Originally Posted by
bambinomartino
I'm with Emailkid here. I don't think flight numbers would have gone up to an unmanageable number, too many other destinations have restrictions, too many Canadians are still irrationally scared of the virus, and the cost of testing alone is often a deterrent.
Even if rapid PCR testing supply were an issue, those tests could be reserved for travellers with an onward connection. Those whose final destination is the point of entry and vicinity can have the swab at the airport and await their result in the safety of their home quarantine.
ok, so checking in on the numbers.
We have 9,2 million rapid tests that have not yet been deployed and are listed as emergency supply.
We have an additional 16 million rapid tests
that have been distributed to their final point-of-care setting where they will be administered to patients. (only 4 million have been used so far which is another issue)
Assuming we have ~45000 Canadian air arrivals a day (pre pandemic numbers discounting for ~10,000 foreigners) according to statscan
That means we have the capacity to have enough rapid tests for only 200 days assuming they all get used for air travel - not other uses, and not land borders.
In other words, maybe rapid testing will come to the border since we seem to have millions of unused fast tests? But maybe the supply is just too small to use these for travel, since the numbers above dont even account for land crossings or foreigners coming in.