We were all so close to getting our heads wrapped around the new rules that will come into effect 08NOV when the U.S. changes its requirements for entry by land, air and water.
Open Jaw even reported on the new protocols this week, and Canadians with travel plans to the U.S. beginning next month were taking notes and making plans.
Now, the requirements may be changing again.
Press reports indicate that American health authorities haven’t ruled out the possibility of requiring negative COVID tests for non-essential travellers to enter the U.S. by land.
Previously, U.S. officials indicated that fully vaccinated Canadian travellers would only require a negative COVID test for air arrivals. Travellers presenting at U.S. land border crossings would only be required to be fully vaccinated - with no negative test results necessary.
Not so fast, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While confirming that the latest rules for air arrivals do indeed include a negative antigen test for entry into the U.S., Dr. Cindy Friedman, the CDC’s chief of the travellers' health branch, says updated land-border crossing rules may be on the way in the next few days as 08NOV gets closer.
This backs up statements by White House officials that have indicated that soon-to-be updated border entry rules will likely align no matter how a traveller enters the country. That would mean that air, land and water arrivals will need to follow the same set of rules.
According to reports, Friedman said that, “Customs and Border Protection is expected to announce in the next few days whether travellers crossing the land borders will need to show proof of a negative test.”
So anyone with upcoming plans to travel to the U.S. by land should begin sourcing antigen COVID tests now and figuring out timing to get results - just in case they'll need a 48- or 72-hour pre-departure test to show CBP officials at the border crossing when they get there.
Lynn- at the end of your post you say Canadians should research finding testing for travel if required to have a negative test 48 o 72 hours before travel. Assuming only an antigen test; most testing results for the rapid antigen test is done on the same day. It is he worthless PCR test that takes 48 to 72 hours to get the results on. Even the CDC in the US has recommended not using PCR tests after December 31, 2021 due to false positives. Anyway requiring only the rapid antigen test would be a first positive step that the US has suggested for travelers. Let’s hope they drop the use of PCR testing for Covid-19.