Covid requirements to enter Canada

I have just found out that anyone entering Canada, regardless of their vaccination status (even those returning, double vaccinated Canadians) are required to have a PCR test.

COVID-19: Travel, testing, quarantine and borders    AND

COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada  -   Read the section "Requirements to follow for your trip" and in particular the section entitled "Requirements to follow for your trip"; paragraph 1 - "Get a pre-entry test" where it says:

"Pre-entry test result requirements

All travellers 5 years of age or older, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, must provide proof of a COVID-19 negative molecular test result to enter Canada or proof of a previous positive test result taken between 14 and 180 days.

Rapid antigen tests will not be accepted."  NOTE:  I bolded the font for emphasis.

Antigen test have never been accepted for entry into Canada.

I went through all this baloney going to Ottawa back in August. Information provided on official Federal Web pages was overwrought and short on detail. And, after urging out-of-country Canadians to take whatever shot they could get, they still refuse to accept Sinovac and others as the real thing, thus forcing 14 days of quarantine of fully-vaccinated citizens.

Nothing has changed. But it is also something that some Canadians are probably just discovering.

Yes, the Sinovac situation is shameful. My wife, who received Sinovac, recently flew up to LAX and received a J&J shot right in the airport and flew back the same day. That is a fairly inexpensive kption if you can find a good deal on the flight. Fortunately the US is recognizing Sinovac.

Daughter will be leaving here for Hawaii in January, and even though it is part of the USA, which requires only an antigen test, she will need a PCR test. I suppose the reasoning is it's an island. Then she comes back to Mexico, and we both go to Florida much later. She leaves from there for Canada, while I come back here.

Since we will be in Florida for a week, getting a PCR test in Mexico is pointless, but she will need the antigent test. My research shows that Walgreen's is offering both antigen and PCR tests for free, as long a you fill out the online form for an appointment. (But, you have to complete the form first before they will let you pick a location OR a test, so I can't confirm positively... about a negative test.)

Regular readers will know that the cheapest PCR test here is at a little lab in Chapala (others run between 4900 and 6900p!), and antigen testing at WalMart for $199p.

Here's hoping things get more sorted by then.

A Canadian friend of mine that travels back and forth to Canada has just told me that she gets a PCR test at the Guadalajara airport for 1500 pesos. Of course, you have to go make an extra trip to the airport,48 hours ahead, but.......

Has anyone with the AZ vaccine travelled to Canada since the new rules? I see you have to upload your proof of vaccination to the Arrive Can app however they say it must be in English or French. Did you get a translated copy? If so, where?

If your proof of vaccination is not in English or French, you need a certified translation in English or French.

Your certified translation must include the stamp or membership number of a professional translation association.

Translation of documents

Keep both the original proof of vaccination and the certified translation with you while you travel.

If your proof of vaccination doesn't meet all of the requirements, it will be considered invalid. You will not qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller.

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada

CanuckBob wrote:Has anyone with the AZ vaccine travelled to Canada since the new rules? I see you have to upload your proof of vaccination to the Arrive Can app however they say it must be in English or French. Did you get a translated copy? If so, where?

I flew from New York to Toronto a couple weeks ago, and I needed a PCR test, and used the ArriveCan app. No one looked at anything. If you are double-vaxxed, including AZ, you do not have to quarantine.

Cheers,

Michael

Thanks all. I'm aware that the Mexican proof of vaccination will need to be translated. Just wondering who/where it can be "successfully" done.

The proof I got from E Lago Laboratorio in Chapala included the results in English labelled FOR AIRPORT AUTHORITIES:. It was accepted in Canada no problem.

"In this document, Orthin Laboratorio certifies the analysis of the aforementioned sample for the molecular
detection (RT-PCR) of SARS-CoV-2 which is "Negative".
The interpretation of this result means that we didn’t find any evidence of the virus in the sample tested."

CG, Bob is asking about translating his VAX proof (not test).

Bob, Ana Siller does this.  From FB, and her contact,

REGARDING OFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF YOUR CERTIFICATE
- I am approved to translate records for travel into Canada (working on getting on the Embassy's list right now just for added measure) with their new opening of the border.
-If I had already translated your record, I will translate it again into this new format at no cost.
If you have any additional questions, please let me know.
Saludos,
Ana

You can find contact details at her website, here, https://sillertranslations.com/

Excellent. Thank you.

BisbeeGal wrote:CG, Bob is asking about translating his VAX proof (not test).

Bob, Ana Siller does this.  From FB, and her contact,

REGARDING OFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF YOUR CERTIFICATE
- I am approved to translate records for travel into Canada (working on getting on the Embassy's list right now just for added measure) with their new opening of the border.
-If I had already translated your record, I will translate it again into this new format at no cost.
If you have any additional questions, please let me know.
Saludos,
Ana

You can find contact details at her website, here, https://sillertranslations.com/

Whoops, thanks. My mind transposed "proof" as "test results".

Wow, this guy:

https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/6-200-ticket-issued-to-windsor-man-after-crossing-canada-us-border-1.5651791

Windsor, Ont. -
A Windsor, Ont. man wants to fight a $6,200 ticket for crossing the Canada-United States border.
Chris Labelle is fully vaccinated and crosses the Ambassador Bridge Windsor-Detroit border daily for work.

Canadian government is now facing extreme pressure to eliminate the expensive PCR test for fully vaccinated travellers. I suspect they will either eliminate it entirely or switch to the less expensive antigen test within a few months.

And wouldn't it be nice if, at the same time, they allow ALL double-vaxxers with negative tests in with no quarantine requirements. In fact, it should be mandatory that the Canadian Federal government start paying a tad more attention to the needs of the people after all this time.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/travel/pcr-test-requirements-at-the-border-need-to-be-re-examined-tam/ar-AAQmuce?li=AAggNb9

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/business-greets-canada-u-s-border-opening-as-glass-half-full-due-to-testing-rule/ar-AAQnWeC?li=AAgh0dA

I'm not sure how "no tests" protect us. This spurred me to do a little Googling, so for example in only Minnesota (pop 3.2 million), as of September the number of "breakthrough cases" of fully vaccinated people was 57,000. Only testing can show that. That's 57,000 infected people walking around who could infect others if testing is no longer a requirement. https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/stats/vbt.html

Instead, give us cheap, reliable, 5-minute tests that we can either do ourselves, or that can be done while talking to border security. Unilaterally accepted tests.

Well on the other hand, covid isn't going away. It is the new flu so do we want to be tested and wear masks for the rest of our lives? Getting vaccinated is the key. If you catch it, it won't likely be worse than the flu.

Until we reach some level of herd immunity, yes, we need tests. Eventually it will settle down to a manageable level, like everything else. And look, this is probably the new reality. Covid, I'm sure, is just the first in a continuing assault that is changing the way we have to live.