Negative Co-vid test required as of Jan 07, 2021 to enter Canada.

[Canada2020eh]

The Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, is requiring that, effective January 7, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. EST, all air passengers five years of age or older will be required to test negative for COVID-19 before travelling from another country to Canada. This implementation date provides all airlines, both foreign and domestic, adequate time to comply with the new requirements.

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2020/12/pre-departure-covid-19-testing-and-negative-results-to-be-required-for-all-air-travellers-coming-to-canada.html

 

[steaky]

Other foreign jurisdictions have implemented the requirement for quite some time but this could not help prevent inbound travelers with the virus from coming in after they were tested positive upon arrival. How accurate are these testing done by foreign laboratories?

 

[canuck78]

Other foreign jurisdictions have implemented the requirement for quite some time but this could not help prevent inbound travelers with the virus from coming in after they were tested positive upon arrival. How accurate are these testing done by foreign laboratories?

Canada isn't allowing rapid tests which have a pretty high false negative rate. Many other countries and airlines allow rapid testing. I assume the proof of testing was implemented so late in the pandemic because of the new mutation that is more contagious. Also pretty clear that many are not limiting themselves to essential travel and many are not quarantining properly or just ignoring the quarantine rules. The government has done a pretty poor job explaining how to properly quarantine and there is almost no verification of quarantine plans at the airport so hopefully that will change. There is very little capacity left, if any, in ICUs across Canada and we're in for a huge surge post Christmas.

 

[Western Mountain Man]

The Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, is requiring that, effective January 7, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. EST, all air passengers five years of age or older will be required to test negative for COVID-19 before travelling from another country to Canada. This implementation date provides all airlines, both foreign and domestic, adequate time to comply with the new requirements.

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2020/12/pre-departure-covid-19-testing-and-negative-results-to-be-required-for-all-air-travellers-coming-to-canada.html

Should have done that month's ago !

 

[D&S]

This is a poignant but vital decision by Canada for the safety of Canadians and foreign nationals. Health and safety....is there anything more important these days?! I am so grateful for my husband's ability to stay in Canada and for our ability to keep isolated at home, in our rural community. SOOO grateful!

 

[neuroCanadian]

My partner who is coming from Mexico said that public hospitals won’t test him no matter what. He has a to pay a lot to go to a private lab.

And then he asked if he needs to translate the results. I have no idea... the government is so strict but simultaneously so vague

 

[Phalos]

And then he asked if he needs to translate the results. I have no idea... the government is so strict but simultaneously so vague

Yeah and by the time somebody goes to translate and jump through all the hoops, they might get infected along the way, or they might catch the virus from the cab driver who drops them off at the airport - all so useless.j
Also will airport authorities call the clinic to confirm the authenticity of the actual test, that its not just a fake piece of typed up paper from Juarez? Yeah I doubt they will be calling 5000 clinics a day around the world. Its all for just a bullshit show to the Canadian public.

 

[Western Mountain Man]

Canada isn't allowing rapid tests which have a pretty high false negative rate. Many other countries and airlines allow rapid testing. I assume the proof of testing was implemented so late in the pandemic because of the new mutation that is more contagious. Also pretty clear that many are not limiting themselves to essential travel and many are not quarantining properly or just ignoring the quarantine rules. The government has done a pretty poor job explaining how to properly quarantine and there is almost no verification of quarantine plans at the airport so hopefully that will change. There is very little capacity left, if any, in ICUs across Canada and we're in for a huge surge post Christmas.

It seems that some government officials ' are not limiting themselves to essential travel '.
Setting a good example when they get caught..... Bah! Humbug!

 

[LotusLeodis]

I think that this requirement may be hard for some people to fulfil, though I understand the public health merit of the decision.

You can only get a free test in the UK if you have symptoms or are directed by a GP, for example.

Plus, I wonder about the gap between test date, test result date and travel date. For us, it likely requires travel to a high risk area to leave the country, which increases risk of spread.

Also, what about vaccines: will this be a requirement to travel and when and then also the same issue with cost and access etc?

 

[armoured]

My partner who is coming from Mexico said that public hospitals won’t test him no matter what. He has a to pay a lot to go to a private lab.

Let's be clear: it already costs money to travel and the cost imposed is part of the point (even if a small part). They don't want people to travel right now. This makes it harder - for Canadians returning too.

This is NOT a policy to make travel easier, but to make it harder, because such travel makes the burden on the health system higher.

Also will airport authorities call the clinic to confirm the authenticity of the actual test, that its not just a fake piece of typed up paper from Juarez? Yeah I doubt they will be calling 5000 clinics a day around the world. Its all for just a bullshit show to the Canadian public.

Sure, there is always some possibility of fake tests. But that too has a cost - making it less convenient to travel.

I know I'm repeating myself: they don't want people to travel right now.

And be careful what you wish for: for those from countries where the medical system cannot/does not provide authentic tests and there are often fakes, expect more visa restrictions. (Although in practice these are probably also countries where visas are already required and/or relatively less travel to Canada anyway)

Plus, I wonder about the gap between test date, test result date and travel date. For us, it likely requires travel to a high risk area to leave the country, which increases risk of spread.

No measure is perfect, nor perfectly fair. Refer to point above: they don't want you to travel right now.

I also question whether there are many countries from which travel to a high risk area to get tested is distinct from travel to the high risk areas that are the large urban agglomerations where airports are located and from which a very high percentage of voyages to Canada begin or transit. Really all of the international airports in Canada, or at least those that account for the bulk of the arrivals, are also high risk areas.

Note: I am in no way attempting to say that these measures are sufficient, or entirely effective, or the most effective way to deal with covid, or the most cost-effective, or fair, etc. I don't agree with large parts of it personally.

But absolutely the LEAST effective arguments against this policy are that it is inconvenient or imposes additional costs on travellers. They do not want you to travel right now - but are allowing that travel under limited circumstances. Making it less convenient and more costly is not a bug, it's a feature.

Now of course it's also fine to complain and write here about various aspects of it - perfectly normal - in order to let off steam; by all means. But most of these arguments are not at all convincing.

(And yes - some politicians are entitled jerks, and some of them are paying the price right now for it. I think that's a good thing. In lots of countries politicians are ignoring restrictions entirely with little blowback)

 

[Lisaexpat]

So after a negative test, you still have to self-isolate for 2 weeks??

 

[armoured]

So after a negative test, you still have to self-isolate for 2 weeks??

Yes. There is uncertainty both about accuracy of tests and even if test is accurate, individual can be at a point where they are infected/exposed but tests not yet detecting, and of course they can get infected at the airports and in airplane.

 

[steaky]

Canada isn't allowing rapid tests which have a pretty high false negative rate. Many other countries and airlines allow rapid testing. I assume the proof of testing was implemented so late in the pandemic because of the new mutation that is more contagious. Also pretty clear that many are not limiting themselves to essential travel and many are not quarantining properly or just ignoring the quarantine rules. The government has done a pretty poor job explaining how to properly quarantine and there is almost no verification of quarantine plans at the airport so hopefully that will change. There is very little capacity left, if any, in ICUs across Canada and we're in for a huge surge post Christmas.

Incorrect. You don't travel does not mean that rapid testing doesn't exist in Canadian airports. Don't just assume things.

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/travel-info/covid-testing

 

[steaky]

It seems that some government officials ' are not limiting themselves to essential travel '.
Setting a good example when they get caught..... Bah! Humbug!

But traveling to see ill relatives not considered essential? Why the need to resign?

 

[Canada2020eh]

But traveling to see ill relatives not considered essential? Why the need to resign?

That politician didn't resign, she was removed from her post by her party. Whether it is essential or not was up to her to decide but the other 13 politicians who left the country for vacations over the holidays should have known better. It's pretty sad when they think they are not bound by the rules they make.