Canada Closed until US Gets Covid 19 Under Control

[The AD]

Is this even an improvement?

Not much of one. Pretty lame.

At least the demand for testing should be dropping off a cliff soon, so it shouldn't be as onerous getting one.

[paulster2626]

Not much of one. Pretty lame.

At least the demand for testing should be dropping off a cliff soon, so it shouldn't be as onerous getting one.

Well, with a ~40% false negative rate, at least if you test positive you can just keep doing them until one comes back negative so you can get home.

This is so stupid.

[spanky]

Well, with a ~40% false negative rate, at least if you test positive you can just keep doing them until one comes back negative so you can get home.

This is so stupid.

Just like the US, the home antigen test needs to be “supervised” via tele-health.

I’m traveling US-Canada next month and have antigen kits from emed. Instead of a PCR for Canadian entry, I can just use these both ways.

https://www.emed.com/products/covid-...stkit-six-pack

Removes the stress of having to get a PCR test and results within 72 hours of my flight. Also, we’re three travelers, so the 6-pack of tests for 150 USD is much less money than any other testing offered in the US or Canada.

[toast2266]

Is this even an improvement?

It's a huge improvement.

PCR travel tests, at least where I live, cost a minimum of $100 and they were only offered at limited times. And then you still had to wait 24 hours to get your results, so 1/3 of your 72 hour entrance window was already gone.

Antigen tests are cheap, easy to schedule, and you get results a couple hours later (or sometimes while you wait).

North America has been behind the ball on the antigen tests from the beginning -they're the standard test in most of the rest of the world. In Europe, you can get an "official" antigen test at almost any pharmacy for around $10 and they give you results while you wait. Sure, the antigen tests aren't as accurate, but they're more useful because they're easy, cheap, and fast. There's no disincentive to get one. Especially during the major Covid waves, PCR tests I was getting were taking 4-5 days to get results back, which renders that test fairly useless. I'd rather have anyone with covid symptoms get a quick antigen test that's 80% accurate than have them wait 5 days for a PCR test that's 95% accurate, but they go to work during that 5 days because "they're pretty sure it's just a cold."

[paulster2626]

It's a huge improvement.

PCR travel tests, at least where I live, cost a minimum of $100 and they were only offered at limited times. And then you still had to wait 24 hours to get your results, so 1/3 of your 72 hour entrance window was already gone.

Antigen tests are cheap, easy to schedule, and you get results a couple hours later (or sometimes while you wait).

North America has been behind the ball on the antigen tests from the beginning -they're the standard test in most of the rest of the world. In Europe, you can get an "official" antigen test at almost any pharmacy for around $10 and they give you results while you wait. Sure, the antigen tests aren't as accurate, but they're more useful because they're easy, cheap, and fast. There's no disincentive to get one. Especially during the major Covid waves, PCR tests I was getting were taking 4-5 days to get results back, which renders that test fairly useless. I'd rather have anyone with covid symptoms get a quick antigen test that's 80% accurate than have them wait 5 days for a PCR test that's 95% accurate, but they go to work during that 5 days because "they're pretty sure it's just a cold."

First part makes sense, glad these are cheaper and easier to get and use for you and hopefully make travel easier for people.

Second part is kind of irrelevant, as an antigen test telling someone with symptoms to not go to work has nothing to do with crossing the border. You're just not supposed to enter CAN/USA with symptoms, period. Antigen tests have their place - I'm just not convinced this lies in keeping COVID out of a country, which as we have seen is impossible anyway.

I'm going to take my big rig to Ottawa and park it on Trudeau's lawn until he agrees that vaccination without a test is all that is needed to cross our border. You can thank me later. FREEDOM!

[toast2266]

First part makes sense, glad these are cheaper and easier to get and use for you and hopefully make travel easier for people.

Second part is kind of irrelevant, as an antigen test telling someone with symptoms to not go to work has nothing to do with crossing the border. You're just not supposed to enter CAN/USA with symptoms, period. Antigen tests have their place - I'm just not convinced this lies in keeping COVID out of a country, which as we have seen is impossible anyway.

I'm going to take my big rig to Ottawa and park it on Trudeau's lawn until he agrees that vaccination without a test is all that is needed to cross our border. You can thank me later. FREEDOM!

Yeah, the comparison to Europe wasn't so much with respect to crossing the border. It's more just a comment on the rationale behind only doing PCR tests in North America. If the goal is to inform both the public and the government of people's infection status, I think doing a larger number of fairly accurate tests is more useful than doing fewer very accurate tests.

But that aside, I wish you the best of luck in your visit to Trudeau. I'll buy you a beer if I can get across the border with just a passport and a vax card.

[summit]

You can take a vid proctored antigen home test at your hotel or home just before you drive to the airport. No more full schedules, hoping the results post, lines... and costs are lower.

[The AD]

Yeah, the comparison to Europe wasn't so much with respect to crossing the border. It's more just a comment on the rationale behind only doing PCR tests in North America. If the goal is to inform both the public and the government of people's infection status, I think doing a larger number of fairly accurate tests is more useful than doing fewer very accurate tests.

Especially with Omicron, which moved so fast. Taking a test 72 hours beforehand is tantamount to worthless.

[caderader]

Is there a consensus on what's too late to try and cross the border? I'm flying into my Spokane and headed to Nelson but I know Nelway closes at 4 and don't want to push it too close. I can always detour to Paterson but would rather not.

[gettinfat]

I am guessing you won't even need to do that (tele-health) . There have been tests that arrivecan accepted all along that never required proctoring all.

I'm not going to list them here but we heard about them from calgarians who were coming to the flathead a lot and they had given up on local testing. As Toast mentioned PCR tests here are at a minimum $100 and for a long while were only available at 1 site for $250 with a long line. I was actually the last person the local hospital tested for travel in the beginning of september. as I had the swab in my nose the call came in to stop testing for travel. they have not resumed.

Since I'm vaxxed and multi-boosted I'm not sure why they are even bothering. I'm going to Germany next week- No requirement there.

[Pinned]

When I check the CA Gov travel site they specifically note that they do not accept rapid antigen tests. They accept PCR, NAT, NAAT, and RT-LAMP. I've only ever heard of PCR but generally seems like getting one turned around in 3 days is impossible unless you pay quite a bit.

Is there a tele-health supervised or other test I can take as an American that doesn't require me to go and pay a ton of money / wait in a long line / wait for results?

[spanky]

When I check the CA Gov travel site they specifically note that they do not accept rapid antigen tests. They accept PCR, NAT, NAAT, and RT-LAMP. I've only ever heard of PCR but generally seems like getting one turned around in 3 days is impossible unless you pay quite a bit.

Is there a tele-health supervised or other test I can take as an American that doesn't require me to go and pay a ton of money / wait in a long line / wait for results?

The telehealth rapid antigen option starts Feb 28…

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-heal...-response.html

[caderader]

When I check the CA Gov travel site they specifically note that they do not accept rapid antigen tests. They accept PCR, NAT, NAAT, and RT-LAMP. I've only ever heard of PCR but generally seems like getting one turned around in 3 days is impossible unless you pay quite a bit.

Is there a tele-health supervised or other test I can take as an American that doesn't require me to go and pay a ton of money / wait in a long line / wait for results?

For what it's worth I can get a free PCR at pharmacies in my community (CVS or Walgreens) in the drive thru. Turnaround is about ~36 hrs.

[boar2m]

I’ve scheduled a PCR on Wed 2 pm and I estimate I will cross the WA/BC border around 2 pm Sat, 7/26. Any US citizen here with first hand experience crossing entering Canada a couple hours outside the 72 hour window? How strict are they with the 72-hr limit?

[toast2266]

I’ve scheduled a PCR on Wed 2 pm and I estimate I will cross the WA/BC border around 2 pm Sat, 7/26. Any US citizen here with first hand experience crossing entering Canada a couple hours outside the 72 hour window? How strict are they with the 72-hr limit?

No experience, but my hunch is that the answer will depend entirely on the mood of the border guard. Personally, there's no way I'd take the chance unless getting turned away at the border wouldn't be a big deal.

[Pinned]

The telehealth rapid antigen option starts Feb 28…

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-heal...-response.html

Thanks - will see about ordering a telehealth test then. That will be much cheaper / easier than trying to find a rapid test appointment.

[boar2m]

No experience, but my hunch is that the answer will depend entirely on the mood of the border guard. Personally, there's no way I'd take the chance unless getting turned away at the border wouldn't be a big deal.

It will be a major hassle for sure... I plan to leave Portland an hour earlier than normal.

[thecadgod]

I’ve scheduled a PCR on Wed 2 pm and I estimate I will cross the WA/BC border around 2 pm Sat, 7/26. Any US citizen here with first hand experience crossing entering Canada a couple hours outside the 72 hour window? How strict are they with the 72-hr limit?

12 of us got across on the 6th, one guy was getting real close, I think he had 30mins left and the border agent mentioned he was cutting it close. Please post if you make it or not, my gut tells me you wont get across.

[Percy Rideout]

Cannot wait for the South Park Canada episode to come out after all of this.


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[DanoT]

Cannot wait for the South Park Canada episode to come out after all of this.


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Never mind the South Park border episode, think about the material that they have for the Trudeau the Tyrannical Dictator (invokes the Emergency (War) Measures Act) vs the Peaceful Truckers. With Trudeau's hiding from the Truckers, then vilifying them, calling them racist, terrorists, and their "unacceptable views" as well as JT calling the Jewish member of the opposition Conservative Party and all her Party members Neo-Nazi sympathizers, Trudeau has all but written the script for a great future South Park episode.

[XXX-er]

dude, this was not your father's war measures act, please emergencies act and BTW a review will be part of it

It was too dangerous for any elected offical to meet with those crayon eaters and there was multiple factions ncluding one asking the government to resign, so whom are you meeting with and did you miss the confederate flags and swastika's ?

Crayon eaters albeit very well organized and they had to go

[liv2ski]

Yup, surprised by DT take, but that is how the world goes around these days.

[XXX-er]

a local well known & reasonably loved town offical was standing around watching but had to leave the 1st protest

The PG citizen a newspaper in a medium sized town east of here has quit covering anti-vax protests and did not cover the convoy, the editor wrote a piece stating it is no longer safe to send out photogs or reporters

[skinipenem]

A passport is required for travel to Canada from US, no?

Let's just say someone very close to me. But not me let their passport expire. Faaack. There is a thread for the 'faaack' person songs here to buy I can't throw them under the bus as their intentions were good revolving around a tyke.

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[Ted Striker]

With the disclaimer that current events might have affected this, recently expired American/Canadian passports haven't historically been a problem when crossing the land borders.