Speeding up the Quarantine on return

[CKCruising]

Assuming when we return to Canada, we are selected for the Testing/Quarantining, is there any way to speed up the expected 72 hour (may not be that long) turnaround on the test results? 

Is there an option to pay for a different test with quicker results?

For example, SDM has PCR results in 24-48 hours, but they say "Have not been advised to quarantine in the last 14 days per the federal quarantine requirements" which would mean we can't go there for a test.

[Fouremco]

You will either be tested at the point of entry or provided with a test kit for you to use at your home or other isolation location. In either event, you don't have any option to select another, quicker test.

[sprdave63]

Hello everyone, Building on this thread does anybody know...  "if" you are randomly selected upon return... can you isolate at your own home? OR are you mandated to stay at the "luxurious" over-priced approved COVID hotels I am hearing about?

Thank you in advance !!

Cheers,

Dave

[gnome12]

10 minutes ago, sprdave63 said:

Hello everyone, Building on this thread does anybody know...  "if" you are randomly selected upon return... can you isolate at your own home? OR are you mandated to stay at the "luxurious" over-priced approved COVID hotels I am hearing about?

Thank you in advance !!

Cheers,

Dave

I believe that unless you have been to one of the 10 African countries from which we have banned travel (by non-Canadians) you will be allowed to go home to quarantine until you get your test results. You will even be allowed to get on a connecting flight.

[CKCruising]

3 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I believe that unless you have been to one of the 10 African countries from which we have banned travel (by non-Canadians) you will be allowed to go home to quarantine until you get your test results. You will even be allowed to get on a connecting flight.

That is my understanding too...for fully vaccinated travelers.

[Fouremco]

That's my understanding as well.

[sprdave63]

Thank you EVERYONE for your replies and fingers crossed we are all able to  navigate these constantly changing rules.

Stay safe !!

Cheers

Dave 

[tert333]

I am not sure how it will breakdown between getting the test at the airport and being given one to take home.   If you take it home, you will have to perform the test and then courier it back to the lab to process.

 

I would assume that it will be faster to get the results if you have the test performed at the airport.  

 

I am also not sure we will be given an option....

[Fouremco]

58 minutes ago, tert333 said:

I am not sure how it will breakdown between getting the test at the airport and being given one to take home.   If you take it home, you will have to perform the test and then courier it back to the lab to process.

 

I would assume that it will be faster to get the results if you have the test performed at the airport.  

 

I am also not sure we will be given an option....

Given the huge number of tests that airports will be faced with, whatever lab(s) they use will be overwhelmed. And as the lab(s) are typically not located at the airport, the specimens taken at the airport also have to be shipped. Depending on where you live, how quickly you get home and how quickly you test yourself, it might be a toss up which option will be faster. And as you say, there may not be any option.

 

Not that it was a Canadian airport, but I read recently about a testing facility that only shipped out its specimens once a day, just before closing, as it was cheaper than having multiple daily shipments. Hopefully the airports won't have the same mindset.

 

One thing is certain, I think I'll get my results back more quickly arriving at YOW instead of YYZ.

[K_e_short]

Great question. Thank you for asking.

 

I am also wondering that as well.

 

I was thinking that the bigger airports (Toronto. Vancouver) that always had international flights would have a faster turn around time then the airports just recently offereing international flights (Ottawa)

 

@Fouremco I'm flying in and out of Ottawa so will keep your positiv vibes that my test will come back faster 🙂

 

In regards to where you need to isolate while waiting for your test to return - the government website says:

Before travelling to Canada, all travellers, regardless of citizenship, must make suitable plans for quarantine, within their own means.

 

Within your own means sounds like at home.

 

I filled out my ArriveCan app for a possible day trip on Saturday and the wording emphasizes having a place to be, away from others, with food and water, etc.

 

[Fouremco]

8 minutes ago, K_e_short said:

I was thinking that the bigger airports (Toronto. Vancouver) that always had international flights would have a faster turn around time then the airports just recently offereing international flights (Ottawa)

LOL. Just look at the international arrivals at YOW. Today, just two, a Sunwing flight from Punta Cana and a United flight from Washington. Tomorrow? A grand total of one international flight, a Flair flight from FLL.  So, over two days, only three international flights, two of which are from the US with no mandatory testing. Want to place a bet on which airport will process the day's tests the quickest? 😇

[*Miss G*]

Cross your fingers you are randomly chosen to take your test at the airport.  I was given a kit to do within 24 hours of entering on a Friday afternoon.  A few hours later I logged onto Switch Health to get it done.  I was 82nd in line.  15 minutes later I was 84th in line.  Your guess is as good as mine.  

 

I disconnected and came back online at 11:30pm.  Less than 5 people in front of me.  Great!  30 minutes later I was connected to a nurse.  First thing she said was “Wow. You’ve waited a long time.  I don’t know why because there are plenty of nurses available.”  No comment.

 

Test completed by 12:20am.  When the window closes you need to go to the page for courier pickup.  First available pickup for me was Monday afternoon between 1:00 and 5:00pm.  Test results arrived on Thursday.

 

If you’re counting that was:

• 3 days from entry to testing to courier pickup
• 6 days from entry to receipt of results

My best advice would be to not re-enter Canada on a weekend.  Good luck.

Edited December 9, 2021 by *Miss G*
Correction of courier pickup time

[Fouremco]

6 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

Cross your fingers you are randomly chosen to take your test at the airport.  I was given a kit to do within 24 hours of entering on a Friday afternoon.  A few hours later I logged onto Switch Health to get it done.  I was 82nd in line.  15 minutes later I was 84th in line.  Your guess is as good as mine.  

 

I disconnected and came back online at 11:30pm.  Less than 5 people in front of me.  Great!  30 minutes later I was connected to a nurse.  First thing she said was “Wow. You’ve waited a long time.  I don’t know why because there are plenty of nurses available.”  No comment.

 

Test completed by 12:20am.  When the window closes you need to go to the page for courier pickup.  First available pickup for me was Monday afternoon between 1:00 and 5:00pm.  Test results arrived on Thursday.

 

If you’re counting that was:

• 3 days from entry to testing to courier pickup
• 6 days from entry to receipt of results

My best advice would be to not re-enter Canada on a weekend.  Good luck.

Thanks for your personal insight on home testing. I'm with you, it would be so much easier getting tested at the airport.

[lots-of-km2]

9 hours ago, CKCruising said:

Assuming when we return to Canada, we are selected for the Testing/Quarantining, is there any way to speed up the expected 72 hour (may not be that long) turnaround on the test results? 

 

Returning to Canada via Pearson last night, I got a handout indicating that random, selected individuals would either "be tested on site or receive a self-swab kit".  The self-swab kit would have to be completed and submitted for processing within 24 hours of entering Canada.  There's no provision for taking a third-party test that provides rapid results -- you've gotta use the kit you're provided at the airport. 

 

 

[K_e_short]

30 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

If you’re counting that was:

• 3 days from entry to testing to courier pickup
• 6 days from entry to receipt of results

My best advice would be to not re-enter Canada on a weekend.  Good luck.

 

6 days!!! Oh dear....

 

I am flying home on Sunday January 2nd... 

 

 

[DHLuCruise]

Seriously, most normal people who have jobs and obligations will be returning from their cruise on the weekend.

 

We're going to be driving from the cruise port home and returning on Jan 1. I am going to assume the worst and they're going to hand out kits to drivers. We're not going to lie about where we've been.

 

This is not going to be pleasant if we are stuck at home for up to 6 days waiting for this unnecessary 'for show' test. However, at this point I guess we don't have much choice if we want to cruise.

 

 

[*Miss G*]

Don’t quote me on this because it was the middle of the night and I’d just spent two days driving, but…. I have a vague recollection of being given the option to have an Uber driver pick it up, so that might a faster alternative.  I wasn’t about to start figuring out the unfamiliar so I chose courier pickup.  I depart on a cruise this weekend and will re-enter Canada on the 22nd.  I am hoping I don’t receive another random test but, if I do, I will report back on the process.

[K_e_short]

11 minutes ago, DHLuCruise said:

This is not going to be pleasant if we are stuck at home for up to 6 days waiting for this unnecessary 'for show' test. However, at this point I guess we don't have much choice if we want to cruise.

 

 

 

I have extra vacation days that I can use and my son can do school online.

 

I am making this work as I want to go on vacation.

[DHLuCruise]

1 minute ago, K_e_short said:

 

I have extra vacation days that I can use and my son can do school online.

 

I am making this work as I want to go on vacation.

100% .. same here. We all work from home and kids can do remote if they have to. We want to go on vacation so we'll make this work.

[tert333]

52 minutes ago, K_e_short said:

 

6 days!!! Oh dear....

 

I am flying home on Sunday January 2nd... 

 

 

We are flying in on Saturday January 8th.   Sounds like it is better to get the test at the airport. 

 

When we arrived from the US on November 27, they were also doing random tests.   When you went through and talked to the customs officer, they either gave you a green sticker or a pink sticker.  If you got a pink sticker, you were told as you were leaving, that you would have to take a random test. 

 

Not sure what the process is now for random testing....

[Froufie]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

Thanks for your personal insight on home testing. I'm with you, it would be so much easier getting tested at the airport.

I believe at this time there no real 'testing' capability at YOW - but wondering if in the days to come they will get this organized given the new directives?  We return late on a Saturday night and I am honestly assuming we will be given take home tests to complete.  At least for us we can work from home, so should not be a huge issue I hope!  

 

I am more concerned about being able to get online and get the test done promptly given the high number of individuals who will be logging in to the same online websites since at some point EVERYONE  returning will need to be tested - maybe the 24 hrs post travel rule may have to be extended if people can't access website or nurses?

[broberts]

Given the recent news from Pfizer perhaps the arrival testing regime will be relaxed.

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by broberts

[DHLuCruise]

8 minutes ago, broberts said:

Given the recent news from Pfizer perhaps the arrival testing regime will be relaxed.

 

 

 

 

I'm usually not a doomer but I sincerely doubt it, at least for a few months.

 

[DirtyDawg]

10 hours ago, broberts said:

Given the recent news from Pfizer perhaps the arrival testing regime will be relaxed.

 

 

 

Hopefully, but I doubt it will be relaxed in time for holiday travel this December. As for 2022, that's a new year, more research, more variants, lots of things can change. 

 

Forest Gump's mom was right alter all; " life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.”