Border Restrictions Updates

[Chazz]

Updates on easing border restrictions to be held at 1:30 today - stay tuned
https://www.cicnews.com/2021/07/canada-announcing-updates-to-border-measures-today-0718648.html

[Chazz]

Looks like August 9th border opening to US non-essential travelers

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-border-measures-reopening-1.6107988

[michelle]

That's great news!!

[Oarin]

Will we Americans be required to file the arriveCAN forms?

[Chazz]

 Oarin- Yes arrivecan will need to be filled out and also will need a the covid vaccination and a negative covid test within 72 hours of crossing.

[laketrouter]

Yes , according to the government the arrivecan portal will have to be used

[Oarin]

It says we need to have a test within 72 hrs. of entering. Is a rapid covid test acceptable?

[Netman]

According to the Canadian web sites I have looked at the test CANNOT  be an antigen test. All the rapid test in my area are Antigen type tests. In talking to a few local clinics they are saying that the turn time to get the PCR test results is 1 to 3 days. It will be cutting things close if it takes the 3 days to get the results.

[Oarin]

Thanks, Netman. I will be really pissed if I get the test and don't get results in time. 72 hours doesn't give much wiggle room.

[Chazz]

My wife and I got one just over two weeks ago right before we crossed the border.  We got it at CVS pharmacy and got the results in one day.  The labs are probably not as busy as early in the pandemic.

[chiaro]

The test prior to crossing seems like overkill. I guess there are a very few cases where people have a double jab, still get infected and can still spread it.

Had they tried to open the border in April there would have been outrage. Not a peep now. Anyone who wants a jab has had the opportunity and now it's just a matter of time before anyone who wants the second jab gets it. Numbers are way down and those at risk simply can be careful for a month or so.

It will be interesting going forward. Our countries are in two different positions. Will a high vaccination rate be enough protection for the general population through the winter? Likely we will have pockets where covid festers. In that regard I feel sorry for health care workers and those that are ill. In those pockets things won't get back to normal. If your hospital is full no operations are happening.

Then the question will be at what point in time do you need a booster? Flu shots were always available previously. What if over 70% of your population needs a booster say in 6 months? That is easier said then done.

[limacharley]

Will we Americans be required to file the arriveCAN forms?

Can I suggest you get your border crossing advice from an official government source instead of a fishing forum? Don't want you to be disappointed.
That goes for all you Americans.

[Netman]

Good advice, this is the site I was using.
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/border

It appears to be the official  Government of Canada web site?

[chiaro]

Yup...it is legit.

[Chumy77]

The Boarder  Officer will be on strike by then ,which could cause issue for reopening.