As if dealing with COVID-19 and the Omicron variant weren’t enough, travelers are now facing problems lining up the tests they need to travel.
Canadians who travel outside the country and want to return need to show negative results from a PCR-style COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their scheduled departure. But there are reports of long lineups at testing sites in the U.S., which is frustrating travelers to no end.
Fox13 News in Tampa said the demand for testing has risen quickly as new virus cases rise in the Tampa Bay Area.
“Hillsborough County has seen more than 5,000 cases in the last week. Over at Al Lopez Park, doors opened at 7 a.m. Monday and large crowds showed up early (for testing). The line was out the door, going 200 to 300 yards down the access road. It was especially busy over the weekend.”
I’ve also read about testing lineups and booking issues in northern California, where residents and travelers are seeking to find out their health status for personal reasons, or for travel.
Today’s Globe and Mail reports that some testing centres are taking longer than 72 hours to send results to patients, which makes it nearly impossible for a Canadian to comply with the rules.
Ontario resident Julian Wise told the paper that the 72-hour-limit is “a little unrealistic.”
Other observers are calling for the Canadian government to change its requirement for a PCR test to that of a rapid antigen test, which is not quite as accurate as the PCR type but yields results within minutes.
“I think the PCR requirement is what really needs to go,” Ontario doctor Madison Healey told the Globe and Mail.
The Canadian government has been pretty strict about testing, and it remains to be seen if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be willing to bend the rules for folks who want to travel.
Complicating matters further is that international rules for travel testing are changing quickly. The New York Times reports that the Cayman Islands was requiring a negative test taken within 72 hours of flying, but now requires one within 24 hours.
“Finding a test has become increasingly difficult — appointments are booked and walk-in sites often have hours-long waits,” The Times said. “And even if you can get a test, it is far from guaranteed that your results will come back in time for you to board.”
