Flight travel during Covid

[cgy-sk-import]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Your kid will have to quarantine/isolate for 14 days regardless of how you get back to Canada and the child has to do an arrival and day 8 test.

This isn't correct. Have returned very recently from travel with 9 year old. He did not have to take a day 8 test, and does not have to "quarantine". However, he is not able to go to school, sports, etc. It's more of a "limited isolation".

Also, hearing from a very good source that the stopover/connection rules that were previously in place are going to be reimplemented, and that there will not be quarantine hotels in the similar way as before UNLESS you have travelled from one of the 10 listed countries.

Edit: To clarify, will have to test at point of arrival, but can still jump on connection flight to final destination in Canada, as long as you indicate this in your quarantine plan on ArriveCan and to border service agents.

[Nyah]

Is it possible that these are rapid tests that they're giving to people with connections? Or are they going to be busing people to and from quarantine hotels if they arrive in an airport that isn't their final destination while they await their test results? This seems like a really terrible, tedious idea. What's the point of the negative test prior to departure?

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by cgy-sk-import

This isn't correct. Have returned very recently from travel with 9 year old. He did not have to take a day 8 test, and does not have to "quarantine". However, he is not able to go to school, sports, etc. It's more of a "limited isolation".

We'll I don't know how the rules are actually administered but the government's website is pretty clear that a day 8 test is required:

If you qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller, your unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated children must follow specific requirements when you return to or enter Canada. This applies to unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated children under 12 years of age who are accompanying a parent, step-parent, guardian or tutor who qualified as a fully vaccinated traveller when they entered Canada.

Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated children under 12 must complete pre-entry, arrival and Day-8 tests, unless you have evidence that the child had a positive COVID-19 test taken 14 to 180 days prior to arrival in Canada or the child is under 5 years of age.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by Nyah

Is it possible that these are rapid tests that they're giving to people with connections? Or are they going to be busing people to and from quarantine hotels if they arrive in an airport that isn't their final destination while they await their test results? This seems like a really terrible, tedious idea.

There's zero indication that I'm aware of that people with connecting flights won't be able to get on their flight normally after being tested. Or if they do it like they do the current random testing, they might give people taking connecting flights self-swab kits to use at home.

What's the point of the negative test prior to departure?

The pre-departure test is (and pretty much always has been) pretty useless. I guess it prevents people in the middle of a COVID infection from getting into the country. But because it normally won't detect infections still in their incubation period and because they can be done up to 3 days before the flight, at best you're catching infections that started 5+ days before entry (and more like 7-10 in reality).

[slots881]

Sorry if this has been covered, I just would like some clarification.
I'm flying to Denver on Monday am.
Is a rapid Antigen test from Shoppers enough for US travel?
I was going to go Friday afternoon for the test.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by slots881

Sorry if this has been covered, I just would like some clarification.
I'm flying to Denver on Monday am.
Is a rapid Antigen test from Shoppers enough for US travel?
I was going to go Friday afternoon for the test.

Yes. Antigen test to go to the US, PCR to come ba k home. (Unless it's changed recently due to omicron)

[Jay's Beagle]

Well the US has changed it again, you must get a test a day before you land.

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2021/12/...st-air-travel/

By early next week, Canadians and all other foreign visitors who travel to the United States by air will need to get a COVID-19 test no later than the day before their departure.

U.S. President Joe Biden is slashing the current 72-hour testing window for fully vaccinated travellers as part of a suite of public health measures aimed at slowing the spread of the highly mutated Omicron variant.

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by Jay's Beagle

Well the US has changed it again, you must get a test a day before you land.

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2021/12/...st-air-travel/

Ugh, I fly Sunday and have my test booked for Friday. This has high potential to turn into a gong show.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Jay's Beagle

Well the US has changed it again, you must get a test a day before you land.

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2021/12/...st-air-travel/

That article says the test must be no later than prior to departure. That's a significant difference from the day prior to arrival if the trip involves multiple connections.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Jay's Beagle

Well the US has changed it again, you must get a test a day before you land.

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2021/12/...st-air-travel/

To correct the article the previous rule was 3 days in advance not 72 hrs. It unclear if the new rule is 1 day or 24 hrs.

[MoneyGuy]

What happens if you have a 24-hour test but your flight is delayed to outside of 24 hours. Do you have to be retested? (I’d imagine so.)

Are tests available in airports? What’s the turn-around time for results?

[burn_this_city]

Anyone travelling just before Christmas should probably book now. I think there will be a rush on appointments.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Anyone travelling just before Christmas should probably book now. I think there will be a rush on appointments.

I travel on the 25th. I’m looking to get an appointment on the 24th. Any idea where I can book appointments? Couldn’t find an option on shoppers website. But I may just suck at looking.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I travel on the 25th. I’m looking to get an appointment on the 24th. Any idea where I can book appointments? Couldn’t find an option on shoppers website. But I may just suck at looking.

I called three shoppers and they said they wouldn't book until 7-10 days ahead, depending on the store.

[sleepingmoose]

Depending on where you live, try a Pharmasave. The one by me in Copperfield does online booking, and can book weeks in advance. I believe Shopper's makes you call the store directly to book.

Edit: I just checked, and they have many appointments still available on December 24th.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by sleepingmoose

Depending on where you live, try a Pharmasave. The one by me in Copperfield does online booking, and can book weeks in advance. I believe Shopper's makes you call the store directly to book.

Yah I see they charge $130 for it though. Seems pricey for an antigen test?

Never mind. It’s $40. That’s better.

[sleepingmoose]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Yah I see they charge $130 for it though. Seems pricey for an antigen test?

It's $40. I'm getting 4 today for our trip to Hawaii tomorrow. The $130 is for PCR.

[CroFlames]

Even with the new rule being 24 hours before flight time, antigen from Shoppers is still acceptable? Or does it have to be PCR?

EDIT: I should add that I'm flying Delta and their website says this:

Test type accepted: Antigen, NAAT, RT-LAMP, RT-PCR or TMA

Important: Effective December 6, All passengers vaccinated and non-vaccinated are required to present a COVID-19 test taken at most 24 hours before departure from the first embarkation point.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

The 24 hour rule is just a US rule though, right? If you're not flying to the USA it's not a problem?

[sleepingmoose]

Antigen is acceptable for travel to the US - and yes, the 24 hours rule will just be a US one when it is put into effect (still currently 3 days if vaccinated). To enter Canada, no real changes (yet) - you need a molecular (PCR, NAAT) test within 72 hours.