JayArr

Has anyone who received multiple tests (family or group) noticed a pattern to the test results?

My wife got her results this morning at exactly 10:00AM EDT. Seems like a batch release unless it's a coincidence. It may be good to watch and index when the results come out so that others know when to expect the next set of results.

I also notice that the lab is in Napean Ontario, which IIRC is a suburb or Ottawa. If they are collecting these tests into batches at YYZ and flying them to Ottawa for processing that may explain why there is so much lag time for results. Doesn't Switch have a lab in Toronto?

Edit: My results came through at 17:54 EDT. It's only a smaple set of two but it may indicate that results are released at 10 in the morning and 6 at night.

chromag

We arrived at YYZ on AC 1865 from Curaçao yesterday night around 22:00.

By virtue of good timing, customs was not busy. It took me just as long through NEXUS as travellers in the regular lineup. My passport was flagged with the pink sticker for arrival testing.

The testing was done in a sectioned-off area towards the east end of the T1 arrivals level. Pre-registering with Switch Health didn't seem to save me any time in line. The whole process was about 15 minutes from the time we exited the baggage area.

My partner and I travelled together, but erroneously put different addresses down in our ArriveCAN quarantine plans. I'm wondering if we can still quarantine together? Anyone experience quarantine compliance checks with home visits or calls?

EDIT: It took 43 hours to get my arrival testing results. Nobody called or visited to check on me during my quarantine period.

TheCanuckian

I don't think anyone is getting a visit in the first few days while you await results, though you may get a robocall. If you test positive and have to quarantine for 14 days, you can change your address here. (Just search for the word "change")

jlisi984

Arrival into YYC on (delayed) AC849 on Jan 1. Immigration very quick, baggage delivery quick too.
After the point where you drop off your customs/immigration printout, left door has a circle (go home without test), right door has a triangle (testing). There's an extra officer posted before the desk who directs you "left" or "right". Then, I got quite annoyed as they don't bother removing the slalom course of barriers up to the testing point even though there was absolutely no-one in line. Just took out all the retractable straps so we could walk straight and not slalom around two dozen times with a luggage cart, which of course caused some "uproar" with the staff which was just milling about (instead of actually doing something, e.g. removing the barriers as is standard worldwide). Preregistration probably helped a tiny bit in that details didn't need to be typed, we got tested immediately and went home in an Uber.
Three of us traveling:
- I got my result after 24h
- one companion got result after 36h
- second companion results after 48h
Considering we all got tested at the same time and place quite ridiculous - I've gotten accustomed to same-day and max 10-hour turnaround tests from my travels (or instant, for that matter - what's preventing them from ordering a bunch of those RT-LAMP or rapid-PCR machines and just having someone process it then and there?? 15-30 minutes tops for results). The lab is in Calgary, a "Hematology" clinic (wow, lots of people are making money off of this). Actually feel kind of bad that people who are actually sick and have Covid cannot get a PCR test and here we are "wasting" those precious resources without any cause... A two week trip and I got tested five times!

jlisi984

On a completely different subject (therefore the second post), I've been wondering what happens now that PCR testing is unavailable in many provinces for symptomatic cases in Canada. A positive PCR test result allows you to travel for 180 days without testing (logical), but now people are not getting PCR tests (at-home rapid tests only) but some will likely continue testing positive well past the 14-day "do not travel" period... Considering a large swathe of the population is testing positive this time around, this situation could have a significant impact (and, wishful thinking here, maybe lead to a complete removal of PCR testing for travel).

atsak

The lack of testing isn't being considered as a problem for travel (I mean it's a huge problem but the government doesn't care because the testing shortage is being caused by provincial short sightedness on testing and the travel regulations are federally managed). What to do is go get a private PCR test and work with your doctor to issue a letter confirming you've recovered after the appropriate couple weeks or so. I mean I agree with you get rid of the testing for fully vaccinated people as it's a waste of time and money since we have already proven it doesn't prevent variants from reaching us, but logical choices are only being made about half the time by government, and this will be no different.

Amber2413

Count yourself lucky - after arrival at YYZ my husband finally got his results after 186 hours...

jlisi984

But, AFAIK, technically you are not supposed to go get a private PCR test if you are positive? And the letter is all well and good to get additionally but doesn't substitute the positive PCR test from accredited lab for Canadian entry requirements.

atsak

Technically no, but after you pass the original isolation requirements and are not considered infectious, I'm sure you could get one. I also believe, at least in the center of the universe, um, Ontario, that some pharmacies will do symptomatic testing as well, but I am not sure what the restrictions are on that (I have not yet investigated). Canadian entry requirements are:

• You 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 ago (starting January 15, 2022, between 10 and 180 days ago).

The doctors letter may be required in some other jurisdictions, as far as I recall reading.

exbayern

I can beat that record, and actually left Canada without ever getting results. (Still waiting?) Totally absurd to expect people to wait anywhere from 12-186 hours. Do they really think that people are going to fly from Germany for a Whistler ski holiday, and sit inside the hotel room for seven days in isolation? This further kills the tourism industry.

Amber2413

Blimey. And I thought our results time was bad...

capedreamer

Arrived at YYZ on AC887 from VIE today. Landed around 1:45pm. Got through customs with no wait thanks to Nexus. Received a pink PHAC sticker on my passport which apparently means randomly selected for arrival testing.

Testing is done after you exit baggage. Staff members asked to see my passport sticker and directed me to turn right for testing. Another staff member asked if I have a Switch Health account. Since I do, I was asked to take the left lane, which had no wait. Whole thing took about 10 minutes. Was told to expect my results in “2 to 3 days”.

On a (hopefully unrelated) note, I started feeling quite unwell towards the end of the flight. I have a negative PCR test from Vienna and felt fine for the first 8 hours of the flight. But by the last hour, I felt like my eyes were bulging out of my head and I trouble breathing through the FFP2. I felt increasingly weak as I navigated my way through YYZ and the ride home. By the time I got to my apartment, I could barely stand upright. Ripping off the mask, a bathroom break, and a hot shower helped a lot.

I don’t think it’s Covid as that would be an incredibly fast incubation period, but perhaps food poisoning? In any case, I guess I’ll find out when I get the results from Switch Health.

This brings me to the discussion between jlisi984 and atsak. If I do test positive, I thought that positive test result itself would serve as evidence of prior infection and recovery after 14 days. Is that not the case for all countries? Which jurisdictions also require a negative result following the positive result?

Yul_voyager

I couldn't agree more. Here in Montreal there are people who are really sick who need to wait 3 or 4 h outside (it was -20 C yesterday) to get tested (because they need a positive result for their work, for example) and the same day the federal government is wasting thousands of PCR tests for vaccinated asymptomatic travelers who get a negative test 2 days ago !
If the feds really want to help maybe they can offer this capacity to provincial heath care systems ???

mountainboy

Connected in YYZ (AUA to YYC) two days ago. The connections hall was completely empty. It went so quickly, it really didn't feel like Canada at all.

Apparently Arrivals is a total mess, because they were holding non-connecting passengers on the plane. Another reason to not live in Toronto

I agree the PCR testing on arrival is a completely mad waste of resources, as our week-long two-island trip required 3 PCR tests and 1 antigen test. (Which returned results in 5 hours, 4 hours, 3 hours, and 3 hours respectively). Everything the Feds do is too much, too late.

Soopergal

We arrived in YYZ from St lucia on Dec 31st evening. Direct flight, no connection and we didn't get held up in the plane. Another good reason for living in Toronto.

Arrival was smooth. Got the pink sticker. Did the test. Was out of of the airport within 20 mins of arrival. it has been almost 4 days. no test results yet.