Canadians Re-entering Canada

[gophercruiser]

As of March 1,2022 Canadians re-entering Canada do not need a PCR test, only an Antigen Test. This was released over a Gov news release today.

[oakridger]

Great! That will simplify things!  Will Canada accept at home proctored tests such as the Abbott Binax Now Covid-19 Ag Card antigen tests?  

[superoma]

 

from CTV news:
 

The federal government is eliminating the pre-arrival PCR test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers starting Feb. 28, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced Tuesday.

Travellers can instead opt for a cheaper rapid antigen test approved by the country they are coming from, taken 24 hours before their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border.

[bobpell]

Will HAL do the Antigen test on the dock?

Will the antigen test have to be administered by a medical professional or can I do it on the last day while having my coffee with breakfast on our balcony?

 

curious minds want to know!!

[GeorgeCharlie]

Below is taken from the Federal Government release:

 

As of February 28, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. EST:

 

“We will be easing the on-arrival testing for fully-vaccinated travellers. This means that travellers arriving to Canada from any country, who qualify as fully vaccinated, will be randomly selected for arrival testing. Travellers selected will also no longer be required to quarantine while awaiting their test result.”

 

“Unvaccinated travellers will continue to be required to test on arrival, on Day 8 and quarantine for 14 days. Unvaccinated foreign nationals will not permitted to enter Canada unless they meet one of the few exemptions."

"Travellers will now have the option of using a COVID-19 rapid antigen test result (taken the day prior to their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry) or a molecular test result (taken no more than 72 hours before their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry) to meet pre-entry requirements. Taking a rapid antigen test at home is not sufficient to meet the pre-entry requirement – it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service.”

 

From Global News article:

 

When it comes to travelling on cruise ships, the government also says they will have a plan.

“I can assure you that we will have more to say very soon about how testing for cruise ship travellers arriving at Canadian ports in time for cruise ship season this spring,” Alghabra said.

 

Notice as posted Gov't website;

 

Government of Canada lightens border measures as part of transition of the pandemic response - Canada.ca

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by GeorgeCharlie

[Keata]

3 hours ago, bobpell said:

Will HAL do the Antigen test on the dock?

Will the antigen test have to be administered by a medical professional or can I do it on the last day while having my coffee with breakfast on our balcony?

 

curious minds want to know!!

 From the Government site:

 

Taking a rapid antigen test at home is not sufficient to meet the pre-entry requirement – it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service.

[Fouremco]

10 hours ago, bobpell said:

Will HAL do the Antigen test on the dock?

Will the antigen test have to be administered by a medical professional or can I do it on the last day while having my coffee with breakfast on our balcony?

 

curious minds want to know!!

 

6 hours ago, Keata said:

 From the Government site:

 

Taking a rapid antigen test at home is not sufficient to meet the pre-entry requirement – it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service.

If you want to test yourself on the last day while sitting on your balcony having breakfast, you will be fine if you purchase a Switch Health or similar antigen test kit that is administered by their telehealth service. If you are thinking of the test kits that Ontario has been handing out for self-testing, then you are out of luck.

[Skorpora]

8 hours ago, GeorgeCharlie said:

Below is taken from the Federal Government release:

 

As of February 28, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. EST:

"Travellers will now have the option of using a COVID-19 rapid antigen test result (taken the day prior to their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry) or a molecular test result (taken no more than 72 hours before their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry) to meet pre-entry requirements. Taking a rapid antigen test at home is not sufficient to meet the pre-entry requirement – it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service.”

 

Bolding is mine.. so the statement indicating the RAT has to be taken the day PRIOR to scheduled flight etc concerns me.  Is it just badly worded, or will the cruise lines have to do the RAT onboard the day before arrival in port if passengers are going straight from the ship to the airport? IMO doing the test the same day is fine, but the wording of this is clear, but makes no sense.

[bobpell]

I muse over the wording " Taken the day prior to their scheduled flight "

If multitudes of fellow Canucks flock aboard a March HAL cruise now that the draconian requirement of submitting  to a PCR test pier side is dropped, how is the mini medical staff on board  going to administer a quick antigen test  on the second  last day and advise the gaggle of their status?

I am assuming we will flock home the day the cruise ship festooned itself to the pier in FLL 

I muse quietly

Bob

[boulders]

It's not HAL's responsibility to administer covid tests for entry to Canada unless they're docking at a Canadian port. You'll have to get a test either proctored on the internet that doesn't require shipping the test or once you have finished the cruise.

 

If the cruise ends in the US, book your flight to Canada 24 hours after testing for a rapid antigen test or 72 hours after testing if you get a PCR test. 

[porsena]

I spoke yesterday with my personal cruise consultant about this. If I understood correctly, HAL will administer a rapid antigen test on board for the port turnarounds in Vancouver during the Alaska season as long as they are required. Arrangements will be made through guest services. For these turnarounds in Vancouver, everyone dismebarking will have to be tested, not just the Canadians.  

 

The responsible government minister hinted during Tuesday's announcement that further relaxations to the Canadian border entry requirements might be made in a few weeks. We can always hope.