Flying home - quarantine question

[macfam5]

For those flying back to Canada after cruising, has anyone had to do a PCR test upon your arrival back to a Canadian airport? Are you told to quarantine until results are back ? 

[mom says]

You'll likely either be tested at the airport or given a test kit to take within 2 days of arrival. You are supposed to quarantine until you get the results. The details are on the gov website.

[Fouremco]

12 minutes ago, macfam5 said:

For those flying back to Canada after cruising, has anyone had to do a PCR test upon your arrival back to a Canadian airport? Are you told to quarantine until results are back ? 

Yes, if you have been outside Canada and the US during the preceding 14 days, you are required to quarantine while waiting for the results. On the other hand, an Alaska or Canada-New England cruise would not take you outside Canada and the US, so you would not need to quarantine while waiting.

 

Who must quarantine while awaiting arrival test results

Quarantine requirements depend on where you've been within the last 14 days:

Outside Canada or the U.S. within the last 14 days

Upon your entry to Canada by air or at a land border crossing, the border services officer may notify you that you have been randomly selected for a mandatory arrival test.

All travellers are strongly encouraged to pre-register for an on-arrival COVID-19 molecular test in advance of landing in Canada to avoid lengthy lines and delays in processing.

If you are randomly selected for a mandatory arrival test, you:

• must take the arrival test as directed on the day you enter Canada. The test may be administered at the airport or you may receive a self-swab kit at the airport or land border to complete within 24 hours after entering Canada
• can take connecting flights to your place of quarantine
• must quarantine in a suitable place while you await the arrival test result
• aren’t required to pay a fee for the arrival test
• may leave quarantine when you get a negative arrival test result. If the test result is positive you must isolate for a further 10 days

Only in the U.S. or Canada within last 14 days

Upon your entry to Canada by air or at a land border crossing, the border services officer may notify you that you have been randomly selected for an arrival test.

If you are randomly selected for a mandatory arrival test, you:

• must take the arrival test as directed on the day you enter Canada. The test may be administered at the airport or you may receive a self-swab kit at the airport or land border to complete within 24 hours after entering Canada
• don't have to wait for the results, you can travel on to your final destination, including taking connecting flights
• don’t have to quarantine while waiting for your results

 

[Brian V]

My brother and sister in law got back from Miami (11 day Panama cruise) on the 16th, they both got "random" tested at Pearson and told to isolate until they got a negative result - and them promptly got put on their connection to Calgary 😲

 

Good thing they are both retired, he got his results on the 20th (4 days), she did not get hers till the 22nd (6 days!) - both negative.

 

Good thing they are both negative because what would they do if they came back positive - declare everyone else on their connection flight as close contacts???

[CKCruising]

5 hours ago, Fouremco said:

...may leave quarantine when you get a negative arrival test result. If the test result is positive you must isolate for a further 10 days...

 

The wording on this has always bothered me.  Here it sounds like you need to isolate 10 days from your test result.  In the e-mails that go with the tests, it's clearer you need to isolate 10 days from your test date.  

Not sure if you haven't received the results after 11 days, you still have to isolate?

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, CKCruising said:

The wording on this has always bothered me.  Here it sounds like you need to isolate 10 days from your test result.  In the e-mails that go with the tests, it's clearer you need to isolate 10 days from your test date.  

Not sure if you haven't received the results after 11 days, you still have to isolate?

Unfortunately, a good deal of the (ever-changing) policy is less than crystal clear. It seems that many of the "what if" questions have never been ask during the policy development.

[Liverpoolfan181]

We returned from the Florida (no cruise) and my husband was randomly selected at customs. 

He received the Switch health take home test to be done within 24 hours and picked up by Purolator. 

Was happy as the line up to get swapped at Pearson was at least an hour long. It seemed random as to how they divided the lines, not by your arrival location. Husband did not have to quarantine. 

 

Within 24 hours of arriving home, all of us in our party actually received an email to advise us of quarantine rules- IF we arrived from US only. IF we arrived from other destinations and expectations. 

 

Email below:

 

This message is to remind you that you must follow the requirements outlined in this email that apply to your situation, as were determined when you entered Canada.

IF YOU:

1.          Were randomly selected to complete COVID-19 molecular testing; AND, 2.          In the 14 days before your arrival in Canada, you were in a country OTHER THAN Canada and the United States

THEN, YOU MUST:

·     quarantine for 14 days starting on your date of entry in Canada OR until you have received a negative test result from the day 1 COVID-19 molecular test, whichever comes first; ·     report your arrival at your place of quarantine within 48 hours after entering Canada by calling the Public Health Agency of Canada at 1-833-641-0343; and ·     report your COVID-19 symptoms status daily for 14 days starting on your date of entry in Canada OR until you have received a negative test result by calling the Public Health Agency of Canada at 1-833-641-0343

---

IF YOU:

1.          Were randomly selected to complete COVID-19 molecular testing; AND, 2.          In the 14 days before your arrival in Canada, you were ONLY in the United States or Canada

THEN, YOU MUST:

·     complete the DAY 1 test within 24 hours of entering Canada; ·     for the 14 days after you entered Canada, monitor yourself for symptoms of COVID-19; and ·     maintain a list of the names and contact information of every person you have come into close contact with during the 14-day period AND all of the places you have been

---

IF YOU:

1.          Were NOT randomly selected to complete COVID-19 molecular testing

THEN, YOU MUST:

·     for the 14 days after you entered Canada, monitor yourself for symptoms of COVID-19; and ·     maintain a list of the names and contact information of every person you have come into close contact with during the 14-day period AND all of the places you have been

---

For the 14 days after you entered Canada, if you test positive for COVID-19 or develop symptoms, you must:

·     immediately isolate yourself from other members of your household for a period of 10 days that starts from the day you received your positive test result, swabbed your nose, or developed symptoms; ·     report your symptoms or positive test to the Minister of Health by calling 1-833-641-0343; and ·     contact your local public health authority.

REQUIREMENTS FOR UNVACCINATED CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12
For 14 days after entering Canada, unvaccinated children under 12 who entered Canada with vaccinated guardians, must:

·     complete COVID-19 molecular tests on day 1 and day 8 of entry to Canada (unless under the age of 5); ·     avoid contact with vulnerable persons; ·     not attend school, camp or day care; ·     avoid crowded public settings including parks and sporting events; ·     wear a mask AT ALL TIMES in both indoor and outdoor public settings when these spaces cannot be avoided; and ·     remain with their fully vaccinated parent or guardian as much as possible. ·     Further details are available here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/awareness-resources/unvaccinated-children-under-12-without-symptoms-travelling-fully-vaccinated-parents-guardians.html.

A screening officer may contact you to confirm your compliance with these requirements. Failure to comply may result in fines of up to $5000 and/or transfer to a designated quarantine facility.

We urge you to be diligent in meeting these requirements; this will help slow the spread of the virus and save lives.

Thank you for continuing to do your part!

[JessyCruises]

I was selected today to get tested when we went through customs in Montreal on our way to Saint John. I was not told that I have to isolate or quarantine while I waited for results.

[melbur]

Was required to test at Toronto yesterday after returning from Allure cruise. Seemed totally ridiculous as I was tested at the pier less then 24hrs before arrival and it was negative. They give out a 4 pg handout with the rules. The part I find worrisome is you are required to quarantine until your results come back, HOWEVER, if you don't get your results, you stay in quarantine the full 14 days. 

Don't get results ??? what is that about?? I have to leave the country again in 9 days so . . . . 

[CKCruising]

8 hours ago, melbur said:

Was required to test at Toronto yesterday after returning from Allure cruise. Seemed totally ridiculous as I was tested at the pier less then 24hrs before arrival and it was negative. They give out a 4 pg handout with the rules. The part I find worrisome is you are required to quarantine until your results come back, HOWEVER, if you don't get your results, you stay in quarantine the full 14 days. 

Don't get results ??? what is that about?? I have to leave the country again in 9 days so . . . . 

This is the kind of rule that makes no sense (not the quarantine part).  If the test comes back positive, you quarantine for 10 days.  If it comes back negative, you are done quarantining.  That would be 10 at the most in either case.  Where does the 14 days come from?

Over New Years, when there was a testing backlog (more than today), our results took 11 and 13 days.

[macfam5]

33 minutes ago, CKCruising said:

Seemed totally ridiculous as I was tested at the pier less then 24hrs before arrival and it was negative

I agree, this absolutely makes no sense at all 

[broberts]

11 hours ago, CKCruising said:

This is the kind of rule that makes no sense (not the quarantine part).  If the test comes back positive, you quarantine for 10 days.  If it comes back negative, you are done quarantining.  That would be 10 at the most in either case.  Where does the 14 days come from?

Over New Years, when there was a testing backlog (more than today), our results took 11 and 13 days.

 

The rules changed on January 15th. Prior to that date the quarantine period was 14 days.

[DirtyDawg]

Just be prepared to quarantine when you re-enter the country. No big deal if you are prepared.  

[JessyCruises]

23 hours ago, melbur said:

Was required to test at Toronto yesterday after returning from Allure cruise. Seemed totally ridiculous as I was tested at the pier less then 24hrs before arrival and it was negative. They give out a 4 pg handout with the rules. The part I find worrisome is you are required to quarantine until your results come back, HOWEVER, if you don't get your results, you stay in quarantine the full 14 days. 

Don't get results ??? what is that about?? I have to leave the country again in 9 days so . . . . 

 

We flew home yesterday too and I also got flagged for a test but in Montreal.  Our circumstances are a little different.  We were on the 1/9/22-1/15/22 Odyssey sailing too and hubby tested positive on 1/13/22 onboard.  That meant quarantine onboard until the 15th and then we were in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale and not allowed to fly home until 1/24.  I tested negative onboard and I continued to test negative on rapid antigens all week at the hotel.  I got a PCR on Friday afternoon through BeeperMD and tested negative.  I assume I got flagged at the airport because they knew hubs was flying with a positive test from 11+ days ago.

 

I was feeling a little under the weather this morning and took another rapid this morning and tested positive and sure enough I got my results this afternoon from the airport test and it was positive as well.

 

The weird part is that they did not tell me to quarantine while I waited for my results. They just told me it could take up to 5 days to get my results.

[CKCruising]

11 hours ago, broberts said:

 

The rules changed on January 15th. Prior to that date the quarantine period was 14 days.

The Quarantine (isolation) for a positive test has always (since at least November) 10 days when you cross the border.  What changed on January 15 is the length of time before you can re-enter the country with a positive test.

The quarantine for a close contact at the border is 14 days (I don't think that has changed either).

[DirtyDawg]

10 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

 

We flew home yesterday too and I also got flagged for a test but in Montreal.  Our circumstances are a little different.  We were on the 1/9/22-1/15/22 Odyssey sailing too and hubby tested positive on 1/13/22 onboard.  That meant quarantine onboard until the 15th and then we were in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale and not allowed to fly home until 1/24.  I tested negative onboard and I continued to test negative on rapid antigens all week at the hotel.  I got a PCR on Friday afternoon through BeeperMD and tested negative.  I assume I got flagged at the airport because they knew hubs was flying with a positive test from 11+ days ago.

 

I was feeling a little under the weather this morning and took another rapid this morning and tested positive and sure enough I got my results this afternoon from the airport test and it was positive as well.

 

The weird part is that they did not tell me to quarantine while I waited for my results. They just told me it could take up to 5 days to get my results.

I hope yours's is a mild case like mine was. Enjoy your new quarantine back in Canada.

One good thing about quarantining at home was that  my SIL could not visit. 🥳

Oh, and the liqour store delivered! Because, as we all know, virgin hot toddy's don't do the trick! 🥂

 

Edited January 26, 2022 by DirtyDawg

[truckswain]

12 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

 

We flew home yesterday too and I also got flagged for a test but in Montreal.  Our circumstances are a little different.  We were on the 1/9/22-1/15/22 Odyssey sailing too and hubby tested positive on 1/13/22 onboard.  That meant quarantine onboard until the 15th and then we were in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale and not allowed to fly home until 1/24.  I tested negative onboard and I continued to test negative on rapid antigens all week at the hotel.  I got a PCR on Friday afternoon through BeeperMD and tested negative.  I assume I got flagged at the airport because they knew hubs was flying with a positive test from 11+ days ago.

 

I was feeling a little under the weather this morning and took another rapid this morning and tested positive and sure enough I got my results this afternoon from the airport test and it was positive as well.

 

The weird part is that they did not tell me to quarantine while I waited for my results. They just told me it could take up to 5 days to get my results.

This is yet another reason why testing travellers is not providing the outcomes desired. 

 

JessyCruises flew into Canada while most likely being contagious.  And to be clear not her fault.  Tested at the airport and no mention of isolating or quarantine until test results came back.

 

  Canada needs to follow the science which they refuse to do.

[broberts]

24 minutes ago, truckswain said:

Canada needs to follow the science which they refuse to do.

 

Strikes me that there are many opinions on what the science is.

 

Science can answer narrow, well defined questions. It is incapable of proactively providing answers to broader, more complex questions.

[JessyCruises]

30 minutes ago, truckswain said:

JessyCruises flew into Canada while most likely being contagious.  And to be clear not her fault.  Tested at the airport and no mention of isolating or quarantine until test results came back.

I feel really bad about it now knowing I was positive on those planes and at the airport. 

 

I was going to isolate whether they told me to or not, but I know not everyone does.  Every time we have travelled since Covid we always isolate a few days at home to make super sure we have not gotten it while travelling so we will not spread it around. This was our 9th cruise since the restart (3 sets of multiple cruises) and it is the first time we have been positive.  

[CKCruising]

1 hour ago, truckswain said:

This is yet another reason why testing travellers is not providing the outcomes desired. 

 

JessyCruises flew into Canada while most likely being contagious.  And to be clear not her fault.  Tested at the airport and no mention of isolating or quarantine until test results came back.

 

  Canada needs to follow the science which they refuse to do.

Everyone says follow the science, but what is the science you refer to?

Should someone coming from the US quarantine until they get a negative test?

Should someone who went to a Raptors game (think November) be required to test and quarantine?

Should kids be home from school?

The science says that if you come into contact with the disease, you may get it.  Does the science say we should have a full lockdown?

At this point, follow the science means I will pick and choose options that suit me and call it science.

Out of interest, I would be interested in knowing what science Canada is refusing to follow?  I can come up with a bunch of examples, but am interested in hearing from other views.

[wendycook22]

@JessyCruises 
Did you book a random hotel for your quarantine period or were you provided with a list of hotels taking on travelers that test positive.  I am curious on how hard it would be to find a hotel for isolation, or if hotels are note questioning it and just taking people in as it is money in their pockets....  

Edited January 27, 2022 by wendycook22

[JessyCruises]

47 minutes ago, wendycook22 said:

@JessyCruises 
Did you book a random hotel for your quarantine period or were you provided with a list of hotels taking on travelers that test positive.  I am curious on how hard it would be to find a hotel for isolation, or if hotels are note questioning it and just taking people in as it is money in their pockets....  

 

We could have used their selected hotel (Fort Points Dania Beach) and they would have paid the bill, or we could choose any hotel we wanted as long as it was less than $350 per night.  If we chose the 2nd option, we just had to pay and would be reimbursed later.  We chose the Embassy Suites 17 St.  We were also told we had $100 per person per day to spend on food.  This is the letter we got about what was covered

 

 

[truckswain]

On 1/26/2022 at 1:23 PM, CKCruising said:

Everyone says follow the science, but what is the science you refer to?

Should someone coming from the US quarantine until they get a negative test?

Should someone who went to a Raptors game (think November) be required to test and quarantine?

Should kids be home from school?

The science says that if you come into contact with the disease, you may get it.  Does the science say we should have a full lockdown?

At this point, follow the science means I will pick and choose options that suit me and call it science.

Out of interest, I would be interested in knowing what science Canada is refusing to follow?  I can come up with a bunch of examples, but am interested in hearing from other views.

There certainly is a great deal of confusion and some differing opinions.

 

What I believe the science is showing and is being proven out in many civilized countries is that vaccines work and being boosted is even better.  You can still catch Covid with being vaccinated but it is very unlikely you will end up in hospital (unless there are underlying health issues.)  

 

Reporting/knowing case counts of infections is completely useless as it does not give an accurate picture especially with Omicron, but it was very inaccurate even before.

 

Covid will spread regardless of testing, travel or otherwise.  That we clearly saw with Omicron.

 

Two years into the pandemic, lockdowns, school closures, restrictions have had little effect on "flattening the curve" or "blunting" the curve.  And what is a "circuit breaker" anyway?

 

 If you are feeling unwell, stay home just like we did every cold and flu season.  If business require masks or vaccine proof excellent, if not then people can assess that risk.  If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, then you absolutely should and not be judged if you do, however masks being mandatory no longer makes sense.

 

Our health care system will always be at capacity as that is a failure at all levels of government.  Trying to fix this by lockdown and restrictions due to Covid is pointless.

 

Like the UK has, it is time to move forward.

 

 

[Priorgirl]

19 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

 

We could have used their selected hotel (Fort Points Dania Beach) and they would have paid the bill, or we could choose any hotel we wanted as long as it was less than $350 per night.  If we chose the 2nd option, we just had to pay and would be reimbursed later.  We chose the Embassy Suites 17 St.  We were also told we had $100 per person per day to spend on food.  This is the letter we got about what was covered

 

 

 

Wondering if Carnival has the same protocol for any passenger that tests positive while onboard. Anyone know? This would certainly take some of the pressure off knowing that if a positive test comes back for anyone in our group they'd be taken care of. 

[broberts]

1 hour ago, truckswain said:

Two years into the pandemic, lockdowns, school closures, restrictions have had little effect on "flattening the curve" or "blunting" the curve.  And what is a "circuit breaker" anyway?

 

 If you are feeling unwell, stay home just like we did every cold and flu season.  If business require masks or vaccine proof excellent, if not then people can assess that risk.  If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, then you absolutely should and not be judged if you do, however masks being mandatory no longer makes sense.

 

Our health care system will always be at capacity as that is a failure at all levels of government.  Trying to fix this by lockdown and restrictions due to Covid is pointless.

 

 

We have no science that proves lockdowns or school closures ineffective. Nor do we have any science that proves various mitigation approaches fail to achieve or partially achieve goals.

 

With a significant active faction working against various mitigation protocols observational data is not sufficient. Rigorous studies are necessary to isolate actual effects before any conclusions should be reached.

 

Elimination of masking protocols will essentially imprison that segment of the population with serious risk factors. While degrees of risk are still not well understood, the seriously at risk population is not small.

 

There is a difference between operating at capacity and operating over capacity. COVID has created a significant backlog of necessary surgical and screening procedures. COVID has also added significant cost and delays in care. 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by broberts