestation forms online through the Delta website. The US didn’t seem to care whether we were vaccinated or not- the requirements and the form were the same whether or not you checked that box. I did not see any kind of app or I would have been all over it! I’m not sure what that is.

It’s interesting that @bookbabe626 had to show the test results more than once. We were not asked for our results at all after showing them on our phones to the gate agents while checking in for the Delta flight.

Just wondering - the Walgreens test you will take prior to coming home to Canada, you have to drive (as in be in your vehicle) to get it done, right?
If we fly and won’t have a car, just trying to figure this out.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Which Walgreens did you go to? I guess I’ll try Uber to take me thru the drive thru.

Haha, just asked a similar question at the same time

 

[Sue M]

We got our Walgreens Rapid ID Now results back at 12:30pm after testing at about 10:30am on a Friday. Not sure if the return time varies by time/day of week. (But if you actually ask them, they give you a longer time and a cost for the tests…so there’s an obvious solution there.)

For entering the US in early June, we used hard copy printouts of our test results and the signed attestation forms. They were checked by a Pearson staffer while we were in line before reaching security, then again by the border agents after security.

FYI, there’s no priority or Nexus lane at the moment, or at least there wasn’t in early June. Allow extra time, even with the low numbers the lines are slow because of all the steps.

No Nexus in MCO either? I fly out of Vancouver. When I went away in Nov there was no nexus going thru security had to take shoes off & take the stuff out of cparry on, pain.

 

[Sue M]

Just wondering - the Walgreens test you will take prior to coming home to Canada, you have to drive (as in be in your vehicle) to get it done, right?
If we fly and won’t have a car, just trying to figure this out.

I think you could use Uber?

 

[pigletto]

This is interesting information. I thought we couldn't come back home if we were positive. Otherwise, what's the use of the test. If we're vaccinated we don't have to quarantine on return. But we could still catch it and spread it so I can see why they'd want to know so people would be forced to quarantine.
Do you happen to have a reliable source for that? If we could still cross the border by land even though positive, that would take some stress off trying to plan a trip.

As a Canadian citizen you can not be denied entry into your country . However you must have a suitable quarantine plan to return and if you test positive you would obviously be using the quarantine plan for the full 14 days or however long it takes to recover and test negative.
You can read the requirements here , on the government’s website dedicated to this info

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/isolation

 

[LauraLap]

I guess maybe they extended it or are honouring existing reservations? The nurse told us that June 18th was the last day. I’m hopeful for others’ sake it does get extended, although we got our results literally with five minutes to spare and I would not do it the morning of travel again! It was very, very easy, though.

I checked the website and it says it is ending July 9th. I have it booked for 3 days before my flight since I live close to YYZ.

 

[GossipGirl88]

We got our Walgreens Rapid ID Now results back at 12:30pm after testing at about 10:30am on a Friday. Not sure if the return time varies by time/day of week. (But if you actually ask them, they give you a longer time and a cost for the tests…so there’s an obvious solution there.)

For entering the US in early June, we used hard copy printouts of our test results and the signed attestation forms. They were checked by a Pearson staffer while we were in line before reaching security, then again by the border agents after security.

FYI, there’s no priority or Nexus lane at the moment, or at least there wasn’t in early June. Allow extra time, even with the low numbers the lines are slow because of all the steps.

Can I ask if you had to pay for the Rapid ID now test? On the Walgreens website it seems to say that if you show state/local ID or an insurance card it's free, but I couldn't seem to find anywhere that indicated how much it would cost if you didn't have one of those... just curious.

 

[Juventus]

When I am on Walgreens website to schedule a test appointment it asks for my state and zip code. How do you get around that?