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 Read more
rapid antigen tests
There’s a good deal of confusion surrounding new U.S. travel rules. Air Canada says it has a solution. Air Canada has announced a series of improvements for customers to meet new U.S. government entry requirements. In partnership with Switch Health, a Canadian-based health care company, Air Canada confirms ample supply of antigen test kits available for purchase. The self-administered antigen test will allow customers to conveniently meet new U.S. government entry requirements that travellers present a negative COVID-19 test taken not more than one day prior to departure. The test result takes about 15 minutes to complete. The self-administered test Read more
New rules for anyone flying to the United States begin in a few hours. The U.S. says that passengers on any flights that depart for the U.S. after Monday, December 6 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (which could be interpreted as 9:01 p.m. December 5, today, for flights departing in the Pacific time zone) must show a negative COVID-19 test taken either the day of their flight or the day before. That goes for doubly vaccinated travellers, as well. Contrary to some published reports, it’s not a 24-hour window. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site says anyone flying Read more
It’s about to become a little trickier to visit the United States. President Joe Biden’s administration says that, starting some time next week, all in-bound international passengers will have to take a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of their departure. They’re also taking action to increase vaccination rates in the States, and extending the mask mandate for domestic flights and public transportation to March 18, 2022. The changes were announced Thursday as part of a broader plan to bolster the nation’s arsenal of tools in its fight against the virus as the world enters its third year of the pandemic, Read more
Two of the most popular destinations for Canadians and Americans are putting new testing rules in place. Tourism Ireland said today that all arrivals into the Republic – whether vaccinated or not – will need a negative Covid test result from tomorrow (Dec. 3) onwards. Those travelling with an antigen test result will need to have obtained it within 48 hours of departure, and it will have to be professionally administered. No self-administered tests will be accepted. Those with a PCR test result will have a longer pre-travel window of 72 hours. Persons arriving into the state from overseas who Read more
