Random arrival testing
Sep 12, 2022 | 4:28 am
#166
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,796
Day 1 fly into Canada. Got an e-mail saying I had been selected for random testing and to complete said task by the end of day 2.
Day 4. Phone starts ringing. Sometimes up to 6x/day. Sometimes there would be a partially cut off message about the call being from public health...blah blah.
Day 9. Phone stops ringing.
Day 30ish. Drive into Canada. No questions about the above trip and not getting tested.
Day 4. Phone starts ringing. Sometimes up to 6x/day. Sometimes there would be a partially cut off message about the call being from public health...blah blah.
Day 9. Phone stops ringing.
Day 30ish. Drive into Canada. No questions about the above trip and not getting tested.
Last edited by tracon; Sep 12, 2022 at 4:02 pm
Sep 12, 2022 | 7:36 am
#167
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 6,496
Day 1 fly into Canada. Got an e-mail saying I had been selected for random testing and to complete said task by the end of day 2.
Day 4. Phone starts ringing. Sometimes up to 6x/day. Sometimes there would be a partially cut off message about the call being from public health...blah blah.
Day 9. Phone stops ringing.
Day 30ish. Drive across border. No questions about the above trip and not getting tested.
Day 4. Phone starts ringing. Sometimes up to 6x/day. Sometimes there would be a partially cut off message about the call being from public health...blah blah.
Day 9. Phone stops ringing.
Day 30ish. Drive across border. No questions about the above trip and not getting tested.
Sep 12, 2022 | 8:36 am
#168
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: Aeroplan AA
Posts: 251
Day 1 fly into Canada. Got an e-mail saying I had been selected for random testing and to complete said task by the end of day 2.
Day 4. Phone starts ringing. Sometimes up to 6x/day. Sometimes there would be a partially cut off message about the call being from public health...blah blah.
Day 9. Phone stops ringing.
Day 30ish. Drive across border. No questions about the above trip and not getting tested.
Day 4. Phone starts ringing. Sometimes up to 6x/day. Sometimes there would be a partially cut off message about the call being from public health...blah blah.
Day 9. Phone stops ringing.
Day 30ish. Drive across border. No questions about the above trip and not getting tested.
Sep 12, 2022 | 7:34 pm
#170
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 6,496
Day 1 fly into Canada. Got an e-mail saying I had been selected for random testing and to complete said task by the end of day 2.
Day 4. Phone starts ringing. Sometimes up to 6x/day. Sometimes there would be a partially cut off message about the call being from public health...blah blah.
Day 9. Phone stops ringing.
Day 30ish. Drive into Canada. No questions about the above trip and not getting tested.
Day 4. Phone starts ringing. Sometimes up to 6x/day. Sometimes there would be a partially cut off message about the call being from public health...blah blah.
Day 9. Phone stops ringing.
Day 30ish. Drive into Canada. No questions about the above trip and not getting tested.
Sep 13, 2022 | 11:23 pm
#172
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold
Posts: 18,990
I got the phone call this morning checking up on me. When I selected that I hadn't done the test yet, it offered me several options for why:
- Problems with the testing provider
- [Something else, I forget what]
- Decided not to do the test
- Have proof of positive molecular test in previous 10-180 days
I selected Option 4 again, and no one has asked me to provide any proof.
Sep 22, 2022 | 2:51 pm
#175
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 117
Yes, the current policy is set to expire at the end of September, but as we head into autumn and winter, when case numbers are inevitably going to go in the wrong direction, can you really see the government relaxing the border measures? Hey, if they do, great. That'll make everybody happy. Guess we'll just have to wait until the end of September to see where things stand.
Ummm... you "can't see things changing" ? How did you determine that ??
Why do you assume things will stay the same ?? Do you realize the current policy is a remnant of the covid emergency situation of the last two years, and as such it's temporary. So at some point "things" will change back to normal. This has been the case in other countries, and even in Canada the trend is defintely of slowly rolling back Covid restrictions.
Actually, the current policy is set to expire at the end of September, so there is a fair chance it won't be renewed. As usual, I expect the government to only anounce if the border measures are going to expire or be extended, only a few days before the end of September. But do take this into account and wait for the news before your trip.
Why do you assume things will stay the same ?? Do you realize the current policy is a remnant of the covid emergency situation of the last two years, and as such it's temporary. So at some point "things" will change back to normal. This has been the case in other countries, and even in Canada the trend is defintely of slowly rolling back Covid restrictions.
Actually, the current policy is set to expire at the end of September, so there is a fair chance it won't be renewed. As usual, I expect the government to only anounce if the border measures are going to expire or be extended, only a few days before the end of September. But do take this into account and wait for the news before your trip.
This was expected, since it's already clear the world and Canada, are moving away from Covid restrictions.
There is no real data supporting any of the scare tactics about increasing spread, new variants, more waves etc. Bottom line is Covid has flatlined, and we can just go on living with it around, just like any other common diseases.
Sep 22, 2022 | 3:03 pm
#176
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: Marriott LTT, AA LTG MM, AC 25K
Posts: 3,986
As per various news sources, pretty soon there won't be any more arrival testing, vaccination requirements, or arriveCan.
This was expected, since it's already clear the world and Canada, are moving away from Covid restrictions.
There is no real data supporting any of the scare tactics about increasing spread, new variants, more waves etc. Bottom line is Covid has flatlined, and we can just go on living with it around, just like any other common diseases.
This was expected, since it's already clear the world and Canada, are moving away from Covid restrictions.
There is no real data supporting any of the scare tactics about increasing spread, new variants, more waves etc. Bottom line is Covid has flatlined, and we can just go on living with it around, just like any other common diseases.
Sep 22, 2022 | 3:13 pm
#177
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), IHG Plat (CC), UA (*G) Gold, AA Plat (OWS)
Posts: 10,228
Of course, now I have to take a Dash-8 to YTZ for no reason :-) guess it's closer to Downtown!
Sep 22, 2022 | 8:14 pm
#178
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 117
Sure, for now. But close to 90% of Canadians are "fully" vaccinated, and much higher percentage from people who actually travel, so not really a concern. And the enforcement of the US requirement is a friction-less and smooth process, done by the airlines, usually as part of online check-in. I travelled to the US several times recently, but never had to answer any questions or discuss with any border official if I'm vaccinated.
Sep 22, 2022 | 9:16 pm
#179
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM
Posts: 728
Sure, for now. But close to 90% of Canadians are "fully" vaccinated, and much higher percentage from people who actually travel, so not really a concern. And the enforcement of the US requirement is a friction-less and smooth process, done by the airlines, usually as part of online check-in. I travelled to the US several times recently, but never had to answer any questions or discuss with any border official if I'm vaccinated.
The airlines have been deputized via IATA Timatic to perform the role of policing this. That is why you don't get asked upon arrival.
That scheme has got to end.
Sep 26, 2022 | 9:46 am
#180
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 2
No more testing
We got the "you've been selected for a random test" when we arrived at Toronto International airport on September 19th. We'd been stuck on the plane we hike only 50 passengers were let off at a time. Then there was a long delay to collect our luggage. We were tired so didn't want to search for the apparent testing site somewhere at the airport. The following morning we tried to pick up a testing kit but the first location had run out of kits. After walking well over a mile we got a kit. We went back to the hotel and then discovered you needed to do it with online assistance. I'd done one before so we just did the test and mailed it. The return form was clearly designed for residents only. The only address we had was our hotel and that was for 2 nights only. There then followed a series of calls whuch w we ignored. They finally stopped after about 3 days.
Hooray, these unworkable measures have now been dropped. If the idea was to pick up new variants then surely there must have been better ways to do that?
Hooray, these unworkable measures have now been dropped. If the idea was to pick up new variants then surely there must have been better ways to do that?
